Running Panda3D on Python 2.6

Question

I just got Panda3D for the first time. I deleted the included Python version. In my Python dir, I put a file panda.pth that looks like this:

C:\Panda3D-1.6.2
C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\bin

But when I run import direct.directbase.DirectStart, I get:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#0>", line 1, in <module>
    import direct.directbase.DirectStart
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\direct\directbase\DirectStart.py", line 3, in <module>
    from direct.showbase import ShowBase
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\direct\showbase\ShowBase.py", line 10, in <module>
    from pandac.PandaModules import *
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\pandac\PandaModules.py", line 1, in <module>
    from libpandaexpressModules import *
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\pandac\libpandaexpressModules.py", line 1, in <module>
    from extension_native_helpers import *
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\pandac\extension_native_helpers.py", line 75, in <module>
    Dtool_PreloadDLL("libpandaexpress")
  File "C:\Panda3D-1.6.2\pandac\extension_native_helpers.py", line 73, in Dtool_PreloadDLL
    imp.load_dynamic(module, pathname)
ImportError: Module use of python25.dll conflicts with this version of Python.

I'm assuming this has something to do with me using Python 2.6. Any solutions?

Answer 1

Python extensions aren't binary compatible across major releases. Your options are:

A. Recompile panda3d for python 2.6.

B. Use python 2.5.

No way around it.

Answer 2

If you can wait for the upcoming 1.7.0 release, it will be compiled against Python 2.6 - see this thread.