ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils' with Python 3.12

[wrogner]

No module distutils in Python 3.12 makes CustomTkinter traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Users/wolf/Development/py/9 projects/AVScanner/src/AVScanner/ui/avscanner_ui.py", line 16, in <module>
    from customtkinter import (CTk, CTkFrame, CTkLabel, CTkButton, CTkImage, CTkFont, set_appearance_mode)
  File "/Users/wolf/Development/py/9 projects/AVScanner/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/customtkinter/__init__.py", line 10, in <module>
    from .windows.widgets.appearance_mode import AppearanceModeTracker
  File "/Users/wolf/Development/py/9 projects/AVScanner/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/customtkinter/windows/__init__.py", line 1, in <module>
    from .ctk_tk import CTk
  File "/Users/wolf/Development/py/9 projects/AVScanner/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/customtkinter/windows/ctk_tk.py", line 2, in <module>
    from distutils.version import StrictVersion as Version
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils'

See: PEP 632 – Deprecate distutils module

Also (using StrictVersion from distutils):

DeprecationWarning: distutils Version classes are deprecated. Use packaging.version instead.

(similar to #2022)

[wrogner]

Sorry: Reinstalled both 3.11 and 3.12 virtual environments (venv) -> No error messages appear. -> App works.
Nevertheless: the dependency from distutils need be eliminated.

[TechPro424]

Having the same issue, am not using venvs

[insolor]

@TechPro424 this is not related to venvs, CustomTkinter simply haven't updated for Python 3.12 yet. For now, you can just downgrade Python to 3.11 version.

In general, it make sense to update to a new Python version (like from 3.11 to 3.12 or 3.12 to 3.13 and so on) not earlier then a half of a year after the release of such version (so that most of major libraries catch up).

[wrogner]

If you don't want to accept @insolor 's suggestion of downgrading (for whatever reason):

• If you don't use a venv, do (that way you isolate the issue to plain Python 3.12 and CustomTkinter).
• Install fresh with 3.12, customtkinter and setuptools
• Test a simple window (e.g. https://customtkinter.tomschimansky.com/tutorial/grid-system, which already passes the StrictVersion check).
• If this works, fine, if not, provide traces.

Regarding "waiting half a year":

• Adopting new versions is not a question of delay but rather of requirements, thorough testing and careful evaluation.
• Any platform requires knowledgable early adopters to improve and mature.
• Waiting without analysis provides no additional benefit.

[insolor]

After some investigation (ideas of a pull request):

• It's necessary to add packaging dependency (it needs at least Python 3.7, the same minimal version as CustomTkinter needs)
• in https://github.com/TomSchimansky/CustomTkinter/blob/master/customtkinter/windows/ctk_tk.py replace from distutils.version import StrictVersion as Version with from packagin.version import parse (source: Is there a `StrictVersion` after we drop `distutils`? pypa/setuptools#3145 (reply in thread))
  (or from packagin.version import parse as parse_version for better code readability)
• Replace Version(...) with parse(...) (or parse_version(...)) in ctk_tk.py

Also, it seems, Version class from packaging can be used: pypa/packaging#520

[wrogner]

@insolor : thanks

In CustomTkinter/customtkinter/windows/ctk_tk.py:

replace:

from distutils.version import StrictVersion as Version

with:

from packaging.version import parse as Version

I have to test that a little more, but it seems to work.

[insolor]

@wrogner

from packaging.version import parse as Version

This is too misleading in my taste (importing a function with a name style of a class).

[wrogner]

@insolor
From a programming point of view, I fully agree.
For a quick fix, I think, this would be fastest.

Anyway, it‘s not my code, so whoever fixes it should choose. My part is over here.

[TechPro424]

I ended up using a venv, and you were right: the issue is that CTK dies not support 3.12.

[TomSchimansky]

duplicate of #2005