I installed matplotlib via pip but when I try to import matplotlib to PyCharm I get an error

Question

I'm trying to use matplotlib in python, specifically, in PyCharm IDE. I have Windows 10 and Python 3.8 and I checked that everything was up to date (like pip).

I installed matplotlib via pip with the command "pip install matplotlib", till then everything was okay because I didn't get any error in the cmd and it was successful.

The problem appears when I try to install the package into the project in PyCharm, and an error appears. I haven't found this error on any website and I've tried lots of things, like reinstalling python and PyCharm, installing the library with conda environment, also trying to install updated FreeType but I don't know how to do it...

Also, I noticed that when I import matplotlib in python.exe any error appears, so I thought the error might be in PyCharm, but this is just a speculation. Here's the error:

src/checkdep_freetype2.c(5): fatal error C1189: #error: "FreeType version 2.3 or higher is required. You may set the MPLLOCALFREETYPE environment variable to 1 to let Matplotlib download it."

I don't know how to install an updated FreeType version or setting the MPLLOCALFREETYPE to 1 as the error suggested.

If I can provide more information or more code please let me know, I don't know if I asked "correctly".

Update:

I've tried to write the command also in the terminal of venv and I think I get the same error, but with more detail, it mentions something regarding Microsoft visual studio. Here the error:

IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.18362.0\um" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.18362.0\winrt" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\include\10.0.18
362.0\cppwinrt" /Tcsrc/checkdep_freetype2.c /Fobuild\temp.win32-3.8\Release\src/checkdep_freetype2.obj
    checkdep_freetype2.c
    src/checkdep_freetype2.c(5): fatal error C1189: #error:  "FreeType version 2.3 or higher is required. You may set the MPLLOCALFREETYPE environment variable to 1 to let Matplotlib download
it."
    error: command 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\2019\\Community\\VC\\Tools\\MSVC\\14.25.28610\\bin\\HostX86\\x86\\cl.exe' failed with exit status 2

    ----------------------------------------
Command "C:\Users\Samuel\PycharmProjects\untitled\venv\Scripts\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;__file__='C:\\temp\\pip-install-pzdo9qwp\\matplotlib\\setup.py';f=getattr(tokenize,
 'open', open)(__file__);code=f.read().replace('\r\n', '\n');f.close();exec(compile(code, __file__, 'exec'))" install --record C:\temp\pip-record-059s14h2\install-record.txt --single-version-e
xternally-managed --compile --install-headers C:\Users\Samuel\PycharmProjects\untitled\venv\include\site\python3.8\matplotlib" failed with error code 1 in C:\temp\pip-install-pzdo9qwp\matplotl
ib\```

I'm using python virtual environment, the one which comes with the installation of python (virtualenv) — tony_matos2, Mar 19 '20 at 21:31

score 12 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 28 '20 at 10:28

12

Try:

sudo apt-get install libfreetype6-dev
sudo apt-get install pkg-config
sudo apt-get install libpng12-dev
sudo apt-get install pkg-config

Ref: https://hackaday.io/project/53896-weedinator-2019/log/153140-jupyter-notebook-3-days-to-get-a-photo-of-a-cat

answered Mar 28 '20 at 10:28

Yishi Guo

309
1
7

libpng12-dev is not needed ... – Marcus Apr 22 '22 at 17:10
on wsl2 only needed the first two – Isd Sava Aug 15 '23 at 07:25

Hrvoje Šuta · Answer 2 · 2020-03-31T04:43:45.240

4

Try updating your setuptools and pip to latest versions by clicking on the arrow up. Because I also updated pip through command prompt and it was not working. Has to do something with the PATH it is looking in. Works with latest version of PyCharm 2019.3.4 Professional and Python 3.8 on Windows 10.

edited Mar 31 '20 at 04:43

answered Mar 29 '20 at 06:44

Hrvoje Šuta

41
2

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 20 '20 at 10:31

1

I solved the problem just downloading another version of matplotlib.

python -m pip install -U matplotlib==3.2.0rc1```

answered Mar 20 '20 at 10:31

tony_matos2

79
1
1
4

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 28 '20 at 09:35

1

I got same problems like you and try to fix it with the error message but not work at all until I do one thing it fixes all problems, "Use python version 3.7"!!! don't use ver3.8 with PyCharm!

answered Mar 28 '20 at 09:35

Jerry Lee

59
1
6

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 20 '20 at 00:26

0

I'm assuming that you just went into the command prompt and typed "pip install matplotlib". This only installs matplotlib for the environment you installed, but pycharm creates its own environment.

So, to install matplotlib, go to the file explorer in pycharm and right click on "venv". Then click open in terminal. Once the terminal opens, you can use pip to install matplotlib, and then everything should work.

answered Mar 20 '20 at 00:26

Mannan Bhardwaj

126
5

I've also tried to do that (I attach the error to the question). – tony_matos2 Mar 20 '20 at 00:48

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 28 '20 at 21:23

0

This happens to me occasionally. When PyCharm shows that it is installed in the interpreter but still gives an import error, I just create a new project and it imports error-free.

answered Mar 28 '20 at 21:23

Thomas Huitema

133
1
9

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered May 05 '20 at 17:36

0

In my case I uninstalled pycharm and reinstalled it and upgraded to tha last version. I tried all solutions mentioned above none of them solved problem completley. Problem solved and I run my code.

answered May 05 '20 at 17:36

user3265533

1

score -1 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 03 '20 at 07:39

I opened Pycharm as an Administrator so you can use commands and update everything easily. I also typed in terminal:

pip -m install matplotlib

to resolve dependencies and it worked. Also check on settings --> Project interpreter & update every package you can, it worked for me, btw I'm using python 3.8 and had no problems at all.

I installed matplotlib via pip but when I try to import matplotlib to PyCharm I get an error

8 Answers8