diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..162e4d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+
+clean
+build
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b4264a6..be500b9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
 from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_inc, get_python_lib
 import os
 import sys
 
 ###################################################################
 # build the extension
-#
+
 
 define_macros = []
 undef_macros = []
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@
     include_dirs.extend(get_numpy_include_dirs())
     define_macros.append(('USE_NUMPY', None))
     undef_macros.append('USE_NUMARRAY')
-    print >>sys.stderr, "using numpy..."
+    print("using numpy...", file=sys.stderr)
     found_module = True
     # uncommenting the following line retains any previous ppgplot
     # package and installs this numpy-compatible version as
@@ -37,72 +38,72 @@
 
 if not found_module:
     try:
-	# Try to use the "numarray" module (2nd option)
-	# uncomment the following line to disable usage of numarray
-	#raise ImportError
-	from distutils.core import setup
-	from numarray.numarrayext import NumarrayExtension
-	make_extension = NumarrayExtension
-	define_macros.append(('USE_NUMARRAY', None))
-	print >>sys.stderr, "using numarray..."
-	found_module = True
-	# uncommenting the following line retains any previous ppgplot
-	# package and installs this numpy-compatible version as
-	# the package ppgplot_numpy
-	#name = "ppgplot_numarray"
+        # Try to use the "numarray" module (2nd option)
+        # uncomment the following line to disable usage of numarray
+        #raise ImportError
+        from distutils.core import setup
+        from numarray.numarrayext import NumarrayExtension
+        make_extension = NumarrayExtension
+        define_macros.append(('USE_NUMARRAY', None))
+        print("using numarray...", file=sys.stderr)
+        found_module = True
+        # uncommenting the following line retains any previous ppgplot
+        # package and installs this numpy-compatible version as
+        # the package ppgplot_numpy
+        #name = "ppgplot_numarray"
     except ImportError:
-	pass
+        pass
 
 if not found_module:
     try:
-	# Try to use the "Numeric" module (3rd option)
-	# uncomment the following line to disable usage of Numeric
-	#raise ImportError
-	from distutils.core import setup, Extension
-	make_extension = Extension
- 	include_dirs.append(
-	    os.path.join(get_python_inc(plat_specific=1), "Numeric"))
-	undef_macros.append('USE_NUMARRAY')
-	print >>sys.stderr, "using Numeric..."
-	found_module = True
-	# uncommenting the following line retains any previous ppgplot
-	# package and installs this numpy-compatible version as
-	# the package ppgplot_numpy
-	#name = "ppgplot_Numeric"
+        # Try to use the "Numeric" module (3rd option)
+        # uncomment the following line to disable usage of Numeric
+        #raise ImportError
+        from distutils.core import setup, Extension
+        make_extension = Extension
+        include_dirs.append(
+            os.path.join(get_python_inc(plat_specific=1), "Numeric"))
+        undef_macros.append('USE_NUMARRAY')
+        print("using Numeric...", file=sys.stderr)
+        found_module = True
+        # uncommenting the following line retains any previous ppgplot
+        # package and installs this numpy-compatible version as
+        # the package ppgplot_numpy
+        #name = "ppgplot_Numeric"
     except ImportError:
-	pass
+        pass
 
 if not found_module:
-    raise Exception, "None of numpy, numarray or Numeric found"
+    raise Exception("None of numpy, numarray or Numeric found")
 
 if os.name == "posix":
-    #libraries.append("png")
+    libraries.append("png")
     libraries.append("X11")
     libraries.append("m")
     # comment out g2c if compiling with gfortran (typical nowadays)
     # you may still need this if using an earlier fortran compiler
     # libraries.append("g2c")
     library_dirs.append("/usr/X11R6/lib/")
-    if os.environ.has_key("PGPLOT_DIR"):
+    if "PGPLOT_DIR" in os.environ:
         library_dirs.append(os.environ["PGPLOT_DIR"])
         include_dirs.append(os.environ["PGPLOT_DIR"])
     # locate Aquaterm dynamic library if running Mac OS X SCISOFT
     # (www.stecf.org/macosxscisoft/)
     elif os.environ.has_key("SCIDIR"):
-	libraries.append("aquaterm")
+        libraries.append("aquaterm")
         library_dirs.append(os.path.join(os.environ["SCIDIR"], 'lib'))
     else:
         print >>sys.stderr, "PGPLOT_DIR env var not defined!"
 else:
-    raise Exception, "os not supported"
+    raise Exception("os not supported")
 
