Psychopy sys.meta_path is None

Milboy · February 4, 2021, 9:40am

Hi there,

Pyschopy noob running an experimental script with the most recent Psychopy version on MacOS Catalina 10.15.7. Script is running fine until I get this error message:

File “/Applications/PsychoPy.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python3.6/psychopy/visual/image.py”, line 239, in del
File “/Applications/PsychoPy.app/Contents/Resources/lib/python3.6/pyglet/gl/lib.py”, line 99, in errcheck
ImportError: sys.meta_path is None, Python is likely shutting down

Experiment ended.

I could give you some more detail about the script if needed but in order to give you the most relevant information I better wait for you to tell me what kind of problem this might be. It doesn’t look like it’s a PsychoPy issue, rather an issue with Python.

Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Nick

sol · February 4, 2021, 12:27pm

This is a known issue that should not impact your experiment, as it occurs when the experiment ends.The issue has been fixed in the latest psychopy source and will be available in the next official release.

nsurdel · February 5, 2021, 2:56pm

I have the same issue and it occurs in the middle of the experiment. Are there any work arounds?

Milboy · February 5, 2021, 3:38pm

In my case too, the experiment never starts and I get this unique error message.

Milboy · February 5, 2021, 3:39pm

Thanks but unless there is another problem with my script (and there is no error message besides this one to indicate that) the error appears before the first trial starts.

sol · February 8, 2021, 11:53am

Can you send an example script that fails with the error you mention? Thank you.

Milboy · February 9, 2021, 9:59am

Whoops, wrong code, here’s the right one.

# Initialise Python Libraries
from psychopy import core, visual, gui, data, misc, event, logging, sound, clock
import time, os, serial, csv, random, sys, threading
from itertools import chain
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
from random import shuffle
import time

# present a dialogue to input subject params
expInfo = {'subjID':'0001','site':['LeftTP','RightTP','LeftPreCG','Vertex'],'session':['PreTMS','PostTMS'], 'run':[1,2,3]}
dictDlg = gui.DlgFromDict(dictionary=expInfo,
        title='Session Parameters', order=['subjID', 'site', 'session', 'run'])
if dictDlg.OK:
    print(expInfo)
    expInfo['date'] = data.getDateStr()  # add a timestamp
else:
    print('User cancelled, end run')
    core.quit()

# Setup the Window
win = visual.Window(
    size = (1024,768),
    fullscr=True,
    monitor='testMonitor', color='#000000',
    units='deg')

# Some Global Properties and Components
script_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__) # absolute path to python script

textHeight = 2
textColor = 'white'
regularFont=['Arial']
falseFont=['BACS2sans']

timer = core.Clock() #to keep track of time
timestr = time.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")

# Define backgound sounds to play during phono/ortho tasks
metronome = sound.Sound(os.path.join(script_dir,"metro_loop.wav"))
CVC = sound.Sound(os.path.join(script_dir,"dop_loop.wav"))

metronome_playing = False
CVC_playing = False

# Log file to save timings
datafileName = 'data/' + expInfo['subjID'] + '_' + str(expInfo['site']) + '_' + str(expInfo['session']) + '_' + str(expInfo['run']) + '_resp_' + timestr
dataFile_Stim = open(datafileName+'.csv', 'w')
dataFile_Stim.write('trial,site,session,run,block,subjID,condition,judgement,context,stim1,stim2,onset,offset,corr_resp,resp,rt\n')

# Define trials from csv
if expInfo['site'] == 'LeftTP':
    # load left TP trials
    if expInfo['session'] == 'PreTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = 'trial_list/trials_ses1_run1.csv'
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses1_run2.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses1_run3.csv"
    elif expInfo['session'] == 'PostTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses1_run4.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses1_run5.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses1_run6.csv"
elif expInfo['site'] == 'RightTP':
    # load right TP trials
    if expInfo['session'] == 'PreTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run1.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run2.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run3.csv"
    elif expInfo['session'] == 'PostTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run4.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run5.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses2_run6.csv"
elif expInfo['site'] == 'LeftPreCG':
    # load Left M1 trials
    if expInfo['session'] == 'PreTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run1.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run2.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run3.csv"
    elif expInfo['session'] == 'PostTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run4.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run5.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses3_run6.csv"
elif expInfo['site'] == 'Vertex':
    # load Vertex trials
    if expInfo['session'] == 'PreTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run1.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run2.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run3.csv"
    elif expInfo['session'] == 'PostTMS':
        if expInfo['run'] == 1:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run4.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 2:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run5.csv"
        elif expInfo['run'] == 3:
            csv_file = "trial_list/trials_ses4_run6.csv"

