Python3 cannot import gi

Question

I was attempting to run an indicator for pushbullet without avail. I attempted to run through the terminal when I noticed python3 can not import gi

bin > python3 pushbullet-indicator
Traceback (most recent call last):
 File "pushbullet-indicator", line 26, in <module>
 import gi
 ImportError: No module named 'gi'
bin > 

Attempting a manual import.

~ > python3
Python 3.4.1 (default, Sep 27 2014, 09:00:29) 
[GCC 4.8.2] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import gi
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ImportError: No module named 'gi'
>>> 

but for some reason Python2 can?

Python 2.7.6 (default, Mar 22 2014, 22:59:56) 
[GCC 4.8.2] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import gi
>>> 

I have Anaconda installed. I'm attempting to import gi on the system's install of python3. I hope that is the correct terminology. python3-gi is installed.

Even stranger is that I can run indicator-cpufreq

Do you guys have any ideas or recommendations? Thanks for any help!

Solution 1

python packages installed system-wide may not be available for python versions installed in anaconda directories.

Try instead to load your script using the full path to the system interpreter:

$ /usr/bin/python3
Python 3.4.0 (default, Apr 11 2014, 13:05:11) 
[GCC 4.8.2] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import gi
>>> 

Solution 2

Some packages like gi does not exist in the conda environment directory after installation but the system's Python directory. You could use conda-forge to install the package so that could run it directly from your conda Python 3 environment.

conda install -c conda-forge pygobject

Comments

[Tyler Berezowsky]

I'm not sure I entirely understand. Anaconda added ~/anaconda/bin to my path. grepping for python, it appears only the following commands would be over written. bin > ls | grep python activate-global-python-argcomplete ipython ipython2 python python2 python2.7 python-argcomplete-check-easy-install-script python-config register-python-argcomplete bin > ]^C bin >

[RobotHumans]

Anaconda works by overriding your global python environment and using only the share in your ~/Anaconda subfolders. gir is notoriously hard to build/install in a venv... so, to use your global python env, you have to disable that env mangling anaconda puts in your bashrc.

[Carl H]

This is the correct answer. If you're using Anaconda, don't install Python packages directly, install them into Anaconda and use that at all times. Otherwise you can end up in a right mess.