Win98 PySol problem

[Bill Melcher]

Hi Guys

Sorry to bust in here but I have yet to find an appropriate 'place to go'.
Perhaps someone can point me to some useful, helpful would be nice,
resources or even solve my problem(s).

1) I am very new to Python although not to computer programming (mostly asm
on mainframe and IBM clone PC).

2) I attempted to upgrade from PySol 4.20 (with which I have no problems) to
PySol 4.72.  Since the latter release had no 'W98 install package' available
on the author's (Marcus) site.  I did the install 'by hand'

3) I have installed ActivePython-2.1.1.msi

4) When I run PySol 4.72:

  a) An MS DOS window (PyShell ?) opens

  b) The PySol loading progress bar runs

  c) The PySol window opens and deals a solitaire hand

  d) The PySol window and the MS DOS window vanish.

4) After a bit of mucking about, I was able to capture the contents of the
DOS window before it evaporated, to wit:

Copy of MS DOS (python) window captured at end of pysol_21.pyc execution:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "pysol.py", line 19853, in ?
  File "pysol.py", line 19851, in main
  File "pysol.py", line 19813, in pysol_main
  File "pysol.py", line 18904, in mainloop
  File "pysol.py", line 18984, in runGame
  File "pysol.py", line 3346, in helpAbout
  File "pysol.py", line 2365, in __init__
  File "pysol.py", line 2287, in __init__
  File "pysol.py", line 2024, in makeImage
  File "O:\PYTHON21\lib\lib-tk\Tkinter.py", line 2972, in __init__
apply(Image.__init__, (self, 'photo', name, cnf, master), kw)
  File "O:\PYTHON21\lib\lib-tk\Tkinter.py", line 2928, in __init__
self.tk.call(('image', 'create', imgtype, name,) + options)
TclError: unknown option"-dither"

So here I am, a stranger in a strange land where Python rules and speaks an
almost, but not quite, comprehensible language!

I have attempted to communicate with Marcus with no success and now his site
and the host server are down and have been for a day or two at least.  As a
result of the site difficulties I have not been able to acquire the sources
for PySol 4.72 in which I hoped, perhaps vainly, to find and apply a fix.

As a result of my researches, I have (Python documentation to the contrary
not withstanding) many questions.  I think my central problem is that I do
not really 'understand' UNIX since I have never worked with the system or
any of it's variations.  I, therefore, have more than a little trouble
dealing with UNIX concepts and attempting to relate them to Windows,
specifically Win98, concept.

The secondary problem of the automatic close of the MS DOS window could use
a fix also. I am not alone here. See Power-Tech's (Willie's) Re: in the
AppBars in Win32... thread earlier today (11/23/2001).  In his situation, he
doesn't have a prayer of pulling the stunt that I did to capper the
trace-back.

Any help be it a fix (or two) or a pointer to where I might get some help
would be much appreciated.

Note that I have (at my age and circumstances) little interest in
/programming/ in Python, I just want to get the dang program to run on an
alien OS.

--
Cheers, Bill
TANSTAAFL!