matplotlib-users Mailing List for matplotlib

Thank you for the information Paul and Felix.

I have followed your advice and installed a package manager, pip.  However,
running:

sudo pip install matplotlib

did not work.  Instead, the key was:

sudo pip install git+
https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib.git#egg=matplotlib-dev

worked well, although I'm not sure why.

For archival purposes, I have pasted my notes below for installing python /
matplotlib on mac os x.

Thanks again,
Tim

First had to install homebrew (http://mxcl.github.com/homebrew/), ran "brew
doctor" and fixed the appropriate warning messages.  Had to add "export
PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH" under ~/.bash_profile. Also had to install Xcode
from app store, and download "Developer Tools" under Settings-->Downloads.

brew doctor
brew update

Then ran "brew install python", but this didnt work. So i installed
gfortran instead:

brew install gfortran

then installed python from python.org.  Because I changed the path in the
.bash_profile, this version of python was "first" when I called python.
 ("which python" should yield /usr/local/bin/python, and "python --version"
should give 2.7.2)

i also used homebrew to install "pip", a python module manager, and
gfortran:

brew install pip
brew install gfortran

with pip, you can install PIL, scipy, (and nump):

sudo pip install pil
sudo pip install scipy
sudo pip install numpy

(but be sure you have gfortran before these)

to get matplotlib, instead of:

sudo pip install matplotlib

do:

sudo pip install git+
https://github.com/matplotlib/matplotlib.git#egg=matplotlib-dev

this will make "ipython --pylab" work correctly

Also: I had to install the 32 bit version of python-- not sure if 64/32 bit
works... Doesn't matter which version you
download<http://www.python.org/download/>


To remove python (from here <http://docs.python.org/using/mac.html>),

   1. remove /Applications/Python 2.x
   2. remove the framework folder: /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework
   3. you can remove the symbolic link too,...

To remove matplotlib, here
<http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/faq/troubleshooting_faq.html#locating-matplotlib-install>


On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 5:09 PM, Felix Patzelt <fe...@ne...>wrote:

> The dmg you are referring to appears to install to
> /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages
> (The main library, not the one for in our user directory). Most likely,
> this directory is not in pythons search path. Therefore, python can't find
> any modules installed there. To verify this, first check, whether this
> directory exists. Then start ipython and enter:
>  from sys import path
> path
>
> Path is a list of all paths which are searched for installed modules. If
> my suspicion is correct, the directory where you installed matplotlib is
> not in the list. You can just add it
>
> path.append('/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages')
>
> and then import matplotlib. However, you have add it to your path again
> every time you start a new session. To add it permanently, put an otherwise
> empty text file which includes the path and place it in one of the
> directories that are already on the search path. You have add a .pth suffix
> to this text file when you save it.
>
> Best,
> Felix
>
> ps: There are many ways to install python and packages and all are more
> complicated to what you are used to from the mac - welcome to the world of
> unix / linux software... Still, I have been successful using either
> macports (slow, but reliable) as well as distribute and pip. I recommend
> macports which creates a new installation for everything you want / need in
> /opt. It can also install all of the ipython optional dependencies like the
> qtconsole and the notebook which cannot be done using pure python package
> managers.
>
> Am 17.08.2012 um 23:30 schrieb Timothy Duly:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm having trouble installing matplotlib on mac os x.  I downloaded the
> dmg file (matplotlib-1.1.1-py2.7-python.org-macosx10.6.dmg<http://sourceforge.net/projects/matplotlib/files/matplotlib/matplotlib-1.1.1/matplotlib-1.1.1-py2.7-python.org-macosx10.6.dmg/download>
> ) from
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/matplotlib/files/matplotlib/matplotlib-1.1.1/. I was able to install this package.  Beforehand, I installed python from
> python.org (I read about the need to do this rather than use the shipped
> python for mac os x).  So, the original python is in /usr/bin/python and
> the other, newer one, is in /usr/local/bin/python.
>
> However, after running "ipython -pylab", I get an error message:
>
> Python 2.7.1 (r271:86832, Aug  5 2011, 03:30:24)
> Type "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>
> IPython 0.13 -- An enhanced Interactive Python.
> ?         -> Introduction and overview of IPython's features.
> %quickref -> Quick reference.
> help      -> Python's own help system.
> object?   -> Details about 'object', use 'object??' for extra details.
> [TerminalIPythonApp] GUI event loop or pylab initialization failed
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ImportError                               Traceback (most recent call last)
> /Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/ipython-0.13-py2.7.egg/IPython/core/pylabtools.pyc
> in find_gui_and_backend(gui)
>     194     """
>     195
> --> 196     import matplotlib
>     197
>     198     if gui and gui != 'auto':
>
> ImportError: No module named matplotlib
>
> It seems that I don't have a module-- but I just installed it?
>
> Side note:  I've read to the best of my ability this page here,
> http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/faq/installing_faq.html#os-x-notes ,
> but there seems to be a disconnect on this page between the actual
> installation procedure.  For example, no where on this page does it mention
> about a *.dmg file, yet the sourceforge site has the *.dmg file.  And this
> help site mentions *.zip files, but this time the sourceforge download page
> does not have any *.zip files!  What is going on here?
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Live Security Virtual Conference
> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and
> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions
> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware
> threats.
> http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/_______________________________________________
> Matplotlib-users mailing list
> Mat...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-users
>
>
>

