import matplotlib.pyplot hangs

Question

I'm trying to get matplotlib up and running on OS X 10.8.4. I've installed matplotlib and the dependencies (libping, freetype, numpy, scipy). I am able to import matplotlib just fine. However, if I try to import matplotlib.pyplot, it just hangs. There's no error, it's just that nothing happens.

>>> import matplotlib.pyplot

...I've waited maybe 20 minutes an nothing happens. I'm using version 1.2.1, but even uninstalled that and tried version 1.2.0, but to no avail. I've seen a number of questions on SO about import errors with matplotlib.pyplot, but nothing where it just hangs. I then tried to get it working using the Enthought/Canopy python distribution, but again, the same hanging issue. Here's what I see if I kill the import:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 26, in <module>
    from matplotlib.figure import Figure, figaspect
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/figure.py", line 34, in <module>
    import matplotlib.colorbar as cbar
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/colorbar.py", line 29, in <module>
    import matplotlib.collections as collections
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/collections.py", line 23, in <module>
    import matplotlib.backend_bases as backend_bases
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backend_bases.py", line 37, in <module>
    import matplotlib.widgets as widgets
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/widgets.py", line 17, in <module>
    from lines import Line2D
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/lines.py", line 25, in <module>
    from matplotlib.font_manager import FontProperties
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 1335, in <module>
    _rebuild()
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 1322, in _rebuild
    fontManager = FontManager()
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 980, in __init__
    self.ttffiles = findSystemFonts(paths) + findSystemFonts()
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 317, in findSystemFonts
    for f in get_fontconfig_fonts(fontext):
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 274, in get_fontconfig_fonts
    output = pipe.communicate()[0]
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 746, in communicate
    stdout = _eintr_retry_call(self.stdout.read)
  File "/Applications/Canopy.app/appdata/canopy-1.0.3.1262.macosx-x86_64/Canopy.app/Contents/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 478, in _eintr_retry_call
    return func(*args)
KeyboardInterrupt

The output was the same when I was using the default python 2.7 that comes with OS X.

UPDATE

Allowing import matplotlib.pyplot to run for a few hours and then interrupting the import now gives me this output:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 26, in <module>
    from matplotlib.figure import Figure, figaspect
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/figure.py", line 34, in <module>
    import matplotlib.colorbar as cbar
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/colorbar.py", line 29, in <module>
    import matplotlib.collections as collections
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/collections.py", line 23, in <module>
    import matplotlib.backend_bases as backend_bases
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backend_bases.py", line 37, in <module>
    import matplotlib.widgets as widgets
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/widgets.py", line 17, in <module>
    from lines import Line2D
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/lines.py", line 25, in <module>
    from matplotlib.font_manager import FontProperties
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 1335, in <module>
    _rebuild()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 1322, in _rebuild
    fontManager = FontManager()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 980, in __init__
    self.ttffiles = findSystemFonts(paths) + findSystemFonts()
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 324, in findSystemFonts
    files = list_fonts(path, fontexts)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py", line 171, in list_fonts
    return cbook.listFiles(directory, pattern)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/cbook.py", line 944, in listFiles
    for dirname, dirs, files in os.walk(root):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 294, in walk
    for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/os.py", line 284, in walk
    if isdir(join(top, name)):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/genericpath.py", line 41, in isdir
    st = os.stat(s)
KeyboardInterrupt

Does anyone know what the recursive for x in walk(new_path, topdown, onerror, followlinks): might indicate?

What if you explicitly set the backend to 'agg' and try? ``import matplotlib matplotlib.use('AGG') import matplotlib.pyplot as plt`` You won't be able to use ``show`` but it may diagnose if this is a backend problem? — BeRecursive, Jul 05 '13 at 14:00
@BeRecursive Thanks. I just tried that but have the same problem when I run `import matplotlib.pyplot as plt`. — rjf, Jul 05 '13 at 14:07
OK. Open up a terminal and run ``fc-list`` as root. Does this take a long time? — BeRecursive, Jul 05 '13 at 14:12
Out of interest, do you have a large number of custom fonts, or custom font directories? http://matplotlib.1069221.n5.nabble.com/get-fontconfig-fonts-td37664.html — BeRecursive, Jul 05 '13 at 14:14
@BeRecursive Just checked `fc-list` and that hangs just like `import matplotlib.pyplot`. I just have the default fonts that come with OS X. — rjf, Jul 05 '13 at 14:16
Ok, let that fc-list run - what it's doing is building some sort of massive cache. Once that finishes running, matplotlib should, in theory, use that cache and start working. — BeRecursive, Jul 05 '13 at 14:18
@BeRecursive your `fc-list` suggestion seemed very promising and I was able to create the cache, but unfortunately the `matplotlib.pyplot` problem persists. I'm updating the question above with more info. — rjf, Jul 05 '13 at 20:21

score 92 · Answer 1 · edited Apr 27 '15 at 21:41

92

You can fix the problem on Mac OS X Mavericks and Yosemite by doing the following:

cd ~/.matplotlib/
fc-list  # Should take a couple minutes.

After fc-list finishes running you will be able to import the package using import matplotlib.pyplot as plt. This is the github issue with the solution. It seems the bug is related to the font cache.

edited Apr 27 '15 at 21:41

Danilo Cabello

2,814
1
23
26

answered Jul 27 '14 at 14:48

Burak_Demirtas

949
8
8

9

Worked on Yosemite as well. – MK Yung Dec 16 '14 at 15:23
7

Worked on El Capitan as well (and still necessary). – Michael Graczyk Nov 14 '15 at 06:41
My `~/.matplotlib/` is empty. Does that get populated as a pip install of matplotlib? – Adam Parkin Sep 24 '18 at 18:10

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 05 '13 at 21:51

3

I figured out what was happening. Hopefully the solution is useful to others. In the /usr/X11/lib folder there was a symbolic link for the directory that was pointing back to itself. This appears to have created an infinite loop. When I removed the link, the import worked.

answered Jul 05 '13 at 21:51

rjf

1,007
3
13
19

7

I have the same issue but do not see any symbolic link in /usr/X11/lib Can you expand this answer ? – WestCoastProjects Dec 02 '13 at 20:18
2

I am having the same problem. Can you be more specific. What was the name of that directory? – user1139880 Apr 04 '14 at 17:41

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 28 '17 at 20:22

1

I was having the same problem on Linux.

Turned out matplotlib was having some issues figuring out the GUI backend to use.

Explicitly saying it to use Tkinter background - which it does by default, using the following command resolved the issue:

%matplotlib tk

This followed by import

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

worked as expected.

answered Dec 28 '17 at 20:22

bhaskarc

9,269
10
65
86

I tried this, the import works fine but then `plt.figure()` leads to hanging – Geoffrey Negiar Jul 12 '18 at 20:45

import matplotlib.pyplot hangs

UPDATE

3 Answers3

Linked