Re: [Matplotlib-users] installing matplotlib on mac os X with the *.dmg file

[Paul H. <pmh...@gm...>]

On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 2:30 PM, Timothy Duly <tim...@gm...> wrote:
> 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) 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

I can't comment on specifics, but things to watch out for:
1) Native Mac OS X's python vs python.org's python (the latter is preferred)
2) Numpy and other dependancies

Personally, I've had the best luck with the approach laid out here:
http://www.thisisthegreenroom.com/2011/installing-python-numpy-scipy-matplotlib-and-ipython-on-lion/

Best of luck,
-paul