Python cannot import serial

Question

Having Python 3.7.6 and having already installed pyserial,

pip install pyserial --user
Requirement already satisfied: pyserial in c:\users\myusername\appdata\local\programs\python\python37\lib\site-packages (3.4)

pip install pyserial
Requirement already satisfied: pyserial in c:\users\myusername\appdata\local\programs\python\python37\lib\site-packages (3.4)

I expect that I can import serial via import serial which fails.

No module named 'serial'

This is as follows

python3
Python 3.7.6 (tags/v3.7.6:43364a7ae0, Dec 19 2019, 01:54:44) [MSC v.1916 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import serial
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'serial'

Am I doing any mistake?

PS. The result of import sys; print(sys.path) is

[
    '',
    'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.7_3.7.1776.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\\python37.zip',
    'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.7_3.7.1776.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\\DLLs',
    'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.7_3.7.1776.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\\lib',
    'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.7_3.7.1776.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0',
    'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.7_3.7.1776.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\\lib\\site-packages'
]

PS. The result of where pip is

C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Scripts\pip.exe
C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\pip.exe

@hadoop, launch `which pip` on Linux/Mac or `where pip` on Windows in terminal. — Olvin Roght, Jan 28 '20 at 01:03
@hadoop and now try `C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Scripts\pip.exe install pyserial` — Olvin Roght, Jan 28 '20 at 01:14
@OlvinRoght, I got `Requirement already satisfied`. However, for the second path (`C:\Users\myusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\pip.exe`), it installed and now I can import `serial`. So, what is wrong? Why do I have two `pip` paths and how to get rid of the first? — hadoop, Jan 28 '20 at 03:55

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 28 '20 at 08:39

Firstly, You've installed python from Windows Store. Then You decided to install python using official installer. As a result You've got 2 pythons installed:

First (from Windows Store) is located in C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python.exe;
Second (from installer) - in C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\python.exe.

Each installer add path to python into PATH and here is the problem.

When you have two executables with same name (python.exe, pip.exe, etc.) in different directories which added to PATH You let OS choose which to launch. In Your case OS launches python.exe from ..WindowsApps\ directory and pip.exe from ..Python37\Scripts\.

How to fix that:

Press ⊞ Win+R and type sysdm.cpl:
Switch to tab "Advanced" and press button "Environment variables":
In opened window you'll see 2 tables representing environment variables for current user (table on the top) and for whole system (table on the bottom).
You need to select valiable "Path" on each of these tables and press "Edit" under the table:
Choose your warrior! You should choose which python you want to use and delete all paths to other copy from list. To do that You should in opened windows select rows which contain path to python You don't want to use and delete them by pressing button "Delete".

Python cannot import serial

1 Answers1