Windows + virtualenv + pip + NumPy (problems when installing NumPy)

On Windows, I normally just use the binary installer, but I would like to install NumPy only in a virtualenv this time, so I created a virtual env:

virtualenv --no-site-packages --distribute summary_python
cd summary_python/Scripts
activate.bat

Then I tried to install NumPy

pip install numpy

And I get an error. My pip.log is pasted below:

Downloading/unpacking numpy
  Running setup.py egg_info for package numpy
    non-existing path in 'numpy\\distutils': 'site.cfg'
    F2PY Version 2
    blas_opt_info:
    blas_mkl_info:
      libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

    atlas_blas_threads_info:
    Setting PTATLAS=ATLAS
      libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

    atlas_blas_info:
      libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

    blas_info:
      libraries blas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries blas not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

    blas_src_info:
      NOT AVAILABLE

      NOT AVAILABLE

    lapack_opt_info:
    lapack_mkl_info:
    mkl_info:
      libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

      NOT AVAILABLE

    atlas_threads_info:
    Setting PTATLAS=ATLAS
      libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries lapack_atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in C:\
      libraries lapack_atlas not found in C:\
    numpy.distutils.system_info.atlas_threads_info
      NOT AVAILABLE

    atlas_info:
      libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries lapack_atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in C:\
      libraries lapack_atlas not found in C:\
    numpy.distutils.system_info.atlas_info
      NOT AVAILABLE

    lapack_info:
      libraries lapack not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib
      libraries lapack not found in C:\
      NOT AVAILABLE

    lapack_src_info:
      NOT AVAILABLE

      NOT AVAILABLE

    running egg_info
    running build_src
    build_src
    building py_modules sources
    building library "npymath" sources
    No module named msvccompiler in numpy.distutils; trying from distutils
    Running from numpy source directory.c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:531: UserWarning: Specified path  is invalid.
      warnings.warn('Specified path %s is invalid.' % d)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1417: UserWarning:
        Atlas (http://math-atlas.sourceforge.net/) libraries not found.
        Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [atlas]) or by setting
        the ATLAS environment variable.
      warnings.warn(AtlasNotFoundError.__doc__)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1426: UserWarning:
        Blas (http://www.netlib.org/blas/) libraries not found.
        Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [blas]) or by setting
        the BLAS environment variable.
      warnings.warn(BlasNotFoundError.__doc__)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1429: UserWarning:
        Blas (http://www.netlib.org/blas/) sources not found.
        Directories to search for the sources can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [blas_src]) or by setting
        the BLAS_SRC environment variable.
      warnings.warn(BlasSrcNotFoundError.__doc__)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1333: UserWarning:
        Atlas (http://math-atlas.sourceforge.net/) libraries not found.
        Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [atlas]) or by setting
        the ATLAS environment variable.
      warnings.warn(AtlasNotFoundError.__doc__)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1344: UserWarning:
        Lapack (http://www.netlib.org/lapack/) libraries not found.
        Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [lapack]) or by setting
        the LAPACK environment variable.
      warnings.warn(LapackNotFoundError.__doc__)
    c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1347: UserWarning:
        Lapack (http://www.netlib.org/lapack/) sources not found.
        Directories to search for the sources can be specified in the
        numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [lapack_src]) or by setting
        the LAPACK_SRC environment variable.
      warnings.warn(LapackSrcNotFoundError.__doc__)
    error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat
    Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
    non-existing path in 'numpy\\distutils': 'site.cfg'

F2PY Version 2

blas_opt_info:

blas_mkl_info:

  libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



atlas_blas_threads_info:

Setting PTATLAS=ATLAS

  libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



atlas_blas_info:

  libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



blas_info:

  libraries blas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries blas not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



blas_src_info:

  NOT AVAILABLE



  NOT AVAILABLE



lapack_opt_info:

lapack_mkl_info:

mkl_info:

  libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries mkl,vml,guide not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



  NOT AVAILABLE



atlas_threads_info:

