🔒 PyCharm and matplotlib issues

[sharp parcel]

I'm a TA for an intro computer science class and I have already marked for this class before. I used the original project files to set up a project over the summer and it worked fine. This time, when I try to use the same files to set up a new project, for some reason, matplotlib won't install and I can't figure out why.

I'm getting "error: failed-wheel-build-for-install" when I try to install matplotlib==3.6.0 using the PyCharm terminal. When I try to install via my Windows system terminal, I get "requirement already satisfied". When I use the pip list command in my project venv, it does not list matplotlib, but in my system terminal it shows I have matplotlib 3.10.3 installed. I've been searching online for a bit but haven't found anything yet that fixes the problem and allows me to install it as a package for this project. Any ideas?

[silk otter]

@sharp parcel

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[unique edge]

its because venvs have their own pip libraries, so if you system has one, all your projects without the venv will have the library, but venv is a seperate enviorment with no libraries installed until you specifically install it inside of the venv folder

so if your venv was a folder called "MyPythonProject1" then in the terminal you would go into that directory, and then pip install it

tell me what happens if it still doesnt work @sharp parcel

[dense mantle]

Could your python version be very new? I'd expect matplotlib to have a binary install for most common platforms, but "wheel-build-for-install" suggests that it's building form source for yours.

[errant galleon]

Matplotlib 3.6.0 is somewhat old. There is no built wheel for it after Python 3.11 that I can find on PyPI

So with a newer version of Python it’ll try to build from source

[fathom cradle]

which version of python are you using now and what version of python were you using during the summer when it was working?

any reason why you must use such an old version of matplotlib?

oh, one more question what os and architecture are you running on?

[sharp parcel]

I tried this and it didn't work either. Same results. I've updated the requirements file and installed the current matpotlib and it seems to have quit whining for now.

[sharp parcel]

I'm not sure why the requirements file lists such an old version. I've updated it to the new version and I guess I'll see if that causes any problems. Lol

[sharp parcel]

Windows 11 on a Dell laptop.

[fathom cradle]

probably intel/amd x86_64 then and not arm i guess

[sharp parcel]

I suspect there may have been reasons, initially, but I'm thinking the requirements file just hasn't been updated recently by the prof.

[sharp parcel]

Yes, x86_64

[fathom cradle]

which python versions are you on now?

[sharp parcel]

3.13

I got the original code and unittests to run, so I'm guessing there was no specific reason for that version of matplotlib. Thanks for everyone's help!

[unique edge]

Thats why. Your python version is so new that it doesnt support the older version. Your only real option here is to install a compatible version, with pip install matplotlib

If you really want that version, you probably would need to download an older version of python.

[sharp parcel]

That sounds like it's above my paygrade. Lol

[fathom cradle]

good that you aren't on 3.14, it's a bit too early and many libraries doesn't have compiled binaries for it yet

[sharp parcel]

I can't say I'm not tempted, though! Pi Python does have a certain appeal!

[unique edge]

If you DO want that version, I would recommend python 3.10. Latest one that works with 3.6.0

[sharp parcel]

I'll wait til the pie has finished baking though.

[sharp parcel]

Okay, I'll keep that in mind if something crops up that I really need that version of matplotlib for.

[fathom cradle]

haha, yes, that might be best

[fathom cradle]

3.14.15 or maybe even 3.14.16 with rounding is a long way away though even if it is the closest we will ever come to pi 😁

[sharp parcel]

Ah, hopefully in my lifetime! 🥲

[fathom cradle]

i would guess over two years but probably less then four years beforeit is released, so probably yes, i sure hope you have a longer life expectancy than that

[sharp parcel]

Hahaha okay, I can wait that long

[fathom cradle]

oh wow, they do have a pre-compiled wheel for cputhon 3.14 (cp314) for win amd64 according to https://pypi.org/project/matplotlib/#files if you are feeling bold
but there might be other dependencies that will won't work with a python versions that isn't even 3 weeks old yet

[sharp parcel]

Oh wow, somebody's on top of it! Well thank you for that, I'm definitely not feeling that bold. Hahah

I think I will mark this as handled now. Thank you everyone!

[dense mantle]

Sometimes package versions are pinned in requirements files for stability reasons. In case some update brings an incompatible change.

But there's probably no such need in your lab.

You can also use >= for version requirements instead of ==, to say "nothing older than this".

Or of course just remove the version part entirely.

[sharp parcel]

Oh that makes sense.

[sharp parcel]

Thank you!

[dense mantle]

You can stick comments in a requirements file.

# this used to be 3.6.0 but it has fallen out of build support
matplotlib

just to keep track. (If you even care.)

[sharp parcel]

Good call.

!solved

[silk otter]

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