# How To Specify Python Interpreter for ParaView
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [August 14, 2019, 6:02am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424 "2019-08-14T06:02:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ymjia](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/ymjia)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2019, 6:02am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424/1 "2019-08-14T06:02:29Z")
Hi, Guys,
I have built a ParaView executable and added many python Macros to it.
Then I want to distribute my executable to my friends. Everything works as expected except someone has Python 3.7 installed on his PC that paraview crashes when running Macros. I have tested that reinstall Python 3.6.5 will fix it.
**So my question is:**
Can I specify a python interpreter for paraview(Specific version or packed with paraview executable), or compile a Paraview Executable in which python interpreter can be manually configured.
my build configurations:
Win10
Visual Studio 12 2013 Win64
Python 3.6.5
Qt 5.9
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2019, 7:55am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424/2 "2019-08-14T07:55:48Z")
> [@ymjia](#):
>
> Can I specify a python interpreter for paraview(Specific version or packed with paraview executable)
Not at run-time, at least not yet.
> [@ymjia](#):
>
> Or compile a Paraview Executable in which python interpreter can be manually configured.
Most definitely, set the cmake option `PYTHON_EXECUTABLE`
However, difference between Python 3.7 nd Python 3.6.5 are minimal, so maybe fixing the error is worthwhile.
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### Author:  [@ymjia](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/ymjia)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2019, 8:19am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424/3 "2019-08-14T08:19:59Z")
Thanks for your replay,
I have debug the process, ParaView crash at Py\_InitializeEx(vtkPythonInterpreter.cxx:246) in vtkPythonInterpreter::Initialize().
It seems that it cannot find python.exe for different version. So would it be possible to use Paraview compiled with PYTHON\_EXECUTABLE={python3.6} in a PC with python 3.7 installed?
btw, how does ParaView executable find python interpreter? Maybe modify Windows Register table entry or Environment Variable can make it works? Since I have tested my Macro code can run both in python 3.6 and 3.7.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2019, 8:21am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424/4 "2019-08-14T08:21:47Z")
Not supported, you will have to build ParaView yourself or figure out why your script is not working with Python 3.7
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### Author:  [@ymjia](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/ymjia)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2020, 5:16am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/how-to-specify-python-interpreter-for-paraview/2424/5 "2020-05-09T05:16:34Z")
I found the way to remove denpendency of python from cmake-installed paraview executable. Thanks to the exe Windows Installer:
Just copy following file/folder from python\_dir(e.g. c:/python/python36/) to Paraview/bin/
- python3x.dll
- DLLs
- Lib
By doing so, Paraview become fully portable, no need for python installed on the target PC. **Thus no need to specify python interpretor version** (I went a wrong direction last year:).