error "Pymacs helper did not start within 30 seconds"

[ghost]

That's a closed issue, but I found it happened again.

If I comments out (require 'python (concat epy-install-dir "extensions/python.el")) in epy-python.el, it doesn't have this error.

My environment:
lubunt 12.10
python: 2.7.3
emacs: 24.1.1

Error message:
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (error "Pymacs helper did not start within 30 seconds")
signal(error ("Pymacs helper did not start within 30 seconds"))
pymacs-report-error("Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" 30)
(if (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) nil (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))
(unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))
(while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start)))
(let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let ((python (getenv "PYMACS_PYTHON"))) (if (or (null python) (equal python "")) pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and (>= emacs-major-version 24) (quote ("-f"))) (mapcar (quote expand-file-name) pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number (match-string 1))))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start")))))
(progn (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let ((python ...)) (if (or ... ...) pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and (>= emacs-major-version 24) (quote ...)) (mapcar (quote expand-file-name) pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number (match-string 1))))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply"))))
(unwind-protect (progn (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let (...) (if ... pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and ... ...) (mapcar ... pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number ...)))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply")))) (set-match-data save-match-data-internal (quote evaporate)))
(let ((save-match-data-internal (match-data))) (unwind-protect (progn (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let ... ...) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append ... ...)))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ ... ...))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply")))) (set-match-data save-match-data-internal (quote evaporate))))
(save-match-data (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let ((python ...)) (if (or ... ...) pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and (>= emacs-major-version 24) (quote ...)) (mapcar (quote expand-file-name) pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number (match-string 1))))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply"))))
(save-current-buffer (set-buffer buffer) (erase-buffer) (buffer-disable-undo) (pymacs-set-buffer-multibyte nil) (set-buffer-file-coding-system (quote raw-text)) (save-match-data (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let (...) (if ... pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and ... ...) (mapcar ... pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number ...)))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply")))))
(with-current-buffer buffer (erase-buffer) (buffer-disable-undo) (pymacs-set-buffer-multibyte nil) (set-buffer-file-coding-system (quote raw-text)) (save-match-data (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let (...) (if ... pymacs-python-command python)) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append (and ... ...) (mapcar ... pymacs-load-path))))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ (match-end 0) (string-to-number ...)))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply")))))
(let ((buffer (get-buffer-create "Pymacs"))) (with-current-buffer buffer (erase-buffer) (buffer-disable-undo) (pymacs-set-buffer-multibyte nil) (set-buffer-file-coding-system (quote raw-text)) (save-match-data (let ((process (apply (quote start-process) "pymacs" buffer (let ... ...) "-c" (concat "import sys;" " from Pymacs import main;" " main(_sys.argv[1:])") (append ... ...)))) (pymacs-kill-without-query process) (while (progn (goto-char (point-min)) (not (re-search-forward "<([0-9]+) " nil t))) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper did not start within %d seconds" pymacs-timeout-at-start))) (let ((marker (process-mark process)) (limit-position (+ ... ...))) (while (< (marker-position marker) limit-position) (unless (accept-process-output process pymacs-timeout-at-start) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs helper probably was interrupted at start"))))) (goto-char (match-end 0)) (let ((reply (read (current-buffer)))) (if (and (pymacs-proper-list-p reply) (= (length reply) 2) (eq (car reply) (quote version))) (unless (string-equal (cadr reply) "0.25") (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs Lisp version is 0.25, Python is %s" (cadr reply))) (pymacs-report-error "Pymacs got an invalid initial reply"))))) (if (not pymacs-use-hash-tables) (setq pymacs-weak-hash t) (when pymacs-used-ids (let ((pymacs-transit-buffer buffer) (pymacs-forget-mutability t) (pymacs-gc-inhibit t)) (pymacs-call "zombie_python" pymacs-used-ids)) (setq pymacs-used-ids nil)) (setq pymacs-weak-hash (make-hash-table :weakness (quote value))) (if (boundp (quote post-gc-hook)) (add-hook (quote post-gc-hook) (quote pymacs-schedule-gc)) (setq pymacs-gc-timer (run-at-time 20 20 (quote pymacs-schedule-gc))))) (setq pymacs-transit-buffer buffer) (let ((modules pymacs-load-history)) (setq pymacs-load-history nil) (when (and modules (yes-or-no-p "Reload modules in previous session? ")) (mapc (lambda (args) (condition-case err (apply (quote pymacs-load) args) (error (message "%s: %s" ... ...)))) modules))))
pymacs-start-services()
(if (and pymacs-transit-buffer (buffer-name pymacs-transit-buffer) (get-buffer-process pymacs-transit-buffer)) nil (when pymacs-weak-hash (unless (or (eq pymacs-auto-restart t) (and (eq pymacs-auto-restart (quote ask)) (yes-or-no-p "The Pymacs helper died. Restart it? "))) (pymacs-report-error "There is no Pymacs helper!"))) (pymacs-start-services))
(unless (and pymacs-transit-buffer (buffer-name pymacs-transit-buffer) (get-buffer-process pymacs-transit-buffer)) (when pymacs-weak-hash (unless (or (eq pymacs-auto-restart t) (and (eq pymacs-auto-restart (quote ask)) (yes-or-no-p "The Pymacs helper died. Restart it? "))) (pymacs-report-error "There is no Pymacs helper!"))) (pymacs-start-services))
pymacs-serve-until-reply("eval" (pymacs-print-for-apply (quote "pymacs_load_helper") (quote ("ropemacs" "rope-" nil))))
pymacs-call("pymacs_load_helper" "ropemacs" "rope-" nil)
(let ((lisp-code (pymacs-call "pymacs_load_helper" module prefix noerror))) (cond (lisp-code (let ((result (eval lisp-code))) (add-to-list (quote pymacs-load-history) (list module prefix noerror) (quote append)) (message "Pymacs loading %s...done" module) (run-hook-with-args (quote pymacs-after-load-functions) module) result)) (noerror (message "Pymacs loading %s...failed" module) nil)))
pymacs-load("ropemacs" "rope-")
setup-ropemacs()
(progn (setup-ropemacs) (autoload (quote virtualenv-activate) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment specified by PATH" t) (autoload (quote virtualenv-workon) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment present using virtualenvwrapper" t) (add-hook (quote python-mode-hook) (lambda nil (if (buffer-file-name) (flymake-mode)))) (defun workon-postactivate (virtualenv) (require (quote virtualenv)) (virtualenv-activate virtualenv) (desktop-change-dir virtualenv)))
(lambda nil (progn (setup-ropemacs) (autoload (quote virtualenv-activate) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment specified by PATH" t) (autoload (quote virtualenv-workon) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment present using virtualenvwrapper" t) (add-hook (quote python-mode-hook) (lambda nil (if (buffer-file-name) (flymake-mode)))) (defun workon-postactivate (virtualenv) (require (quote virtualenv)) (virtualenv-activate virtualenv) (desktop-change-dir virtualenv))))()
funcall((lambda nil (progn (setup-ropemacs) (autoload (quote virtualenv-activate) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment specified by PATH" t) (autoload (quote virtualenv-workon) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment present using virtualenvwrapper" t) (add-hook (quote python-mode-hook) (lambda nil (if (buffer-file-name) (flymake-mode)))) (defun workon-postactivate (virtualenv) (require (quote virtualenv)) (virtualenv-activate virtualenv) (desktop-change-dir virtualenv)))))
eval((funcall (quote (lambda nil (progn (setup-ropemacs) (autoload (quote virtualenv-activate) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment specified by PATH" t) (autoload (quote virtualenv-workon) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment present using virtualenvwrapper" t) (add-hook (quote python-mode-hook) (lambda nil (if (buffer-file-name) (flymake-mode)))) (defun workon-postactivate (virtualenv) (require (quote virtualenv)) (virtualenv-activate virtualenv) (desktop-change-dir virtualenv)))))))
eval-after-load(python (progn (setup-ropemacs) (autoload (quote virtualenv-activate) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment specified by PATH" t) (autoload (quote virtualenv-workon) "virtualenv" "Activate a Virtual Environment present using virtualenvwrapper" t) (add-hook (quote python-mode-hook) (lambda nil (if (buffer-file-name) (flymake-mode)))) (defun workon-postactivate (virtualenv) (require (quote virtualenv)) (virtualenv-activate virtualenv) (desktop-change-dir virtualenv))))
eval-buffer(#> nil "/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-python.el" nil t) ; Reading at buffer position 4662
load-with-code-conversion("/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-python.el" "/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-python.el" nil t)
require(epy-python)
eval-buffer(#> nil "/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-init.el" nil t) ; Reading at buffer position 476
load-with-code-conversion("/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-init.el" "/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-init.el" nil nil)
load("/home/enchanter/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-init.el" nil nil t)
load-file("/Project/emacs-for-python/epy-init.el")
eval-buffer(# nil "/home/enchanter/.emacs" nil t) ; Reading at buffer position 3179
load-with-code-conversion("/home/enchanter/.emacs" "/home/enchanter/.emacs" t t)
load("/.emacs" t t)

