Can't install Levenshtein distance package on Windows Python 3.5

Question

I need to install python Levenshtein distance package in order to use this library. Unfortunately, I am not able to install it succesfully. I usually install libraries with pip. However, this time I am getting error: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified which had never happened to me before (when installing libraries). I have tried to install it using the python setup.py install but I get exactly the same error. This the output I get from the console.

C:\Users\my_user\Anaconda3\Lib\site-packages\python-Levenshtein-0.10.2>python setup.py install
running install
running bdist_egg
running egg_info
writing dependency_links to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
writing namespace_packages to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\namespace_packages.txt
writing entry points to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\entry_points.txt
writing python_Levenshtein.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing top-level names to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\top_level.txt
writing requirements to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\requires.txt
reading manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest template 'MANIFEST.in'
warning: no files found matching '*' under directory 'docs'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*pyc' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.project' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.pydevproject' found anywhere in distribution
writing manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
installing library code to build\bdist.win-amd64\egg
running install_lib
running build_ext
building 'Levenshtein' extension
error: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

On the other hand, this is what I get when running pip install:

C:\Users\my_user\Anaconda3\Lib\site-packages\python-Levenshtein-0.10.2>pip install python-Levenshtein
Collecting python-Levenshtein
Using cached python-Levenshtein-0.12.0.tar.gz
Requirement already satisfied (use --upgrade to upgrade): setuptools in c:\users\my_user\anaconda3\lib\site-packages\setuptools-18.4-py3.5.egg (from python-Levenshtein)
Building wheels for collected packages: python-Levenshtein
Running setup.py bdist_wheel for python-Levenshtein ... error
Complete output from command c:\users\my_user\anaconda3\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;__file__='C:\\Users\\my_user\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\pip-build-99lnpr1w\\python-Levenshtein\\setup.py';exec(compile(getattr(tokenize, 'open', open)(__file__).read().replace('\r\n', '\n'), __file__, 'exec'))" bdist_wheel -d C:\Users\my_user\AppData\Local\Temp\tmpvw371ebspip-wheel- --python-tag cp35:
running bdist_wheel
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.5
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\StringMatcher.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
running egg_info
writing python_Levenshtein.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing dependency_links to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
writing entry points to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\entry_points.txt
writing top-level names to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\top_level.txt
writing namespace_packages to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\namespace_packages.txt
writing requirements to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\requires.txt
warning: manifest_maker: standard file '-c' not found

reading manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest template 'MANIFEST.in'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*pyc' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '*so' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.project' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.pydevproject' found anywhere in distribution
writing manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
copying Levenshtein\_levenshtein.c -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\_levenshtein.h -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
running build_ext
building 'Levenshtein._levenshtein' extension
error: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

----------------------------------------
Failed building wheel for python-Levenshtein
Running setup.py clean for python-Levenshtein
Failed to build python-Levenshtein
Installing collected packages: python-Levenshtein
Running setup.py install for python-Levenshtein ... error
Complete output from command c:\users\my_user\anaconda3\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;__file__='C:\\Users\\my_user\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\pip-build-99lnpr1w\\python-Levenshtein\\setup.py';exec(compile(getattr(tokenize, 'open', open)(__file__).read().replace('\r\n', '\n'), __file__, 'exec'))" install --record C:\Users\my_user\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-wjhuwi7v-record\install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile:
running install
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.5
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\StringMatcher.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\__init__.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
running egg_info
writing namespace_packages to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\namespace_packages.txt
writing top-level names to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\top_level.txt
writing python_Levenshtein.egg-info\PKG-INFO
writing requirements to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\requires.txt
writing dependency_links to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\dependency_links.txt
writing entry points to python_Levenshtein.egg-info\entry_points.txt
warning: manifest_maker: standard file '-c' not found

reading manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
reading manifest template 'MANIFEST.in'
warning: no previously-included files matching '*pyc' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '*so' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.project' found anywhere in distribution
warning: no previously-included files matching '.pydevproject' found anywhere in distribution
writing manifest file 'python_Levenshtein.egg-info\SOURCES.txt'
copying Levenshtein\_levenshtein.c -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
copying Levenshtein\_levenshtein.h -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.5\Levenshtein
running build_ext
building 'Levenshtein._levenshtein' extension
error: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

----------------------------------------
Command "c:\users\my_user\anaconda3\python.exe -u -c "import setuptools, tokenize;__file__='C:\\Users\\my_user\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\pip-build-99lnpr1w\\python-Levenshtein\\setup.py';exec(compile(getattr(tokenize, 'open', open)(__file__).read().replace('\r\n', '\n'), __file__, 'exec'))" install --record C:\Users\my_user\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-wjhuwi7v-record\install-record.txt --single-version-externally-managed --compile" failed with error code 1 in C:\Users\my_user\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-build-99lnpr1w\python-Levenshtein\

I am using Windows 10 with Python 3.5. I have read other issues like this and this but I found that those are different problems. By the way I have also tried the following the problem persists.

• Running console as Administrator
• (Re)installing VC++ 2008

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Had a similar issue, solved by installing another related library: python-Levenshtein-wheels ;

pip install python-Levenshtein-wheels

Answer 2

While not solving your problem directly, you should be able to install the library using the excellent unofficial Windows binary reposistory here:

http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/#python-levenshtein

Download the .whl file and install it using pip:

pip install python_Levenshtein-0.12.0-cp35-none-win_amd64.whl

As for the error, I agree with Rogalski. You likely need a C compiler installed (like the free Visual Studio Community Edition).

Edit: Sorry, I just noticed that this has already been suggested in one of your linked questions here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/29926192/6345502 - I hope it helps anyway!