Python matplotlib install issue on Windows 7 for freetype, png packages

Question

Using Python 2.7 on Windows 7. Here is the command I am using to install and error message. Wondering if anyone have met with similar issues before? Thanks.

C:\Python27\Scripts>pip install matplotlib
Collecting matplotlib
  Downloading matplotlib-1.5.2.tar.gz (51.6MB)
    100% |################################| 51.6MB 19kB/s
    Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
    ============================================================================

    Edit setup.cfg to change the build options

    BUILDING MATPLOTLIB
                matplotlib: yes [1.5.2]
                    python: yes [2.7.11 (v2.7.11:6d1b6a68f775, Dec  5 2015,
                            20:40:30) [MSC v.1500 64 bit (AMD64)]]
                  platform: yes [win32]

    REQUIRED DEPENDENCIES AND EXTENSIONS
                     numpy: yes [version 1.11.1]
                  dateutil: yes [dateutil was not found. It is required for date

                            axis support. pip/easy_install may attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                      pytz: yes [pytz was not found. pip will attempt to install

                            it after matplotlib.]
                    cycler: yes [cycler was not found. pip will attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                   tornado: yes [tornado was not found. It is required for the
                            WebAgg backend. pip/easy_install may attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                 pyparsing: yes [pyparsing was not found. It is required for
                            mathtext support. pip/easy_install may attempt to
                            install it after matplotlib.]
                    libagg: yes [pkg-config information for 'libagg' could not
                            be found. Using local copy.]
                  freetype: no  [The C/C++ header for freetype (ft2build.h)
                            could not be found.  You may need to install the
                            development package.]
                       png: no  [The C/C++ header for png (png.h) could not be
                            found.  You may need to install the development
                            package.]
                     qhull: yes [pkg-config information for 'qhull' could not be

                            found. Using local copy.]

    OPTIONAL SUBPACKAGES
               sample_data: yes [installing]
                  toolkits: yes [installing]
                     tests: yes [nose 0.11.1 or later is required to run the
                            matplotlib test suite. Please install it with pip or

                            your preferred tool to run the test suite / mock is
                            required to run the matplotlib test suite. Please
                            install it with pip or your preferred tool to run
                            the test suite]
            toolkits_tests: yes [nose 0.11.1 or later is required to run the
                            matplotlib test suite. Please install it with pip or

                            your preferred tool to run the test suite / mock is
                            required to run the matplotlib test suite. Please
                            install it with pip or your preferred tool to run
                            the test suite]

    OPTIONAL BACKEND EXTENSIONS
                    macosx: no  [Mac OS-X only]
                    qt5agg: no  [PyQt5 not found]
                    qt4agg: no  [PySide not found; PyQt4 not found]
                   gtk3agg: no  [Requires pygobject to be installed.]
                 gtk3cairo: no  [Requires cairocffi or pycairo to be installed.]

                    gtkagg: no  [Requires pygtk]
                     tkagg: yes [installing; run-time loading from Python Tcl /
                            Tk]
                     wxagg: no  [requires wxPython]
                       gtk: no  [Requires pygtk]
                       agg: yes [installing]
                     cairo: no  [cairocffi or pycairo not found]
                 windowing: yes [installing]

    OPTIONAL LATEX DEPENDENCIES
                    dvipng: no
               ghostscript: no
                     latex: no
                   pdftops: no

    OPTIONAL PACKAGE DATA
                      dlls: no  [skipping due to configuration]

    ============================================================================

                            * The following required packages can not be built:
                            * freetype, png

    ----------------------------------------
Command "python setup.py egg_info" failed with error code 1 in c:\users\foo\a
ppdata\local\temp\pip-build-zxfsow\matplotlib\

Answer 1

As you can see it png and freetype modules are missing. You need to install them separately.

Try doing the following :

> pip install freetype-py
> pip install pypng
> pip install matplotlib