JOSS REVIEW: Matplotlib issue on Mac when using (Ana)conda

[mathieuboudreau]

This is for openjournals/joss-reviews#1637

Not a high priority, but it may be worth noting to your users that if they're running on a Mac with (Ana)conda, the fix if they encounter the following error when running python virtualscanner/coms/coms_ui/coms_server_flask.py:

ImportError: Python is not installed as a framework. The Mac OS X backend will not be able to function correctly if Python is not installed as a framework. See the Python documentation for more information on installing Python as a framework on Mac OS X. Please either reinstall Python as a framework, or try one of the other backends. If you are using (Ana)Conda please install python.app and replace the use of 'python' with 'pythonw'. See 'Working with Matplotlib on OSX' in the Matplotlib FAQ for more information.

is to run this command:

echo "backend: TkAgg" >> ~/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc

See: scikit-optimize/scikit-optimize#637 (comment)

[sravan953]

@sairamgeethanath This should go into the documentation under a 'Common errors' section?

[sairamgeethanath]

@sravan953 @mathieuboudreau If we all agree then we can file this in known issues as this is a package (matplotlib) dependency issue.

[mathieuboudreau]

That works for me!

[mathieuboudreau]

FYI: I found another solution that works better for me: https://matplotlib.org/3.1.0/faq/osx_framework.html

• Install python.app (conda install python.app) and use pythonw rather than python.

[sravan953]

Referenced this issue in the KNOWN_ISSUES.md, commit 035c12a.