# Import comma separated trial list
#trial_csv = pd.read_csv(csv_file)

# Components to present text strings
def showOneString(str,txtH=textHeight,textFont=regularFont,textColor=textColor):
    win.flip()
    textString = visual.TextStim(win, color = textColor, pos=[0,0],
                                alignHoriz='center', height = txtH,
                                font=textFont, wrapWidth=20, text=str)
    textString.draw()
    win.flip()
    return;

def showTwoStrings(str1,str2,txtH=textHeight,textFont=regularFont):
    win.flip()
    textString1 = visual.TextStim(win, color = textColor, pos=[0,3],
                                alignHoriz='center', height = txtH,
                                font=textFont, wrapWidth=20, text=str1)
    fixationString = visual.TextStim(win, color = textColor, pos=[0,0],
                                alignHoriz='center', height = txtH,
                                font=textFont, wrapWidth=20, text="+")
    textString2 = visual.TextStim(win, color = textColor, pos=[0,-3],
                                alignHoriz='center', height = txtH,
                                font=textFont, wrapWidth=20, text=str2)
    textString1.draw()
    fixationString.draw()
    textString2.draw()
    win.flip()
    return;

# Define Instructions

instructions = [
    "Instructions001.jpeg",
    "Instructions002.jpeg",
    "Instructions003.jpeg",
    "Instructions004.jpeg",
    "Instructions005.jpeg",
    "Instructions006.jpeg",
    "Instructions007.jpeg",
    "Instructions008.jpeg"
    ]

instructions_short = [
    "ShortInstructions001.jpeg"
    ]

# PRESENT INSTRUCTIONS
win.setMouseVisible(False) #hide mouse
startMessage = visual.TextStim(win, pos=[-2,0],
            height = 1.5,
            color = 'gray',
            wrapWidth=20,
            text="Experimenter:\nPress space to begin\nPress q during the experiment to quit")
startMessage.draw()
win.flip()
event.waitKeys(keyList=['q','space']) #wait for response

if expInfo['run'] == 1:
    present_instr = instructions
    waittime = 5
else:
    present_instr = instructions_short
    waittime = 10

for instruction in present_instr:
    keypresses = event.getKeys()
    try:
        # quit experiment if Q pressed
        if 'q' in chain(*keypresses):
            print('Q pressed - stopping experiment...')
            win.close()
            core.quit()
    except IndexError:
        response = "NA"
    instructionImg = visual.ImageStim(win,image=os.path.join(script_dir,'Instructions', instruction), pos = (0, 0))
    instructionImg.draw()
    win.flip()
    core.wait(waittime)

# PRESENT TRIALS HERE
showOneString("mri trigger wait...",textColor="green")
event.waitKeys(keyList=['q','5']) #wait for MR trigger
startTime = timer.getTime()
showOneString("+",textColor="green")
event.waitKeys(keyList=['q','5']) #wait for 2nd MR trigger
dataFile_Stim = open(datafileName+'.csv', 'a')
clock = core.Clock()

for trial in trial_csv.itertuples():
    event.clearEvents() # Flush the key buffer
    if trial.instr_start == 1:
        # New Task Starts - Show Instructions
        if trial.context == 'cvc_metronome':
            CVC.stop()
            metronome.play()
            showOneString("Covertly repeat the word 'dop' in time with the metronome!",textColor="green")
            core.wait(3)
            showOneString("+")
            core.wait(random.uniform(0.5, 1.5)) # jitter onset
        elif trial.context == 'metronome_only':
            CVC.stop()
            metronome.play()
            showOneString("Just listen to the metronome without moving!",textColor="green")
            core.wait(3)
            showOneString("+")
            core.wait(random.uniform(0.5, 1.5)) # jitter onset
        elif trial.context == 'cvc_only':
            metronome.stop()
            CVC.play()
            showOneString("Just listen to the sound without moving!",textColor="green")
            core.wait(3)
            showOneString("+")
            core.wait(random.uniform(0.5, 1.5)) # jitter onset
        elif trial.context == 'control':
            metronome.stop()
            CVC.stop()
            showOneString("Just stay still!",textColor="green")
            core.wait(2)
            showOneString("+",textColor="green")
            core.wait(random.uniform(0.5, 1.5)) # jitter onset
        else:
            metronome.stop()
            CVC.stop()
            showOneString("+",textColor="green")
            core.wait(random.uniform(0.5, 1.5)) # jitter onset

