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tkinter: The deprecated trace variable command was removed from Tk 9.0 - tkinter still uses it.  #127802

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tkinter: The deprecated trace variable command was removed from Tk 9.0 - tkinter still uses it. #127802
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topic-tkintertype-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error

Description

@culler
culler
opened on Dec 10, 2024

Bug report

Bug description:

The file tkinter/__init__.py contains the following code:

    def trace_variable(self, mode, callback):
        """Define a trace callback for the variable.

        MODE is one of "r", "w", "u" for read, write, undefine.
        CALLBACK must be a function which is called when
        the variable is read, written or undefined.

        Return the name of the callback.

        This deprecated method wraps a deprecated Tcl method that will
        likely be removed in the future.  Use trace_add() instead.
        """
        # TODO: Add deprecation warning

    trace = trace_variable

The deprecated Tcl method was removed from Tcl 9.0, before the deprecation warning was added in tkinter. The trace_variable() and trace() methods still exist in both the current tkinter/__init__.py and the replacement which was included in PR #124112. Calling those methods with Tk 9.0 raises a TclError.

CPython versions tested on:

3.13

Operating systems tested on:

macOS

Linked PRs

Activity

  1. culler
    added
    type-bugAn unexpected behavior, bug, or error
    on Dec 10, 2024
  2. culler
    changed the title [-]tkinter: deprecated Variable.trace_variable command is removed from Tk 9.0 [/-] [+]tkinter: deprecated trace variable command was removed from Tk 9.0 - tkinter still uses it. [/+] on Dec 10, 2024
  3. culler
    changed the title [-]tkinter: deprecated trace variable command was removed from Tk 9.0 - tkinter still uses it. [/-] [+]tkinter: The deprecated trace variable command was removed from Tk 9.0 - tkinter still uses it. [/+] on Dec 10, 2024
  4. tomasr8
    added
    topic-tkinter
    on Dec 10, 2024

  5. culler commented on Dec 10, 2024

    @culler
    culler
    on Dec 10, 2024
    ContributorAuthor

    The deprecated Tcl trace variable command was a short cut for trace add variable. My suggestion would be to add the deprecation warnings to the trace and trace_variable methods of the Variable class, and also make those commands call the trace_add method. That way code which uses the deprecated methods will still work.

  6. serhiy-storchaka
    added a commit that references this issue on Jun 25, 2026

    gh-127802: Schedule removal of legacy tkinter variable trace methods …

    deeae2a

  7. serhiy-storchaka commented on Jun 25, 2026

    @serhiy-storchaka
    serhiy-storchaka
    on Jun 25, 2026
    Member

    They will be removed in 3.17.

  8. serhiy-storchaka
    closed this as completedon Jun 25, 2026
  9. serhiy-storchaka
    added a commit that references this issue on Jun 25, 2026

    [3.15] gh-127802: Schedule removal of legacy tkinter variable trace m…

    a53c6ca

  10. terryjreedy commented on Jun 25, 2026

    @terryjreedy
    terryjreedy
    on Jun 25, 2026
    Member

    idlelib/, turtledemo/, and turtle.py have no instances of trace_variable.

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