Python 2.7 cannot import PyQt4

Question

I've upgraded to Python 2.7 from Python 2.6 on Ubuntu Maverick Meerkat (10.10) and I'm unable to import PyQt4.

austin@gerald:~$ python2.7
Python 2.7.0+ (r27:82500, Sep 15 2010, 18:04:55) 
[GCC 4.4.5] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import PyQt4
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ImportError: No module named PyQt4

I installed both Python 2.7 (python2.7) and PyQt4 (python-qt4) from the Ubuntu repositories. I installed PyQt a while back, but I installed Python 2.7 recently.

If I try Python 2.6 (since it's shipped with Ubuntu, the command is simply python), it works perfectly. Watch:

austin@gerald:~$ python
Python 2.6.6 (r266:84292, Sep 15 2010, 15:52:39) 
[GCC 4.4.5] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import PyQt4

I know what the problem is: the PyQt4 modules are accessible by Python 2.6 but not 2.7. My question is, how do I get Python 2.7 to find the PyQt4 module(s)? Help!

Note: sorry if this belongs in Super User, I was just programming when I encountered this problem.

Answer 1

As PyQt is not using setup.py it cannot be installed using pip or easy_install

Here you have a tutorial showing how to build and install PyQt for python2.7:

http://problemssol.blogspot.com/2010/12/compile-and-install-pyqt4-for-python27.html

Update: For Ubuntu 12.04+ just use apt-get:

apt-get install python-qt4

Answer 2

Under Ubuntu system, you could install it via apt-get

apt-get install python-qt4