import win32api error in Python 2.6

import win32api error in Python 2.6

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When running python26 under windows OS (64bits)..... I have got errors like:

import win32api" error in Python 2.6: pywintypes26.dll

or

pythoncom26.dll missing
ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.

I have done the msi installation for python26 all dlls can be found under C:\Python26\Lib\site-packages\pywin32_system32

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After I copy pywintypes26.dll and pythoncom26.dll from C:\Python26\Lib\site-packages\pywin32_system32 to C:\Python26\Lib\site-packages\win32 -> Solve the problem!

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I also hit a problem importing win32api.

The post-install script for pywin32 failed, which should copy pythoncom26.dll, pythoncomloader26.dll, and pywintypes26.dll, among other things. I ran it by hand and my installation was fixed.

python scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install

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I had a similar problem when installing under 64 bit Python 3.4.2. I ran the install executable pywin32‑219.win‑amd64‑py3.4.exe from http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ .

On the site it states clearly:

"Python 3.4 users must manually run python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install from an elevated command prompt."

which I did not do first time round; I installed from a normal prompt getting the following feedback:

c:\python34>python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install
Copied pythoncom34.dll to C:\Python34\pythoncom34.dll
Copied pywintypes34.dll to C:\Python34\pywintypes34.dll
You do not have the permissions to install COM objects.
The sample COM objects were not registered.
etc.etc.
Finishing with "The pywin32 extensions were succesfully installed" ... 

I only read the last sentence and I started to run some code resulting in getting these dll load fails.

So, did some research, and started an elevated prompt (how: see "http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html") and again ran:

c:\python34>python.exe Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install
Copied pythoncom34.dll to C:\Windows\system32\pythoncom34.dll
Copied pywintypes34.dll to C:\Windows\system32\pywintypes34.dll
Registered: Python.Interpreter
Registered: Python.Dictionary
Registered: Python
-> Software\Python\PythonCore\3.4\Help[None]=None
-> Software\Python\PythonCore\3.4\Help\Pythonwin Reference[None]='C:\\Python34\\Lib\\site-packages\\PyWin32.chm'
Pythonwin has been registered in context menu
Shortcut for Pythonwin created
Shortcut to documentation created
The pywin32 extensions were successfully installed.

And now my code runs happily (as far as this matter is concerned... sigh, so much other stuff to do).

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Run the installer as Administrator and it works:

• Right click on pywin32-installer.exe
• Choose "Run as Administrator"

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As suggested above the post install script is not run, this issue can be seen when installing from a wheel (As I encountered)

python scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install

If find you have this issue when installing via wheels, then installing it from here can solve the above issue.

https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pypiwin32

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I always install the Active State Python distro which installs the win32 packages for you and gets it right.

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There appears to be a bug in the installer. The recommended workaround in the ticket is the same one as proposed by Dave Bremer.

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I could fix this situation by removing all installed Python3.4 versions (had forgotten to uninstall 3.4.1 before installing 3.4.2), deleting C:\Python34 and after installing Python 3.4.2 pywin32-219.win32-py34.exe could be installed and called without problems. So, copying around DLLs should NOT be necessary!

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If the above didn't fix the problem, you're still missing the msvcr100.dll file. It's either in your \System32\ folder, or more likely in your c:\PythonXX\Lib\site-packages\win32\ folder.

That fixed it for me after hours of search to no avail, even though it looks like the import still isn't resolved as it should be (PyCharm still gives me the squiggly underline), but it works.

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I don't whether it's too late or not to answer this question. I also hit this problem, and I tried every method above, but neither of them worked.
Finally, I found the reason. When we install pywin32, we must choose the one that fits python's version(2.6， 2.7， 3.3， etc) and python's bit number(x64 or x86). Notice, it must fits python's bit number, not PC's bit number. If you install x86 python in a x64 PC, you have to install a pywin32 with x86.

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First I was using pip to install pywin32 in anaconda environment, that's why no matter what I did it was failing. After trial and error, I figured out that conda install pywin32 is the right way to install pywin32 in the anaconda package manager.

ReferenceURL : https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7238403/import-win32api-error-in-python-2-6