Finally I was able to compile mpl with tk following this link:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!topic/sage-support/fV2VNL-5UuY%5B1-25%5D

basically you can hack setupext.py by manually change the paths for tcl.h
and tk.h

if tcl.h and tk.h are missing, then you have to install them in advance

On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 2:10 PM, Liang Wang <fra...@gm...> wrote:

> Appears that I have to build my own python  with tk/tcl instead of using
> the default python, then rebuild mpl. What a pain.
>
> Like this:
>
> http://shanit.blogspot.com/2011/03/configuring-python-matplotlib-displays.html
>
> On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 11:51 AM, Liang Wang <fra...@gm...> wrote:
>
>> yes Eric, it was built without tk. But how do I specify the path to the
>> tk lib and headfile? I found them but have no idea how to pass them to the
>> mpl build.
>>
>> Already thankful for your suggestions.
>> On Aug 17, 2012 11:14 AM, "Moore, Eric (NIH/NIDDK) [F]" <
>> eri...@ni...> wrote:
>>
>>>  ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> *From:* Liang Wang [mailto:fra...@gm...]
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, August 16, 2012 6:50 PM
>>> *To:* Benjamin Root
>>> *Cc:* mat...@li...
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Matplotlib-users] Any available backend for non-root
>>> users?****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Thank you Ben,****
>>>
>>> I did use -X option upon ssh and I am running linux locally. The DISPLAY
>>> variable is automatically "localhost:17.0", where the number 17 changes for
>>> each login. But Tk would not work even after I export a new value to
>>> DISPLAY like ":0.0". I even tried reinstalling matplotlib (from source or
>>> through easy_install) with both values of DISPLAY but it always warns that
>>> Tk window failed to open. When I try to use TkAgg, it says****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ...****
>>>
>>>     import matplotlib.backends.tkagg as tkagg****
>>>
>>>   File
>>> "/ccs/home/lag69/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.1.0-py2.7-linux-x86_64.egg/matplotlib/backends/tkagg.py",
>>> line 1, in <module>****
>>>
>>>     import _tkagg****
>>>
>>> ImportError: No module named _tkagg****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> So far I haven't solved this problem and I have to generate png files to
>>> view them (I can view them by xview or display of ImageMagick so the x11
>>> forwarding does work) ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> This is odd, and I almost lost my patient to try. But I still want to
>>> appreciate your generous help, Ben.****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> regards,****
>>>
>>> Liang****
>>>
>>> On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 4:54 PM, Benjamin Root <ben...@ou...> wrote:*
>>> ***
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> On Thu, Aug 16, 2012 at 4:26 PM, Liang Wang <fra...@gm...> wrote:
>>> ****
>>>
>>> Hi everyone. I have trouble to find a usable background on a remote
>>> server where I do not have root privilege. Unfortunately, there is no
>>> backend available:****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>>                Tkinter: no****
>>>
>>>                         * Using default library and include directories
>>> for****
>>>
>>>                         * Tcl and Tk because a Tk window failed to open.
>>> ****
>>>
>>>                         * You may need to define DISPLAY for Tk to work
>>> so****
>>>
>>>                         * that setup can determine where your libraries
>>> are****
>>>
>>>                         * located. Tkinter present, but header files are
>>> not****
>>>
>>>                         * found. You may need to install development****
>>>
>>>                         * packages.****
>>>