-ext_ppgplot = make_extension(name+'._ppgplot',
-			[os.path.join('src', '_ppgplot.c')],
-			include_dirs=include_dirs,
-			libraries=libraries,
-			library_dirs=library_dirs,
-			define_macros=define_macros,
-			extra_compile_args=extra_compile_args)
+ext_ppgplot = make_extension("_"+name,
+                        [os.path.join('src', '_ppgplot.c')],
+                        include_dirs=include_dirs,
+                        libraries=libraries,
+                        library_dirs=library_dirs,
+                        define_macros=define_macros,
+                        extra_compile_args=extra_compile_args)
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/_ppgplot.c b/src/_ppgplot.c
index f9ece92..d5e05c2 100644
--- a/src/_ppgplot.c
+++ b/src/_ppgplot.c
@@ -1012,7 +1012,11 @@ PYF(pgcurs)
 
     cpgcurs(&x,&y,&ch);
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+    return(Py_BuildValue("ffC",x,y,ch));
+#else
     return(Py_BuildValue("ffc",x,y,ch));
+#endif
 }
 
 
@@ -1029,7 +1033,11 @@ PYF(pgband)
 
     cpgband(mode,i,xref,yref,&x,&y,&ch);
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+    return(Py_BuildValue("ffC",x,y,ch));
+#else
     return(Py_BuildValue("ffc",x,y,ch));
+#endif
 }
 
 PYF(pgqcol)
@@ -2241,22 +2249,55 @@ static PyMethodDef PpgMethods[] = {
 };
 
 /************************************************************************/
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+  static struct PyModuleDef PpgModule = {
+    PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
+      .m_name = "_ppgplot",
+      .m_doc = "ppgplot",
+      .m_size = -1,
+      .m_methods = PpgMethods,
+  };
+#endif
 
-void
-init_ppgplot (void)
-{
-    PyObject *m, *d;
-    m = Py_InitModule("_ppgplot", PpgMethods);
-    d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
-    import_array();
-    PpgIOErr = PyString_FromString("_ppgplot.ioerror");
-    PpgTYPEErr = PyString_FromString("_ppgplot.typeerror");
-    PpgMEMErr = PyString_FromString("_ppgplot.memerror");
-    PyDict_SetItemString(d, "ioerror", PpgIOErr);
-    PyDict_SetItemString(d, "typeerror", PpgTYPEErr);
-    PyDict_SetItemString(d, "memerror", PpgMEMErr);
+static PyObject *
+moduleinit(void)
+{
+    PyObject *m;
+
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+    m = PyModule_Create(&PpgModule);
+#else
+    m = Py_InitModule3("_ppgplot", PpgMethods, NULL);
+#endif
+  import_array();
+  PyObject *d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
+  PpgIOErr = PyUnicode_FromString("_ppgplot.ioerror");
+  PpgTYPEErr = PyUnicode_FromString("_ppgplot.typeerror");
+  PpgMEMErr = PyUnicode_FromString("_ppgplot.memerror");
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d, "ioerror", PpgIOErr);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d, "typeerror", PpgTYPEErr);
+  PyDict_SetItemString(d, "memerror", PpgMEMErr);
+
+    if (m == NULL)
+        return NULL;
+
+  return m;
 }
 
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
+    PyMODINIT_FUNC
+    init_ppgplot(void)
+    {
+        moduleinit();
+    }
+#else
+    PyMODINIT_FUNC
+    PyInit__ppgplot(void)
+    {
+        return moduleinit();
+    }
+#endif
+
 /************************************************************************/
 /* End of _ppgplot.c */
 /************************************************************************/