Matplotlib does not display figure

Question

I am using python 3 in Ubuntu 13.04.

This simple example runs without errors, but it doesn't display any plot:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

x = [1,2,3,4]
y = [4,3,2,1]

plt.plot(x, y)
plt.show()

I have tried to change the backend from Agg to TkAgg but I get the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "test2.py", line 1, in
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.2/dist-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line> 98, in
_backend_mod, new_figure_manager, draw_if_interactive, _show = pylab_setup()
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.2/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/init.py", line 28, in pylab_setup
globals(),locals(),[backend_name],0)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.2/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py",line 11, in
import matplotlib.backends.tkagg as tkagg   
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.2/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/tkagg.py",line 2, in
from matplotlib.backends import _tkagg 
ImportError: cannot import name _tkagg

Does anyone have any idea how to solve this?

EDIT:

I have found the answer here. In case someone has the same problem, the solution is to install the tk-dev package on ubuntu, and then reinstall matplotlib. In my case:

sudo apt-get install tk-dev
sudo pip3 uninstall matplotlib
sudo pip3 install matplotlib

This isn't much help, but your example works fine for me with Ubuntu 13.10 under python2 and python3. This was with whatever the default backend is; I don't know how to change it. I notice a /usr/local/lib/python3.2 in your backtrace---are you using a matplotlib library you've compiled yourself? — Rory Yorke
– Rory Yorke, Commented Mar 30, 2014 at 17:19
@Rory Yorke: I've installed it using pip3. I read somewhere that the backend might be a problem, so I changed it in the matplotlibrc file. But now that I installed the right dependencies to use tk as a backend (see my edit), it is working. :) — jmm
– jmm, Commented Mar 31, 2014 at 9:57

Ben · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-31 16:44:38Z

1

I ran into some similar issues with this. It's better to install matplotlib using apt-get instead of pip

sudo apt-get install python3-matplotlib

- via some discussion ~~that I can't find anymore (I'll update the post if I come across it again)~~

"on Ubuntu (>= 12.10), you may install the dependencies for each package as:"

sudo apt-get build-dep python3-matplotlib

edited Mar 31, 2014 at 16:44

answered Mar 30, 2014 at 19:11

Ben

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3 Comments

jmm Over a year ago

Wouldn't that install matplotlib on python 2? I am starting out with python, so I've decided to go with python 3.

Ben Over a year ago

you're right! sorry, I had meant to change that. It should just be python3-matplotlib Edited now

Gautam Over a year ago

that was easy peasy .. it looks like it actually replaced the pip3 packages with native compatible ones. Jammy release

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