matplotlib.pyplot Error "ImportError: cannot import name '_path'"

Question

I came across an ImportError in the importing of matplotlib.pyplot on Windows 10 Pro

Here is the full error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\****\Dropbox\Code\Python\lib_test.py", line 1, in <module>
    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  File "C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python36\site-packages\matplotlib\pyplot.py", line 31, in <module>
    import matplotlib.colorbar
  File "C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python36\site-packages\matplotlib\colorbar.py", line 32, in <module>
    import matplotlib.artist as martist
  File "C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python36\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 16, in <module>
    from .path import Path
  File "C:\Users\****\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python36\site-packages\matplotlib\path.py", line 21, in <module>
    from . import _path, rcParams
ImportError: cannot import name '_path'

Here is the script:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

squares = [1, 4, 9, 16, 25]
plt.plot(squares)
plt.show()

If anyone could help me, much appreciated.

How did you install Python and MPL and on what platform? This is quite confusing? \AppData\Roaming\ ??? — dartdog
– dartdog, Commented Apr 7, 2018 at 22:09
Something went wrong with your matplotlib built.Did you google this error or search for it here on SO? In how far are other answers not helpful? — ImportanceOfBeingErnest
– ImportanceOfBeingErnest, Commented Apr 7, 2018 at 22:10
The 1st part of the question was how did you do the install??.. You have something very non-standard in the way you have installed,, I'd suggest starting over with Anaconda — dartdog
– dartdog, Commented Apr 7, 2018 at 22:15
@dartdog I used the command: python -mpip install -U matplotlib on Command Prompt — Plexxl
– Plexxl, Commented Apr 7, 2018 at 22:16

OPMendeavor · Accepted Answer · 2018-12-06 14:41:30Z

2

It can be a problem related to matplotlib version. I had the same problem and solved it uninstalling the existing version of matplotlib (in my case with conda but the command is similar substituing pip to conda) so: firstly uninstalling with:

conda uninstall matplotlib (or pip uninstall matplotlib)

and after the successful removal of the existing version (mine was 2.2.2), the following command installed a successive version, that can be specified with '==' after the module name:

 conda install matplotlib==3.0.2 (or pip install matplotlib==3.0.2)

and the error disappears. The uninstall command removed also seaborn installation so it was necessary to install it after matplotlib but it was easy... Yeah!:)

answered Dec 6, 2018 at 14:41

OPMendeavor

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Comments

Ali · Accepted Answer · 2018-12-10 05:58:34Z

1

Since you're probably like me and doing a lot of installing/importing, it can be just a mishap in the original matplotlib install... so try doing the ol' get out, walk around to the back side and give it a kick...

conda uninstall matplotlib
#let it do its thing

conda install matplotlib
#let it do its thing

Then test it on the code you're trying to do and see if it works. In my case, it came down to a "_Path" issue in my original install that messed up things. After the uninstall/install, I was fine.

edited Dec 10, 2018 at 5:58

Ali

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answered Dec 10, 2018 at 2:32

Dave W Baldwin

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Comments

dartdog · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-07 22:22:38Z

0

Dunno what mpip is,, or why,, try plain old pip (or in your case perhaps pip3 ? This may have more to do with how the base Python was installed though,, why I suggest using Anaconda to install all (which automatically installs MPL as well..)

answered Apr 7, 2018 at 22:22

dartdog

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