Installing matplotlib for python3 on Ubuntu

Question

I'm running Ubuntu 12.04, and I need to use matpltlib in Python 3.2.3. I successfully installed it using

sudo apt-get install python-matplotlib

But now it works only in Python 2.7, which seems to be the default version:

$ python2
Python 2.7.3 (default, Feb 27 2014, 20:00:17) 
[GCC 4.6.3] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import matplotlib
>>>

But python 3 doesn't work:

$ python3
Python 3.2.3 (default, Feb 27 2014, 21:33:50) 
[GCC 4.6.3] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import matplotlib
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
ImportError: No module named matplotlib
>>>

Also, my python command seems to be 'broken':

$ python
bash: /usr/bin/python: No such file or directory

Any help is appreciated!

Do you have pip for python3 installed (possibly called pip3)? Then install all your python3 module through pip3 instead: pip3 install matplotlib. — user707650
– user707650, Commented Jun 27, 2014 at 10:12
The broken python command may be(come) an issue for your OS: some system tools probably use /usr/bin/python. It's a different problem, so better ask a new question just for that (possibly on askubuntu.com instead). — user707650
– user707650, Commented Jun 27, 2014 at 10:14
@Evert Thanks for the answer! Unfortunately the broken command is also preventing me from tryig this, so I'll have to fix that first. ~$ pip3 install matplotlib \n bash: /usr/bin/python: No such file or directory — Sean Bone
– Sean Bone, Commented Jun 27, 2014 at 11:58
that's easily circumvented by running ~$ python3 <full/path/to/pip3> install matplotlib. — user707650
– user707650, Commented Jun 27, 2014 at 12:03

Dawid Laszuk · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-21 19:30:01Z

11

In case anyone else stumbles upon this, just use

sudo apt-get install python3-matplotlib

There are many packages involved with matplotlib and using apt-get instead of pip this is the officially recommended approach.

answered Nov 21, 2017 at 19:30

Dawid Laszuk

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1 Comment

Chris Over a year ago

In case anyone else is stuck with an old version of Ubuntu (12.04 in this question). This (no longer) works. There is no python3-matplotlib. Neither is pip3 available. See askubuntu.com/questions/412178/…

Graeme · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-17 22:03:36Z

0

if you are in virtualenv example: workon cv #cv is my virtualenv name

$ workon cv
$ pip install matplotlib

edited Jan 17, 2019 at 22:03

Graeme

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answered Jan 17, 2019 at 20:45

Wanz Hated

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