🔒 "Can't find a usable init.tcl in the following directories" error

[celest cove]

Hey. So I just installed the latest version of Python (3.13) a few days ago, and I installed the latest version of PyCharm (2024.2.3). So I tried running a simple program with matlab and numpy a few days ago, but I kept getting an error and gave up on it. However, today, when I tried another very simple program with just turtle, it also didn't work and gave the same error as the previous program, and I decided to come here for help, so here is the code and error:

Code:

import turtle

window = turtle.Screen()
tortoise = turtle.Turtle()
tortoise.forward(300)

Error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users<username>\PycharmProjects\ProgTestPractice\01.py", line 3, in <module>
window = turtle.Screen()
File "C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\Lib\turtle.py", line 3699, in Screen
Turtle._screen = _Screen()
~~~~~~~^^
File "C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\Lib\turtle.py", line 3710, in init
_Screen._root = self._root = Root()
~~~~~^^
File "C:\Users<username>AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\Lib\turtle.py", line 429, in init
TK.Tk.init(self)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^
File "C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\Lib\tkinter_init.py", line 2459, in init
self.tk = _tkinter.create(screenName, baseName, className, interactive, wantobjects, useTk, sync, use)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
_tkinter.TclError: Can't find a usable init.tcl in the following directories:
......(directories)......

This probably means that Tcl wasn't installed properly.

[meager cradle]

@celest cove

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[weak sorrel]

How did you install Python 3.13

[celest cove]

I installed it from the official website, and went on with the usual set up

[weak sorrel]

ok, at a command line, what do you get when you type py -0p

[celest cove]

I did make it custom and made sure tcl or tcit or something like that was checked there btw

[celest cove]

Ok, I'll try rn

[weak sorrel]

(I should also note many other libraries don't yet work with 3.13 as they have not been updated yet so switching to it may be premature)

[celest cove]

I didn't really switch to it. I installed it for the first time a few days ago.

[celest cove]

-V:3.13 * C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\python.exe

[weak sorrel]

that is, using it for anything important right now may be premature, as many libraries don't yet work with it

if Tkinter isn't working properly that tells me somehow the installation got messed up

tbh I would yank it, and install 3.12 - and when you do that, right-click on the installer and select "run as admin" to ensure that it can install everything it needs in the right places

[celest cove]

Hmm, that's weird. Well, what do you recommend I do? Should I delete the Python 3.13 I got rn and get 3.12?

[celest cove]

With or without deleting 3.13?

[weak sorrel]

remove 3.13, you can always add it back in later

[celest cove]

Ok, so install 3.12 from the website, and run it as admin, and set it up normally, right? Or is there anything else I should do?

[weak sorrel]

that should work

and make sure you set Pycharm to use 3.12 when you run programs, as well

[celest cove]

Oh right, how do I do that? Or will it detect it automatically when I delete 3.13?

[weak sorrel]

https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/configuring-python-interpreter.html

[celest cove]

Ok, thanks a lot for your help. I appreciate it! I'll try everything and update you in a bit.

Btw, 3.12.7 from the website, right?

[weak sorrel]

yes

[celest cove]

It finally worked. Thank you so much. I appreciate it!

Although one tiny issue. Do you know how can I make the window tortoise program above not disappear after finishing instantly?

[weak sorrel]

you can put an input() at the end of the program to wait for some input from the console and thus hold the window open.

[meager cradle]

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