Just writing 'import' in a python script breaks my mouse cursor forcing a hard reset

Question

I'm totally baffled by this.. Trying to code a python script on my Debian Stretch system but after running a 4 lined script my mouse cursor would turn into a cross and blocking any click actions from working and forcing me to hard reset the system by holding the off button!

I tested a few times and found out that my script just needs to contain an import for it to break, nothing else - literally a one-lined:

import pxssh

And run

./bug.py 

System broken. Mouse cursor looks like a cross and cannot click anywhere. Hard reset required.

I found someone else with what appears to be the exact same issue, there's an uploaded image of it but I don't know if it was python causing it for him/her. https://askubuntu.com/questions/918261/why-does-my-cursor-keep-changing-to-a-black-cross-and-how-do-i-revert-it

If I use my keyboard and re-run it again, I get this error:

import-im6.q16: unable to grab mouse `': Resource temporarily unavailable @ error/xwindow.c/XSelectWindow/9182.

Answer 1

You're not running Python! You're accidentally running this as a shell script. Run it as

python bug.py

or include the shebang line:

#!/usr/bin/env python

Currently, you seem to be running a completely unrelated program named import, designed for screen capture.