Running Cython in Windows x64 - fatal error C1083: Cannot open include file: 'basetsd.h': No such file or directory

Question

I have been trying to install Cython for Python 2.7 on my Window 7 system. In particular, I prefer everything in 64 bits. (In case you wonder, I need Cython because Cython is one of the components I need for another package for some specialized numerical analysis. And x64 is potentially an advantage for storage of large data sets.)

So I downloaded the x64 Python 2.7 from the official website. Got Cython from Christoph Gohlke. The amd64 version for Python 2.7 of course. Before I installed, I added Python 2.7 into the registry with the .reg file found in Joe DF's answer here. Afterwards, I installed the Visual C++ compiler from here (I don't think it works) and here (but this one should). At this point, I have in my C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin directory all of vcvars32.bat, vcvars64.bat, vcvars86_amd64.bat, vcvarsx86_ia64.bat. I ran vcvars64.bat and there was no error message.

Subsequently, I followed this page to create a "hello world" test file.

Then, I got this error.

...\Tests>python setup.py build_ext --inplace running build_ext building 'hello' extension error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat 

So I thought to myself: Well, Cython can't find that file because it does not exist. (I searched my whole harddrive for it.) So I copied vcvars64.bat from ...\VC\bin to \VC and changed the name to vcvarsall.bat. Now vcvarsall error is gone. And ... naturally, a new error emerges.

...\Tests>python setup.py build_ext --inplace running build_ext building 'hello' extension C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\BIN\amd64\cl.exe /c /nolog o /Ox /MD /W3 /GS- /DNDEBUG -IC:\Python27\include -IC:\Python27\PC /Tchello.c /F obuild\temp.win-amd64-2.7\Release\hello.obj hello.c C:\Python27\include\pyconfig.h(227) : fatal error C1083: Cannot open include fil e: 'basetsd.h': No such file or directory error: command '"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\BIN\amd64 \cl.exe"' failed with exit status 2 

Now I have no idea how to proceed. What should I do? Your help is much appreciated.

(For clarity, I did try setting the compiler to Mingw32. But there are other errors. I am focusing on getting VC to work for now.)

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EDIT: I tried using the SDK build environment CMD following the instructions on this page. I received the same error.

Answer 1

In case anyone is currently (2017) facing same error with visual C++ 2015 tools, launch setup again and also select windows 8.1 / 10 SDK depending upon your OS. This will fix basestd.h error.

If it is still not working, try launching build tools from: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools.

Another alternative would be, just install anaconda 2 or 3 (64 bit if also you don't want memory errors). It contains all the important packages prebuilt: sklearn, matplotlib, scipy, numpy, pandas and even web development frameworks such as flask.