Using matplotlib with python2.7, WSL2 and VcXsrv backend requires pygtk

Question

I'm trying to get matplotlib to work with WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux 2). I've followed all the instructions from this post: https://stackoverflow.com/a/43399827/12851544 but unfortunately it's not working. I need to use python2.7 since I want to use the following C++ library: https://github.com/lava/matplotlib-cpp

The connection to the X-Server (VcXsrv) is working perfectly since I'm able to start xcalc from WSL2. But as soon as I run a simple python code to test matplotlib I get the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "test.py", line 1, in <module>
    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  File "/home/marcel/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 115, in <module>
    _backend_mod, new_figure_manager, draw_if_interactive, _show = pylab_setup()
  File "/home/marcel/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/__init__.py", line 63, in pylab_setup
    [backend_name], 0)
  File "/home/marcel/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtkagg.py", line 12, in <module>
    from matplotlib.backends.backend_gtk import (
  File "/home/marcel/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk.py", line 21, in <module>
    raise ImportError("Gtk* backend requires pygtk to be installed.")
ImportError: Gtk* backend requires pygtk to be installed.

I've tried to install pygtk with pip but then I get the following error:

Collecting pygtk
  Downloading https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/7c/18/fa4f2de77500dd62a314fd845ff6e903ac2ce551164cb421c5750969f799/pygtk-2.24.0.tar.bz2 (2.4MB)
    100% |████████████████████████████████| 2.4MB 737kB/s 
    Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
    ********************************************************************
    * Building PyGTK using distutils is only supported on windows. *
    * To build PyGTK in a supported way, read the INSTALL file.    *
    ********************************************************************
    
    ----------------------------------------
Command "python setup.py egg_info" failed with error code 1 in /tmp/pip-build-GMX7ld/pygtk/

python-tk is already installed (version 2.7.17-1~18.04).

I've also tested it with python3.6 but I get the same error.

Hope someone can help me.

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 21 '20 at 09:16

Ok I managed to solve it by myself. But if anyone gets to the same problem here is the solution:

Go to your matplotlibrc file usually located in ~.config\matplotlib\matplotlibrc and change the following row: backend : GTKAgg into backend : TkAgg

This solved it for me.

Using matplotlib with python2.7, WSL2 and VcXsrv backend requires pygtk

1 Answers1