PyCharm: Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams

33
votes

I'm trying to use PyCharm IDE but none of my programs compile even simple Hello World. PyCharm gives this error: 

Fatal Python error: Py_Initialize: can't initialize sys standard streams
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python34\lib\io.py", line 72, in <module>
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'ABCMeta'
Process finished with exit code 3

I'm not able to find the solution for it and also referred the link PyDev: Fatal error Python32\lib\io.py, line 60, in <module> but there is no solution there.

Python 3.4 is installed on my Win 7 OS system.

6
pythonpycharmattributeerror
Change your file's name from io.py to something else. – Burhan Khalid
I solved my issue. Apparently PyCharm is not able to execute a file named abc.py because there is an in-built module called abc in Python. Executing abc.py via command line works. Check if your file is named abc.py, if it is, rename it to something else. – iridescent
@BurhanKhalid can you explain more about why is that the issue and how to avoid it? I cannot find list of "reserved filenames" or anything similar. – Dusan Vasiljevic
I had a similar problem. Earlier I had named my package 'io' – lab bhattacharjee

6 Answers

68
votes

I faced the same problem because I created a file named abc.py, remove that file in your project, your error will disappear.

14
votes

Yes, as you said in the comment, the problem is in the filename 'abc'. You will be able to run this file within PyCharm, if you uncheck:

  • Add content roots to PYTHONPATH
  • Add sources roots to PYTHONPATH

in the menu "Run/Debug Configurations".

11
votes

I have the same problem, just change your file's name from io.py to something else, It's work!

6
votes

Finally found how to solve this problem in PyCharm: never use a name like abc.py or test.py.

Simply use another name, like a.py or my-unique-file-name.py

2
votes

try this: File->Setting->Editor->File Encodings change the Project encoding to UTF-8

0
votes

In my case from .my_file import * caused the error. Changing it to from .my_file import func_1, func_2, func_3 solved it.