Some of the things that the chatbot suggested aren't really the best, and in some cases seem to be wrong, even though you succeeded. For example, suggested batch file run_leo.bat isn't necessary in a venv. On install Leo creates a launcher in the Scripts directory. After activation, typing "leo" will launch it. What is helpful to to have a batch file in your path that both activates the venv and launches Leo. That way you don't have to type the path the the activate script.
Another mistake is that py -m leo won't launch leo. The right command is py -m leo.core.runLeo (there are other possibilities too). But as I said, once the venv has been activated, a simple leo is enough. Here's a minimal batch file that will activate the venv and run Leo. It assumes that the name of the venv is "leo" Just change the path to suit your own location: setlocal call c:\tom\venvs\leo\Scripts\activate py -m leo.core.runLeo %* endlocal You need the "call" command in Windows because without it the script will stop after that line. On linux, replace"call" with "source". The setlocal/endlocal (Windows only) remove path and other environmental variable changes that may happen during the activation and Leo session (which probably wouldn't be a problem for you but it's good practice anyway). Another thing that can happen, and can cause version conflicts and unexpected behavior when a program or packages are removed. It's the distinction between installing into the main Python location and the user's location. The user location is specific to each user, and you install into it using the "--user" option: py -m pip install --user leo. With a venv, there is no distinction. "--user" isn't allowed, and all installs go into the venv. The chatbot's suggestions didn't use "--user". Usually it's considered better to install most things with "--user". In case something in the system-level Python locations gets used for system purposes, keeping other installs in the user's locations can prevent version conflicts and the like. This is more important on Linux than Windows but it's still a good practice to use "--user" when possible. Now what will happen if you install one program that uses, say, PyQt6 as user, and install another program that also uses PyQt6 without the "--user" option? You might end up with different versions of PyQt6 in the two locations. Python sets up the paths to search the user's locations first. So if you use Pip to uninstall PyQt6, and then run Python, it will still use the other version of PyQt6. Or fail to, if the other install becomes broken somehow. In other words, there can be hidden and unexpected results if sometimes one installs using "--user" and sometimes one doesn't. I have done this to myself more than once. Using a venv makes this kind of problem go away. It also prevents errors that happen when the pip command runs a different version of Python than what you expected. That can happen, for example, when you have multiple versions of Python installed. It is recommended to launch Pip using py -m pip to prevent this problem. With a venv, the right versions are always run and this issue doesn't come up. On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 5:59:04 AM UTC-4 rengel wrote: > I used Grok extensively to help me solving this issue. In case somebody is > interested in the dialog, here is the link: > > > https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg%3D%3D_abe479b8-59c3-46db-b21a-35be3f2be2dc > > It is rather long, but it leads from describing the issue to clean > starting Leo from the Windows taskbar. > (It also shows my lack of experience in these matters; but that's another > topic...) > > On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:32:14 AM UTC+2 rengel wrote: > >> @lewis, @tbp1 >> >> Thank you both for chipping in. I tried both your suggestions. >> Deleting old relics of PyQt6* and a fresh reinstall of PyQt6 in the main >> Python installation solved all the problems; >> and using a venv with a simple 'pip install leo' worked as well. >> Finally I settled for the venv solution! >> Thanks again! >> Reinhard >> >> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 1:29:53 AM UTC+2 [email protected] >> wrote: >> >>> That's one reason to try to install to a new venv. There won't be any >>> left-over bits to confuse the installer. >>> >>> On Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 5:00:12 PM UTC-4 lewis wrote: >>> >>>> After updating to Python 3.14 I had the same problem starting Leo. >>>> >>>> >>>> *File "N:\git\leo-editor\leo\core\leoQt.py", line 6, in <module> >>>> from PyQt6 import QtCore, QtGui, QtWidgets* >>>> >>>> *ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PyQt6.sip'* >>>> >>>> I needed to uninstall packages PyQt6 and PyQt6_sip, then reinstall. Leo >>>> then worked fine. Both my desktop PC and laptop had the same issue. >>>> >>>> There have been other packages which did not work correctly with Python >>>> 3.14 and a package reinstall was needed. >>>> >>>> On Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 2:17:14 AM UTC+11 rengel wrote: >>>> >>>>> [image: ModuleNotFoundError.png] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> A correction: The installation from github did install launchLeo.py. >>>>> But starting 'python launchLeo.py' still results in the error: >>>>> ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PyQt6.sip'. (I did install the >>>>> requirements.) >>>>> >>>>> On Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 5:00:37 PM UTC+2 rengel wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Thank you for your answers! >>>>>> I waited for a couple of days to install the latest version of leo. >>>>>> But in vain. I tried both the pip install and the install from github. >>>>>> But >>>>>> in both cases I get the same error shown in my original post. Upon >>>>>> closer >>>>>> inspection, I noticed that neither launchLeo.py nor PyQt6.sip have been >>>>>> installed. And the installation didn't install a Leo home directory for >>>>>> me. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 11:08:55 PM UTC+2 [email protected] >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I just installed Python 3.14 on Windows 11. Then I created a new >>>>>>> virtual environment and pip-installed Leo into it. PyQt6.sip got >>>>>>> installed >>>>>>> and Leo ran normally. Something went wrong when @rengel tried >>>>>>> installing >>>>>>> Leo, I think, because PyQt6 didn't install normally. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I'd suggest creating a venv like I did and trying it that way. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 4:48:45 PM UTC-4 Thomas Passin wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I don't think that's it - PyQt6.sip normally gets installed during >>>>>>>> a PyQt6 installation. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 2:52:51 PM UTC-4 >>>>>>>> [email protected] wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> @rengel, >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> rengel schrieb am Donnerstag, 9. Oktober 2025 um 16:43:08 UTC+2: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Hi, >>>>>>>>> yesterday I updated my machine from Windows 10 to Winddos 11. >>>>>>>>> Today, I completely removed all my old Python installations and then >>>>>>>>> installed the new Python 3.14. From Python I did a fresh install of >>>>>>>>> Leo >>>>>>>>> from PyPi (`python -m pip install leo`) as described on the Leo >>>>>>>>> website. >>>>>>>>> During the install I got the following WARNING: >>>>>>>>> [image: leo-warning.png] >>>>>>>>> When I start leo, I get the following error:[image: leo-error.png] >>>>>>>>> The environment contains the correct paths to Python and >>>>>>>>> Python\Scripts. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> You installed the latest version of Leo from PyPI, which is >>>>>>>>> version 6.8.6.1. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> This version does NOT yet support Python 3.14.0 ! >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> If you want to try it out before Edward releases version 6.8.7, >>>>>>>>> you have to use the 'devel' branch from GitHub. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> See >>>>>>>>> https://leo-editor.github.io/leo-editor/installing.html#installing-leo-from-github >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> With kind regards, >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Viktor >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "leo-editor" group. 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