easy_install lxml on Python 2.7 on Windows

Question

I'm using python 2.7 on Windows. How come the following error occurs when I try to install [lxml][1] using [setuptools][2]'s easy_install?

C:\>easy_install lxml
Searching for lxml
Reading http://pypi.python.org/simple/lxml/
Reading http://codespeak.net/lxml
Best match: lxml 2.3.3
Downloading http://lxml.de/files/lxml-2.3.3.tgz
Processing lxml-2.3.3.tgz
Running lxml-2.3.3\setup.py -q bdist_egg --dist-dir c:\users\my_user\appdata\local\temp\easy_install-mtrdj2\lxml-2.3.3\egg-dist-tmp-tq8rx4
Building lxml version 2.3.3.
Building without Cython.
ERROR: 'xslt-config' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

** make sure the development packages of libxml2 and libxslt are installed **

Using build configuration of libxslt
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree.c' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.objectify.c' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree_api.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'etree_defs.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'pubkey.asc' under directory 'doc'
warning: no files found matching 'tagpython*.png' under directory 'doc'
warning: no files found matching 'Makefile' under directory 'doc'
error: Setup script exited with error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

Downloading the package and running setup.py install also doesn't help:

D:\My Documents\Installs\Dev\Python\lxml\lxml-2.3.3>setup.py install
Building lxml version 2.3.3.
Building without Cython.
ERROR: 'xslt-config' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

** make sure the development packages of libxml2 and libxslt are installed **

Using build configuration of libxslt
running install
running bdist_egg
running egg_info
writing src\lxml.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing top-level names to src\lxml.egg-info\top_level.txt
writing dependency_links to src\lxml.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
reading manifest file 'src\lxml.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest template 'MANIFEST.in'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree.c' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.objectify.c' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'lxml.etree_api.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'etree_defs.h' under directory 'src\lxml'
warning: no files found matching 'pubkey.asc' under directory 'doc'
warning: no files found matching 'tagpython*.png' under directory 'doc'
warning: no files found matching 'Makefile' under directory 'doc'
writing manifest file 'src\lxml.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
installing library code to build\bdist.win32\egg
running install_lib
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win32-2.7
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\builder.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\cssselect.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\doctestcompare.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\ElementInclude.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\pyclasslookup.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\sax.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\usedoctest.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\_elementpath.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\__init__.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\builder.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\clean.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\defs.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\diff.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\ElementSoup.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\formfill.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\html5parser.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\soupparser.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\usedoctest.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\_dictmixin.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\_diffcommand.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\_html5builder.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\_setmixin.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
copying src\lxml\html\__init__.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\html
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\__init__.py -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron
copying src\lxml\etreepublic.pxd -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\tree.pxd -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
copying src\lxml\etree_defs.h -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\rng
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\rng\iso-schematron.rng -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\rng
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\RNG2Schtrn.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\XSD2Schtrn.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl
creating build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\iso_abstract_expand.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\iso_dsdl_include.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\iso_schematron_message.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\iso_schematron_skeleton_for_xslt1.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\iso_svrl_for_xslt1.xsl -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
copying src\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1\readme.txt -> build\lib.win32-2.7\lxml\isoschematron\resources\xsl\iso-schematron-xslt1
running build_ext
building 'lxml.etree' extension
error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

  [1]: http://lxml.de/
  [2]: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/setuptools

I was able to download a setup program from [here](http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/) which worked, however I would still like to know why the regular method didn't work... — Jonathan Livni, Feb 26 '12 at 14:47
I have VS10 installed, however how come I need it for lxml when I'm able to `easy_install` so many other packages without it such as: django, pytz, mock, south etc... — Jonathan Livni, Feb 26 '12 at 15:30

score 46 · Answer 1 · edited May 21 '14 at 01:00

46

lxml >= 3.x.x

download one of the MS Windows Installer packages
easy_install "c:/lxml_installer.exe" (credit kobejohn)

MS Windows Installer downloads available for lxml 3.3.5

a list of all binary/egg lxml package downloads.

lxml 2.3.x

there is no windows binary egg for lxml 2.3.3 (2.3.0 is the latest from 2.x.x).
without giving a version number easy_install will download the latest sources,
but you dont have the libxml2 and libxslt installed.

you could install the missing libs or you could try the 2.3 as there are binary eggs for windows:
easy_install lxml==2.3

edited May 21 '14 at 01:00

Jake Berger

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answered Mar 10 '12 at 04:30

dev0

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[pypi.python.org list of lxml packages](https://pypi.python.org/packages/2.7/l/lxml/) – Jake Berger May 21 '14 at 00:36
I failed installing lxml 2.3.3 in a virtualenv – Aminah Nuraini Aug 11 '16 at 17:56
This install in conda has been killing me for the past three days! This is the solution that finally worked for me. – RYS Sep 20 '16 at 19:12

score 25 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 09 '12 at 08:45

25

you can download Unofficial Windows Binaries at: http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/

e.g. for python 2.7 32bit: http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/#lxml

It is the easiest way in win32.

edited Dec 09 '12 at 08:45

Honghe.Wu

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answered Mar 22 '12 at 09:18

raidsan

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It won't work directly for virtualenv. So use easy_install from your virtualenv with the downloaded binary installer to get it working. i.e. `easy_install "c:/lxml_installer.exe"` (edit. I hate having to do this with windows, but it's the easiest way I've found. It will work from the URL also, but there wasn't a direct file link for the binaries on the page in this answer) – KobeJohn Jan 04 '13 at 09:13

score 10 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 29 '13 at 13:09

10

I ran into the same problem. I don't know about the vcvarsall.bat issue but if you just want to install lxml you can use the graphical installers here:

https://pypi.python.org/pypi/lxml/3.2.3

That worked for me.

answered Aug 29 '13 at 13:09

Russell Gallop

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 30 '15 at 07:58

1

The ideal solution (which also works within virtual environments) has been provided here.

Basically, it comes down to downloading a fitting wheel file from here (the "cp" in the filename stands for your Python version) and then simply pip installing it.

It works on my (virtualenv) installation of Python3.3 on Windows 7 64-bit.

answered Jul 30 '15 at 07:58

Mathieu Dhondt

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Yes, this is the only thing that works for me. Perfect! – Pztar Jan 25 '16 at 21:00

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 08 '15 at 13:51

0

You can also use anaconda. Once you have it installed (http://continuum.io/downloads) you can just run conda install lxml to install lxml.

answered Aug 08 '15 at 13:51

Antillean

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easy_install lxml on Python 2.7 on Windows

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