PyInstaller "ValueError: source code string cannot contain null bytes"

Question

I'm getting a ValueError: source code string cannot contain null bytes when executing a command pyinstaller main.py in a cmd both with and without administrator privileges.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\runpy.py", line 192, in _run_module_as_main
    return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\runpy.py", line 85, in _run_code
    exec(code, run_globals)
  File "C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python38\Scripts\pyinstaller.exe\__main__.py", line 7, in <module>
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\__main__.py", line 114, in run
    run_build(pyi_config, spec_file, **vars(args))
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\__main__.py", line 65, in run_build
    PyInstaller.building.build_main.main(pyi_config, spec_file, **kwargs)
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\build_main.py", line 734, in main
    build(specfile, kw.get('distpath'), kw.get('workpath'), kw.get('clean_build'))
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\build_main.py", line 681, in build
    exec(code, spec_namespace)
  File "C:\Users\User\OneDrive\Pulpit\CODE\Python 3\PyGame Games\Game Of Pong\main.spec", line 30, in <module>
    coll = COLLECT(exe,
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\api.py", line 698, in __init__
    self.__postinit__()
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\datastruct.py", line 160, in __postinit__
    self.assemble()
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\api.py", line 732, in assemble
    fnm = checkCache(fnm, strip=self.strip_binaries,
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\building\utils.py", line 197, in checkCache
    cache_index = load_py_data_struct(cacheindexfn)
  File "c:\users\User\appdata\local\programs\python\python38\lib\site-packages\PyInstaller\utils\misc.py", line 233, in load_py_data_struct
    return eval(f.read())
ValueError: source code string cannot contain null bytes

I tried deleting NULL characters from my code using Notepad++ and I tried reinstalling pyinstaller, yet the problem still persists.

Yes, I converted my main.py code to UTF-8 and it didn't work, the same error occurs. — Pilleow
– Pilleow, Commented May 19, 2020 at 9:31
Maybe, just maybe Python 3.8 makes some issues put I doubt.. Hope someone will be able to help — kaktus_car
– kaktus_car, Commented May 19, 2020 at 11:05
Yeah, I tried it with a simple print("Hello World") and the same error popped up. It seems that the compiler has an issue, not my program (I also reinstalled the latest version of Python 3, no effect). — Pilleow
– Pilleow, Commented May 21, 2020 at 16:58

Pilleow · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-24 18:49:15Z

1

I figured it out. It seems that pyinstaller isn't compatible with the latest version of Python 3 (as of 24.05.2020). I uninstalled Python 3.8.3 and I installed Python 3.7.7, installed all of the libraries I was using in main.py and it worked! Such a simple solution.

answered May 24, 2020 at 18:49

Pilleow

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