Home / ubuntu / Questions / 815874
In Process
MaximoTrinidad
Asked: 2016-08-24 08:54:52 +0800 CST

ImportError: No named '_tkinter', please install the python3-tk package

  • 772

I am new to Ubuntu and Linux in general.

I created a dual boot OS on my laptop (Windows 10 and Ubuntu).

  • Typing: sudo apt-get install python3-tk (or even python-tk) didn't work.
  • Trying to install the python3-dev or python-devel (no luck).
  • Downloading Tcl and Tk to manually install.

In Windows 10 Bash Subsystem the Tk and Tcl are already included, so I thought Ubuntu already had it. But, I want to use my Ubuntu desktop to develop Python GUI apps.

So, how can I install the Tcl/Tk to be use in Python 3.5 for GUI development?

I loaded Python 3.5.2 fine but need the GUI modules enabled.

The code to test that Tk is working is:

  1. Type python3

  2. Type: 

    import tkinter   
tkinter._test()

  3. Result: a GUI pop-up displaying This is a Tcl/Tk version..

python3

5 Answers

    • 44

  2. For a python 3.6 virtual environment with Python 3.5 as the "system" python (Ubuntu) , I had to install tk 3.6 to match;

    sudo apt-get install python3.6-tk

    My default python in ubuntu was 3.5, so when using a venv for 3.6, I would get an import error. Drove me crazy for a while.

    [Edit: As this question ages]

    In general, it seems if one is using a virtual environment with a python of a different version than that of ones base machine, one must install tk for the version of python used in the virtual environment. 

    sudo apt install python3.x-tk

    Where 3.x would match the version of the virtual environment.

    [Edit]

    It may be necessary to add the repository for tk. In my experience, it was the same repository from which I pulled python3.6, but that may change with time;

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
    • 34

  3. In my case, I was getting the same error as "ImportError: No module named '_tkinter'" for python3.5 in-spite of doing the following things: - Installing python3-tk and tkinter-dev - Tkinter directory being available in /usr/lib/python3.5.

    The observed error was from the following file:

    File "/usr/local/lib/python3.5/tkinter/init.py", line 35, in import _tkinter # If this fails your Python may not be configured for Tk

    However, when I simply ran the python from /usr/bin like /usr/bin/python3.5 from terminal, it worked for me!

    In short, just ensure the python version being run from terminal has the tkinter installed and configured :)

    I have Ubuntu16.04 installed on my system which comes with default python2.7 and python3.5

    • 1

  4. This might be interesting when installing from source (which most python users won't):

    After installing tcl and tk.

    Go back to your version of Python, do make. And, if multiple version of python exist, do a make altinstall.

    1. Open Python3.5

    2. type:

      import tkinter
tkinter._test()

    3. results OK - pop GUI opened and working as expected.

    • 0

  5. Installing just library files may not work since you want to use library itself not develop it.

    This worked for me:

    $ sudo apt install tk8.6-dev
    • 0