TypeError when importing paraview simple

Development
1

Hi,

I have recently encountered a TypeError when trying to import some modules from paraview.simple. I am trying to import these modules form an Anaconda environment with python 3.9.16. It can be reproduced as follows:

>>> import paraview.simple
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/home/kieran/anaconda3/envs/shapeopt/lib/python3.9/site-packages/paraview/simple.py", line 41, in <module>
    from paraview import servermanager
  File "/home/kieran/anaconda3/envs/shapeopt/lib/python3.9/site-packages/paraview/servermanager.py", line 3255, in <module>
    if not vtkInitializationHelper.Initialize(slist, ptype):
TypeError: arguments do not match any overloaded methods

I installed paraview from conda-forge, but have also tried installing from source and appending to the PYTHONPATH.

Running on Ubuntu 20.04.6.

Thanks

Edit to add: I have narrowed this down to a conflict somewhere with the vtk python package, which gets installed when I install pyvista as part of another dependency. I have found the following workaround:

  • I install all of my required packages
  • pip uninstall vtk
  • in the python interpreter/script, before importing paraview.simple, run import vtk, which will overload the vtk namespace with the vtk python package included in the ParaView distribution (in /lib/python3.9/site-packages/vtk.py).

After this, I am able to import paraview.simple as desired and retain all functionality.

2

Thanks for the tip!

Note that PV is really sensitive on the VTK version used, and also on the Python version. That’s why:

  • ParaView always comes with its own VTK embeded
  • The binaries come with a pvpython executable, that ensure correct versions are loaded

Using another python interpreter is always tricky …