Error running Psychopy from code on Mac on venv Python (needs framework python)

Development
1

Hello,

I have cloned the repo and tried to run it from source on a Mac Big Sur without sucess.

I have read the troubleshooting pages and searched for similar errors and recommendations online, but I did not find a solution to my problem.

I followed the same process on a Mac Catalina with the same result.

I can confirm the standalone version works on Big Sur. I have installed psychopy using brew and had no problems with it.

But I am unable to run psycopy from code.

I set up python version and install the dependencies as follows

pyenv global 3.6.8
pyenv exec python -m venv env
source env/bin/activate
python --version
pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -e .

When I run the app using

python psychopy/app/psychopyApp.py

I get this error without any splash screen or anything

(venv) psychopy [release●] % python psychopy/app/psychopyApp.py
pygame 2.0.1 (SDL 2.0.14, Python 3.6.8)
Hello from the pygame community. https://www.pygame.org/contribute.html
PTB-INFO: Using modified PortAudio V19.6.0-devel, revision unknown
2021-08-06 12:03:46.927 python[12933:3206575] -[NSApplication transformToForegroundApplication]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x7fad2dcc8560
2021-08-06 12:03:46.930 python[12933:3206575] *** Terminating app due to uncaught exception 'NSInvalidArgumentException', reason: '-[NSApplication transformToForegroundApplication]: unrecognized selector sent to instance 0x7fad2dcc8560'
*** First throw call stack:
(
	0   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff2067787b __exceptionPreprocess + 242
	1   libobjc.A.dylib                     0x00007fff203afd92 objc_exception_throw + 48
	2   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff206fa38d -[NSObject(NSObject) __retain_OA] + 0
	3   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff205df90b ___forwarding___ + 1448
	4   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff205df2d8 _CF_forwarding_prep_0 + 120
	5   libwx_osx_cocoau_core-3.1.5.0.0.dyl 0x00000001097a2e5e _ZN5wxApp9DoInitGuiEv + 254
	6   libwx_osx_cocoau_core-3.1.5.0.0.dyl 0x00000001097f0d7e _ZN5wxApp9OnInitGuiEv + 30
	7   _core.cpython-36m-darwin.so         0x0000000108cb1a52 _ZN10sipwxPyApp9OnInitGuiEv + 98
	8   libwx_osx_cocoau_core-3.1.5.0.0.dyl 0x00000001097f0ba5 _ZN5wxApp10InitializeERiPPw + 165
	9   libwx_baseu-3.1.5.0.0.dylib         0x0000000109fce58b _Z12wxEntryStartRiPPw + 171
	10  _core.cpython-36m-darwin.so         0x0000000108cb11a3 _ZN7wxPyApp13_BootstrapAppEv + 499
	11  _core.cpython-36m-darwin.so         0x0000000108cb53f4 _ZL26meth_wxPyApp__BootstrapAppP7_objectS0_ + 100
	12  python                              0x00000001028f5726 _PyCFunction_FastCallDict + 166
	13  python                              0x0000000102981181 call_function + 497
	14  python                              0x000000010297dff7 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault + 25271
	15  python                              0x0000000102981cec _PyEval_EvalCodeWithName + 2732
	16  python                              0x00000001029824ca fast_function + 362
	17  python                              0x000000010298115a call_function + 458
	18  python                              0x000000010297dff7 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault + 25271
	19  python                              0x0000000102981cec _PyEval_EvalCodeWithName + 2732
	20  python                              0x0000000102982887 _PyFunction_FastCallDict + 567
	21  python                              0x00000001028a8f57 _PyObject_FastCallDict + 167
	22  python                              0x00000001028a90e3 _PyObject_Call_Prepend + 131
	23  python                              0x00000001028a8da5 PyObject_Call + 101
	24  python                              0x000000010290dfed slot_tp_init + 157
	25  python                              0x000000010290a184 type_call + 292
	26  python                              0x00000001028a8ff2 _PyObject_FastCallDict + 322
	27  python                              0x00000001028a93d5 _PyObject_FastCallKeywords + 197
	28  python                              0x000000010298114a call_function + 442
	29  python                              0x000000010297e094 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault + 25428
	30  python                              0x0000000102982569 fast_function + 521
	31  python                              0x000000010298115a call_function + 458
	32  python                              0x000000010297dff7 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault + 25271
	33  python                              0x0000000102982569 fast_function + 521
	34  python                              0x000000010298115a call_function + 458
	35  python                              0x000000010297dff7 _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault + 25271
	36  python                              0x0000000102981cec _PyEval_EvalCodeWithName + 2732
	37  python                              0x0000000102977cb0 PyEval_EvalCode + 48
	38  python                              0x00000001029af9ee PyRun_FileExFlags + 174
	39  python                              0x00000001029aefe4 PyRun_SimpleFileExFlags + 276
	40  python                              0x00000001029cb121 Py_Main + 3249
	41  python                              0x000000010289da21 main + 257
	42  libdyld.dylib                       0x00007fff2051ff5d start + 1
)
libc++abi: terminating with uncaught exception of type NSException
[1]    12933 abort      python psychopy/app/psychopyApp.py

