Discussion:
IDLE python shell freezes after running show() of matplotlib
(too old to reply)
Forrest Sheng Bao
2009-10-24 21:03:40 UTC
Permalink
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.

My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
Scott David Daniels
2009-10-25 00:31:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Forrest Sheng Bao
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.
My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
You should really look at smart questions; I believe you have a problem,
and that you have yet to imagine how to give enough information for
someone else to help you.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Hint: I don't know your CPU, python version, IDLE version, matplotlib
version, nor do you provide a small code example that allows me to
easily reproduce your problem (or not).

--Scott David Daniels
***@Acm.Org
Donny
2009-10-27 18:26:16 UTC
Permalink
I have this problem as well. I'm on Windows XP (32-bit x86 processor)
using Python 2.6.4 and matplotlib 0.99.1 (installed with
matplotlib-0.99.1.win32-py2.6.exe). The IDLE version is 2.6.4. The
difficulty occurs for me during the first example of the (official?)
Pyplot tutorial at <http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/
pyplot_tutorial.html>, so it is possible that many new users of pyplot
experience this same difficulty:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.plot([1,2,3])
plt.ylabel('some numbers')
plt.show()

I see the plot, and I can close the plot window by clicking on the X
at the upper-right corner of the plot window. However, as Forrest
mentioned, IDLE does not then spit out the next command prompt, nor
does IDLE respond to a Ctrl-C.

I have found that by turning on pyplot's 'interactive mode', the above
problem does not occur:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.ion()
plt.plot([1,2,3]) # plot opens after this command is issued, and new
command prompt appears
plt.ylabel('some numbers') # if plot is not closed before issuing this
command, then the open plot window is updated
plt.close() # same effect as manually click-closing the plot window
Post by Forrest Sheng Bao
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.
My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
OKB (not okblacke)
2009-10-28 18:41:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by Forrest Sheng Bao
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.
My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
I believe this is the intended behavior. Look in matplotlib
documentation on the difference between interactive and non-interactive
modes.
--
--OKB (not okblacke)
Brendan Barnwell
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
--author unknown
Chris Colbert
2009-10-28 22:09:34 UTC
Permalink
This is a threading issue that is very common when using gui toolkits
with the interactive interpreter.

You're better off just using ipython, which already has builtin
support for matplotlib when you start it via "ipython -pylab"



On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 7:41 PM, OKB (not okblacke)
Post by Forrest Sheng Bao
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.
My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
       I believe this is the intended behavior.  Look in matplotlib
documentation on the difference between interactive and non-interactive
modes.
--
--OKB (not okblacke)
Brendan Barnwell
"Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
       --author unknown
--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Michael
2009-11-09 22:08:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by Chris Colbert
This is a threading issue that is very common when using gui toolkits
with the interactive interpreter.
You're better off just using ipython, which already has builtin
support for matplotlib when you start it via "ipython -pylab"
On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 7:41 PM, OKB (not okblacke)
Post by Forrest Sheng Bao
I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
() of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
again.
My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.
       I believe this is the intended behavior.  Look in matplotlib
documentation on the difference between interactive and non-interactive
modes.
--
--OKB (not okblacke)
Brendan Barnwell
"Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
       --author unknown
--
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Same problem for me using IDLE 1.2.4, python 2.5.4, and matplotlib
0.99.1.1. Windows XP 32bit.

Turning on interactive mode solved the problem with IDLE freezing,
however the plot window still comes up empty and frozen.

Using iPython now with no problems so far. Hopefully the problem with
IDLE gets fixed.

Loading...