How to install Python for .NET on Windows

Question

I downloaded Python for .NET.
Inside the zip is clr.pyd, nPython.exe, Python.Runtime.dll and 2 debug database files.
I put the clr.pyd and Python.Runtime.dll in my python DLLs dir C:\Python27\DLLs thinking this is all that's needed for installation. I then open up the Python GUI and type import clr and I get:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#2>", line 1, in <module>
    import clr
SystemError: dynamic module not initialized properly

New to python but not .NET and want to use the CPython and not IronPython. What am I missing in this installation? The readme of Python for .NET says there is an installation for Windows package but all I found was the zip file.

Answer 1

The proper way to load CLR in Python is like this:

1. Make sure no old stuff is left from Python.NET in Python installation folder (e.g. C:\Python27). In my case I had legacy clr.pyd in one of folders. Note that pip for some old versions did not remove all parts of Python.NET.
2. Append the directory with Python.NET files (clr.pyd and Python.Runtime.dll) to sys.path

Now you can load CLR the most flexible way without even installing to Python directories!

You can compile from source on github:

pip install git+https://github.com/pythonnet/pythonnet

or use Windows wheels/installers from Christoph Gohlke:

http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/#pythonnet

PyPI package is available for installation from pip:

https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pythonnet

More installation options such docker, WinPython, conda, nuget, choco are listed here:

https://github.com/pythonnet/pythonnet/wiki/Installation