[0 "\205\262

[reinbach]

I had the same issue, and noticed that I had both a Pymacs dir and a Pymacs.py within the emacs-for-python/python-lib/ dir.

The Pymacs dir appears to have been a left over from an update, it held just *.pyc files. I removed the complete Pymacs dir and that resolved the issue for me.

[gabrielelanaro]

Now that you remind me, I had the same problem when updating to the new version.

[nehalecky]

Hey @reinbach, your solution of removing the Pymacs directory also worked for me. Thank you!

[ryanpineo]

I have a completely fresh install of this but i have the same issue.

[gabrielelanaro]

@ryanpineo maybe something else is causing the same problem. Can you give me more details? Like default python version and emacs version and operating system?

[yisi23]

sudo python setup.py install
running install
running build
running build_py
running install_lib
copying build/lib.linux-x86_64-2.7/Pymacs.py -> /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages
byte-compiling /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/Pymacs.py to Pymacs.pyc
running install_egg_info
Writing /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/Pymacs-0.25.egg-info

resolve it

[xuziyan001]

@reinbach 's solution works for me too! great thx!

[konchris]

@reinbach's solution works for me as well.

[deisi]

Hello
I get the same issue, but @reinbach's solution doesn't work for me. I have a fresh install on Arch Linux. From emacs-for-python I don't get any Pymacs folder I only find:

./python-libs/Pymacs
./python-libs/Pymacs/pymacs.py
./emacs-for-python/extensions/pymacs.el  
./emacs-for-python/python-libs/Pymacs.py
./elpa-to-submit/pymacs.el

The ./python-libs/Pymacs comes from emacs-starter-kit from @gabrielelanaro. I've also tried installing pymacs via system package manager, but that didn"t help either. Any suggestions? The debug backtrace is here http://pastebin.com/ADWX9Abj

I'm not 100% sure if emacs-starter-kit is installed correctly. I just replaced my .emacs.d folder with it.
The installation istruction just say

Move the directory containing this file to ~/.emacs.d (If you already have a directory at ~/.emacs.d move it out of the way and put this there instead.)

But what is this file? Its not clear to me.