        if trial.judgement == 'rhyming':
            textFont = regularFont
            showOneString("Do the words rhyme?",textColor="green")
            core.wait(2)
        elif trial.judgement == 'identity':
            if trial.condition == 'false_font':
                textFont = falseFont
                showOneString("Are the symbols the same?",textColor="green")
            else:
                textFont = regularFont
                showOneString("Are the words the same?",textColor="green")
            core.wait(2)
        elif trial.judgement == 'fixation':
            keypresses = event.getKeys(keyList=['1','2','3','4','q'])
            try:
                # quit experiment if Q pressed
                if 'q' in chain(*keypresses):
                    print('Q pressed - stopping experiment...')
                    win.close()
                    core.quit()
            except IndexError:
                response = "NA"
            textFont = regularFont
            showOneString("+")
            stimOnset = timer.getTime() - startTime
            core.wait(15)
            stimOffset = timer.getTime() - startTime
            response = "NA"
            responseRT = 0
            dataFile_Stim.write(
                '%i,%s,%s,%i,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%.3f,%.3f,%s,%s,%.3f\n' %(trial.trial,
                expInfo['site'],expInfo['session'],expInfo['run'],trial.block,
                expInfo['subjID'],trial.condition,trial.judgement,
                trial.context,trial.word1,trial.word2,stimOnset,stimOffset,
                trial.correct_resp,response,responseRT)
            )

            continue

    ## Present Trial
    clock.reset()
    showTwoStrings(trial.word1,trial.word2,textHeight,textFont)
    stimOnset = timer.getTime() - startTime
    core.wait(2,hogCPUperiod=2)
    stimOffset = timer.getTime() - startTime
    showOneString("+")
    iti = random.uniform(1, 2)
    core.wait(iti,hogCPUperiod=iti) # ITI random jitter 1-2 sec
    keypresses = event.getKeys(keyList=['1','2','3','4','q'],timeStamped=clock)
    try:
        if 'q' in chain(*keypresses):
            print('Q pressed - stopping experiment...')
            CVC.stop()
            metronome.stop()
            win.close()
            core.quit()
        response = keypresses[0][0]
    except IndexError:
        response = "NA"
    try:
        responseRT = keypresses[0][1]
    except IndexError:
        responseRT = 0

    dataFile_Stim.write(
        '%i,%s,%s,%i,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%.3f,%.3f,%s,%s,%.3f\n' %(trial.trial,
        expInfo['site'],expInfo['session'],expInfo['run'],trial.block,
        expInfo['subjID'],trial.condition,trial.judgement,
        trial.context,trial.word1,trial.word2,stimOnset,stimOffset,
        trial.correct_resp,response,responseRT)
    )

dataFile_Stim.close()
CVC.stop()
metronome.stop()
endTime = timer.getTime() - startTime
print(endTime)
showOneString("Task Complete!",textColor="green")
event.waitKeys(keyList=['q','space'])
win.close()
core.quit()```

sol · February 9, 2021, 12:11pm

Could you send the whole project so I can run it please?

In case I can not reproduce the exception, can you also give the full exception text that the code example is creating for you?

I’m wondering if the experiment is creating a locally scoped Image stim that is being garbage collected before the experiment ends. If this is what is happenning, a hack ‘fix’ would be to change the experiment to not use locally scoped stim so they are garbage collected before the end of the experiment. Another hack fix would be to turn off the python GC during the experiment using gc.disable(). Neither is ideal obviously.

Again, I believe the issue itself is properly fixed in the upcoming release.

Milboy · February 9, 2021, 12:44pm

Hi Sol,

Thanks. If the new version is coming up shortly and you think it should fix the problem then I can wait and spare you the trouble. When is the new version due to be released?

Thanks,
Nick

sol · February 10, 2021, 1:02pm

Should be within the next week or so.

ben · February 10, 2021, 8:55pm

using the suggestion at ImportError: sys.meta_path is None, Python is likely shutting down · Issue #1816 · psychopy/psychopy · GitHub

(i.e., deleting the TextStim near the end of the script) seems to have cleared this up. )

psychopy.version
‘2020.2.10’

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Psychopy sys.meta_path is None

Experiment ended.

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