Can't launch wpgtk from fresh install

[ceviches]

i'm on CachyOS.
sorry if it's too silly, i'm new to linux and it's my first time trying to use pywal and wpgtk.
have already tried a few solutions i saw around here, but it didn't work.

installed via commands pipx install pywal16 and pipx install wpgtk:

• installing as user gives me a message to use pipx ensurepath to automatically fix the path, but it still gives me the same error when trying to launch the GUI.
• installing with sudo does not even let me use the wpg command, as if it doesn't exist in my system.

also tried the manual install, but it requires editing the bash file and i didn't understand how it's done despite following instructions from the pywal installation guide and another website.

❯ wpg
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/ceviche/.local/bin/wpg", line 6, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ~~~~^^
  File "/home/ceviche/.local/share/pipx/venvs/wpgtk/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/__main__.py", line 318, in main
    _gui = __import__("wpgtk.gui.theme_picker", fromlist=['theme_picker'])
  File "/home/ceviche/.local/share/pipx/venvs/wpgtk/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/theme_picker.py", line 4, in <module>
    from . import color_grid
  File "/home/ceviche/.local/share/pipx/venvs/wpgtk/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/color_grid.py", line 11, in <module>
    from . import util as gui_util
  File "/home/ceviche/.local/share/pipx/venvs/wpgtk/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/util.py", line 1, in <module>
    from gi import require_version
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'gi'

[ceviches]

still looking for help

[deviantfero]

you need to install python-pygobject or similar. What distro are you using?

basically it is missing the GTK dependencies

[ian-chelig]

I'm having the same issue with a fresh install of arch linux. I tried to launch it with and without the python-gobject package.

[kleshas]

same issue here on arch. i have python-gobject installed (arch equivalent of pygobject). gtk3 and 4 are installed.

pactree -r wpgtk:

python, python-pillow, python-packaging, python-gobject, python-pywal are the unique python apps listed.

[deviantfero]

What does the error message say?

…

-- Fernando Vásquez

On Sat, May 2, 2026, 5:59 PM kleshas ***@***.***> wrote: *kleshas* left a comment (deviantfero/wpgtk#325) <#325 (comment)> same issue here on arch. i have python-gobject installed (arch equivalent of pygobject). gtk3 and 4 are installed. pactree -r wpgtk: python, python-pillow, python-packaging, python-gobject, python-pywal are the unique python apps listed. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#325 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACVCGSPNORK4SRQEVTMG6VD4Y2DUNAVCNFSM6AAAAACWP5GMISVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DGNRUHE4DMNBVGU> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[deviantfero]

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'gi'

Heavily implies that whatever is in your current python environment or the way you are running wpgtk makes it have no access to the gi module, which is generally installed with the distro package manager.

Arch would be:

sudo package-S python-gobject

[kleshas]

ah, my error is different:

$ wpg
[i] theme_picker current wallpaper: wallhaven-vg7lv3_2560x1440.png
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/wpg", line 8, in
sys.exit(main())
~~~~^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/main.py", line 319, in main
_gui.run(args)
~~~~~~~~^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/theme_picker.py", line 206, in run
win = mainWindow(args)
File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/theme_picker.py", line 44, in init
self.cpage = color_grid.ColorGrid(self)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/color_grid.py", line 86, in init
label = Gtk.Label(cont)
File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/gi/overrides/init.py", line 357, in new_init
return super_init_func(self, **new_kwargs)
TypeError: Must be string, not int

[deviantfero]

still looking for help

pipx creates a virtual environment for each application and python-gobject is not installed as part of the pip install process. It needs to be available in your system packages.

Try installing python-gobject in your distro and using pip to install wpgtk

[ogabriel]

I'm using wpgtk AUR package that already has python-gobject as requirement, and I'm having the same kind of problem, and for some reason works fine on my old machine

❯ wpg
[i] theme_picker  current wallpaper: cyberpunk.png
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/sbin/wpg", line 8, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ~~~~^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/__main__.py", line 319, in main
    _gui.run(args)
    ~~~~~~~~^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/theme_picker.py", line 206, in run
    win = mainWindow(args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/theme_picker.py", line 44, in __init__
    self.cpage = color_grid.ColorGrid(self)
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/wpgtk/gui/color_grid.py", line 86, in __init__
    label = Gtk.Label(cont)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.14/site-packages/gi/overrides/__init__.py", line 357, in new_init
    return super_init_func(self, **new_kwargs)
TypeError: Must be string, not int

[deviantfero]

@ogabriel @kleshas it seems that I was sending an integer into the Gtk.Label constructor, this was fine before, but now I have to cast to string, I've fixed it and release is upcoming in 6.7.1.

[deviantfero]

marking this issue as solved with 6.7.1, feel free to re-open if you're still having issues.

[ogabriel]

it's working now!

thanks for your help and for maintaining this wonderful project @deviantfero

[deviantfero]

thanks for the kind words and for reporting these issues 👍

[kleshas]

works here too. thanks :)