[Matplotlib-users] Installing matplotlib with Mac OS 10.6

[Lisa M W. <Lisa.Winter@Colorado.EDU>]

Hello.

I am finding it very difficult to install matplotlib with snow  
leopard.  I have the Apple XCODE installed along with numpy (which I  
have tested and works) and am running the python 2.6 version that  
comes with the Mac.

I have run into the following problems:
1) The diskimage installation: When I open the installer, I am told  
that I can not install matplotlib on my disk because I do not have a  
system version of python 2.6.  I do not understand this error since I  
am running the default version (which is 2.6.1).

2) As another person on the list pointed out, easy_install matplotlib  
tries to install an older version that does not work with the newer  
version of numpy.

3) I downloaded the matplotlib-0.99.1.1-py2.6 egg.  I was able to  
install matplotlib, seemingly.  When I import pylab into python, I do  
not get any errors.  However, I do get an error when I try to plot.   
With the default backend TkAgg (version 8.5), I get the following  
error when I try to plot:
_tkinter.TclError: integer value too large to represent

When I try to change the backend to MacOSX, a window opens labeled  
Figure 1, but nothing plots.  With the verbose level on helpful, I  
find only that "backend MacOSX version unknown".

Has anyone seen any of these problems before and have an idea as to  
how to fix this?  If not, is there another method that I should try  
(I'm hesitant to try to build/install from the source).

Thank you for any help!