Unsure how to install python for playonlinux

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,
1

I’m on Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS, using the XFCE desktop environment.

I’ve been trying to install playonlinux to run an older game I was interested in, but I’m having trouble actually installing it. I’ve used the Ubuntu .deb file from playonlinux.com’s download page, but when I try to install it I get this message:

Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Note, selecting 'playonlinux' instead of './PlayOnLinux_4.3.4.deb'
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 playonlinux : Depends: python but it is not installable
               Depends: python-wxgtk2.8 but it is not installable or
                        python-wxgtk3.0 but it is not installable
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

When I try to install python, I get this error:

This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
However the following packages replace it:
  2to3 python-is-python3

E: Package 'python' has no installation candidate

I already have python3 installed (version 3.12.3).
What do I need to do to install python and thus playonlinux?

2

Try this one:

sudo apt install python-is-python3

On mine versions are:

└─> apt policy python-is-python3
python-is-python3:
  Installed: 3.11.4-1
  Candidate: 3.11.4-1
  Version table:
 *** 3.11.4-1 500
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
┌───────────────────>
│~ 
└─> apt policy python3
python3:
  Installed: 3.12.3-0ubuntu2
  Candidate: 3.12.3-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 3.12.3-0ubuntu2 500
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.12.3-0ubuntu1 500
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/main amd64 Packages
┌───────────────────>


apt policy  playonlinux
playonlinux:
  Installed: 4.3.4-3
  Candidate: 4.3.4-3
  Version table:
 *** 4.3.4-3 500
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/multiverse amd64 Packages
        500 https://mirrors.tuxedocomputers.com/ubuntu/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/multiverse i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
3

Gave that a try. Got this message instead.

arty@arty-GL75-Leopard-10SDR:~/Downloads$ python --version
Python 3.12.3
arty@arty-GL75-Leopard-10SDR:~/Downloads$ sudo apt-get install ./PlayOnLinux_4.3.4.deb 
[sudo] password for arty: 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Note, selecting 'playonlinux' instead of './PlayOnLinux_4.3.4.deb'
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 playonlinux : Depends: python but it is not installable
               Depends: python-wxgtk2.8 but it is not installable or
                        python-wxgtk3.0 but it is not installable
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
4

The python package, which refers to Python 2.x, was removed from Ubuntu after 18.04.

That’s seven years ago.
Exactly how old is this deb you wish to install?
Might a newer version (using Python3) be available?

1 Like
5

I downloaded the deb from playonlinux.com’s website - though now that I’m taking a closer look at the site, I realize its news page was last updated in 2022.

A shame, since I was hoping to use it to run Survival Crisis Z, but if I can’t use playonlinux, I guess I can’t.

6

You can still use this:

sudo apt install playonlinux

First though you might need to clean things up on apt.

sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt update
sudo apt install playonlinux

Please run one line at a time.

7

When I tried that I was able to install playonlinux, but when I try running ‘playonlinux’ in the console I get this:

/usr/share/playonlinux/python/mainwindow.py:710: SyntaxWarning: invalid escape sequence '\|'
  self.SupprotedIconExt = "All|*.xpm;*.XPM;*.png;*.PNG;*.ico;*.ICO;*.jpg;*.JPG;*.jpeg;*.JPEG;*.bmp;*.BMP\
1.0
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/playonlinux/python/mainwindow.py", line 41, in <module>
    import options, threading, debug
  File "/usr/share/playonlinux/python/options.py", line 21, in <module>
    from asyncore import dispatcher
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'asyncore'
8

I need to think about this a bit. Mine

playonlinux
Looking for python3... 3.12.3 - selected
/usr/share/playonlinux/python/mainwindow.py:710: SyntaxWarning: invalid escape sequence '\|'
  self.SupprotedIconExt = "All|*.xpm;*.XPM;*.png;*.PNG;*.ico;*.ICO;*.jpg;*.JPG;*.jpeg;*.JPEG;*.bmp;*.BMP\
1.0
[main] Message: PlayOnLinux (4.3.4) is starting
[clean_tmp] Message: Cleaning temp directory
[Check_OpenGL] Warning: check_dd_x86 missing, test skipped
[Check_OpenGL] Warning: check_dd_amd64 missing, test skipped
[POL_System_CheckFS] Message: Checking filesystem for /home/me/.PlayOnLinux/
[main] Message: Filesystem is compatible
[install_plugins] Message: Checking plugin: ScreenCap...
[install_plugins] Message: Checking plugin: PlayOnLinux Vault...
[update_check] Message: List is up to date

You did run all the commands I provided first right?

9

Ok lets see if this helps:

sudo apt install python3-pyasyncore
10

After installing python3-pyasyncore, I’m able to get the playonlinux window to open up. I’ll let you know if any other problems arise but for now I think my problem has been solved.

1 Like
11

I took the liberty to edit your topic, to help others find this if needed.

12

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