def import_pyqt4(version=2):
    """
    Import PyQt4

    Parameters
    ----------
    version : 1, 2, or None
      Which QString/QVariant API to use. Set to None to use the system
      default

    ImportErrors raised within this function are non-recoverable
    """
    # The new-style string API (version=2) automatically
    # converts QStrings to Unicode Python strings. Also, automatically unpacks
    # QVariants to their underlying objects.
    import sip

    if version is not None:
        sip.setapi('QString', version)
        sip.setapi('QVariant', version)

    from PyQt4 import QtGui, QtCore, QtSvg

    if not check_version(QtCore.PYQT_VERSION_STR, '4.7'):
        raise ImportError("IPython requires PyQt4 >= 4.7, found %s" %
                          QtCore.PYQT_VERSION_STR)

    # Alias PyQt-specific functions for PySide compatibility.
    QtCore.Signal = QtCore.pyqtSignal
    QtCore.Slot = QtCore.pyqtSlot

    # query for the API version (in case version == None)
    version = sip.getapi('QString')
    api = QT_API_PYQTv1 if version == 1 else QT_API_PYQT
    return QtCore, QtGui, QtSvg, api
Import PyQt4

    Parameters
    ----------
    version : 1, 2, or None
      Which QString/QVariant API to use. Set to None to use the system
      default

    ImportErrors raised within this function are non-recoverable