Thanks in advance to anyone reading this

2

Could you tell me what Python installation you’re using (e.g. python.org, conda or system python)? Also, is there any clue what happened if you do
cat ~/.psychopy3/last_app_load.log

3

Thanks @jon

I am using the python version installed via pyenv 3.6.8

(env) psychopy [release●●] %  pyenv versions
  system
* 3.6.8 (set by /Users/jonaspro/.pyenv/version)

So I believe it is not system python and not conda.

When I check the file it exists but it is empty

(env) psychopy [release●●] % cat ~/.psychopy3/last_app_load.log
(env) psychopy [release●●] %

Any idea what could be going on?

4

I can try any python version or any way to install python and the requirements.

5

I have debugged the code and I see it crashing here

 wx.App.__init__(self, arg)

The internal code inside wx executes until we get to the end of the __init__ function where it does

        # This finishes the initialization of wxWindows and then calls
        # the OnInit that should be present in the derived class
        self._BootstrapApp()

After that I see the error that I mentioned and onInit is never called

Details on wx version

(env) psychopy [release] % pip show wxPython                
Name: wxPython
Version: 4.1.1
Summary: Cross platform GUI toolkit for Python, "Phoenix" version
Home-page: http://wxPython.org/
Author: Robin Dunn
Author-email: robin@alldunn.com
License: wxWindows Library License (https://opensource.org/licenses/wxwindows.php)
Location: ./psychopy/env/lib/python3.6/site-packages
Requires: numpy, pillow, six
Required-by: PsychoPy
6

Solution to my problem.

Install python enabling framework and then do the rest of the installation as defined

PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-framework" pyenv install 3.6.8

The issue was with wx and the need for a framework

When running a simple ws app

import wx

app = wx.App(False)  # Create a new app, don't redirect stdout/stderr to a window.
frame = wx.Frame(None, wx.ID_ANY, "Hello World") # A Frame is a top-level window.
frame.Show(True)     # Show the frame.
app.MainLoop()

I got this error

This program needs access to the screen. Please run with a Framework
build of python, and only when you are logged in on the main display
of your Mac.

That lead me to this wiki wxPythonVirtualenvOnMac - wxPyWiki and other stackoverflow pages indicating

If you are getting the error that "This program needs access to the screen. Please run with a Framework build of python, and only when you are logged in on the main display of your Mac." 

The reason is because some 3rd party tools like PyInstaller might require CPython installation be built with --enable-framework. 

What you need to do is run $ env PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-framework" pyenv install 3.x.x in your terminal.
7

Well done for working that out. I personally use the python.org installation, which is indeed a “framework” installation. Glad there’s a way for it to work with venv python as well

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