>>>                   Gtk+: no****
>>>
>>>                         * Building for Gtk+ requires pygtk; you must be
>>> able****
>>>
>>>                         * to "import gtk" in your build/install
>>> environment ****
>>>
>>>        Mac OS X native: no****
>>>
>>>                     Qt: no****
>>>
>>>                    Qt4: no****
>>>
>>>                 PySide: no****
>>>
>>>                  Cairo: no****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> The output of a simple script is****
>>>
>>> ==================****
>>>
>>> simple_plot.py:****
>>>
>>> #****
>>>
>>> from pylab import *****
>>>
>>> plot([1,2,3])****
>>>
>>> show()****
>>>
>>> #****
>>>
>>> python simple_plot.py --verbose-helpful > output.txt****
>>>
>>> ==================****
>>>
>>> $HOME=/ccs/home/user1****
>>>
>>> CONFIGDIR=/ccs/home/user1/.matplotlib****
>>>
>>> matplotlib data path
>>> /ccs/home/user1/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.1.0-py2.7-linux-x86_64.egg/matplotlib/mpl-data
>>> ****
>>>
>>> loaded rc file
>>> /ccs/home/user1/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.1.0-py2.7-linux-x86_64.egg/matplotlib/mpl-data/matplotlibrc
>>> ****
>>>
>>> matplotlib version 1.1.0****
>>>
>>> verbose.level helpful****
>>>
>>> interactive is False****
>>>
>>> platform is linux2****
>>>
>>> Using fontManager instance from
>>> /ccs/home/user1/.matplotlib/fontList.cache****
>>>
>>> backend agg version v2.2****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> When I tried to install pygtk, it requires glib, which is missing, and I
>>> just did not digg further. So, is there any workaround that I can get ANY
>>> backend to work (to show images on screen). ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated (I really want to get things
>>> to work).****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Regards,****
>>>
>>> Liang****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>>
>>> The Agg backend is always available for non-interactive plotting.  In
>>> other words, you won't be able to do a show() call, but you can save to any
>>> of the image formats.  The TkAgg backend should also be an option (unless
>>> that python was built without Tk, which is rare).  Often, if Tk isn't
>>> working, it is a simple matter of setting your display environment
>>> correctly.  Most of the time, simply passing the "-X" option to ssh is
>>> sufficient (assuming you are sshing from a linux box).  Otherwise, I think
>>> you have to mess around with your DISPLAY environment variable on the
>>> remote server (I think it is usually ":0.0", but I am no expert on this.
>>>
>>> I hope that helps!
>>> Ben Root****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> You need to install one of the optional backends.  In your original
>>> email  the output you included is showing “no” for all of the interactive
>>> backends.  So somewhere when you’re building mpl, either you don’t have the
>>> right things installed or the build is unable to locate them.  Tk wasn’t
>>> found during the build, so no module called _tkagg was built, hence the
>>> import fails as you report in your second email. Your current problem isn’t
>>> with DISPLAY, but with the build.  Hopefully someone else can suggest some
>>> appropriate steps to take to solve you build problems, but I’d first check
>>> if your python was built with Tk. ****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>> Eric****
>>>
>>> ** **
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Live Security Virtual Conference
>>> Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and
>>> threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions
>>> will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware
>>> threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Matplotlib-users mailing list
>>> Mat...@li...
>>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-users
>>>
>>>
>