Setting PTATLAS=ATLAS

  libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries lapack_atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries ptf77blas,ptcblas,atlas not found in C:\

  libraries lapack_atlas not found in C:\

numpy.distutils.system_info.atlas_threads_info

  NOT AVAILABLE



atlas_info:

  libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries lapack_atlas not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries f77blas,cblas,atlas not found in C:\

  libraries lapack_atlas not found in C:\

numpy.distutils.system_info.atlas_info

  NOT AVAILABLE



lapack_info:

  libraries lapack not found in c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib

  libraries lapack not found in C:\

  NOT AVAILABLE



lapack_src_info:

  NOT AVAILABLE



  NOT AVAILABLE



running egg_info

running build_src

build_src

building py_modules sources

building library "npymath" sources

No module named msvccompiler in numpy.distutils; trying from distutils

Running from numpy source directory.c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:531: UserWarning: Specified path  is invalid.

  warnings.warn('Specified path %s is invalid.' % d)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1417: UserWarning:

    Atlas (http://math-atlas.sourceforge.net/) libraries not found.

    Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [atlas]) or by setting

    the ATLAS environment variable.

  warnings.warn(AtlasNotFoundError.__doc__)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1426: UserWarning:

    Blas (http://www.netlib.org/blas/) libraries not found.

    Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [blas]) or by setting

    the BLAS environment variable.

  warnings.warn(BlasNotFoundError.__doc__)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1429: UserWarning:

    Blas (http://www.netlib.org/blas/) sources not found.

    Directories to search for the sources can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [blas_src]) or by setting

    the BLAS_SRC environment variable.

  warnings.warn(BlasSrcNotFoundError.__doc__)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1333: UserWarning:

    Atlas (http://math-atlas.sourceforge.net/) libraries not found.

    Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [atlas]) or by setting

    the ATLAS environment variable.

  warnings.warn(AtlasNotFoundError.__doc__)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1344: UserWarning:

    Lapack (http://www.netlib.org/lapack/) libraries not found.

    Directories to search for the libraries can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [lapack]) or by setting

    the LAPACK environment variable.

  warnings.warn(LapackNotFoundError.__doc__)

c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\build\numpy\numpy\distutils\system_info.py:1347: UserWarning:

    Lapack (http://www.netlib.org/lapack/) sources not found.

    Directories to search for the sources can be specified in the

    numpy/distutils/site.cfg file (section [lapack_src]) or by setting

    the LAPACK_SRC environment variable.

  warnings.warn(LapackSrcNotFoundError.__doc__)

error: Unable to find vcvarsall.bat

----------------------------------------
Command python setup.py egg_info failed with error code 1
Exception information:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib\site-packages\pip-1.0.1-py2.7.egg\pip\basecommand.py", line 126, in main
    self.run(options, args)
  File "c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib\site-packages\pip-1.0.1-py2.7.egg\pip\commands\install.py", line 223, in run
    requirement_set.prepare_files(finder, force_root_egg_info=self.bundle,开发者_运维知识库 bundle=self.bundle)
  File "c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib\site-packages\pip-1.0.1-py2.7.egg\pip\req.py", line 986, in prepare_files
    req_to_install.run_egg_info()
  File "c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib\site-packages\pip-1.0.1-py2.7.egg\pip\req.py", line 222, in run_egg_info
    command_desc='python setup.py egg_info')
  File "c:\Users\fname.lname\Documents\summary_python\lib\site-packages\pip-1.0.1-py2.7.egg\pip\__init__.py", line 255, in call_subprocess
    % (command_desc, proc.returncode))
InstallationError: Command python setup.py egg_info failed with error code 1

I've had success installing NumPy binaries into a virtualenv with good 'ol easy_install and a little bit of un-archiving magic.

The numpy-1.x.x-win32-superpack-python2.x.exe release you download from SourceForge is really just a thin wrapper around three separate binary distributions (with SSE3, SSE2, or no SSE enabled, depending on the capabilities of your CPU). If you open up the superpack EXE file in 7-Zip (or another archive utility), you can extract those individual setup files somewhere to use separately.

Then, activate your virtual environment, and run

easy_install c:\path\to\extracted\numpy-1.x.x-sse3.exe

to install the SSE3-optimized binaries, for example. easy_install is smart enough to find everything it needs inside that wininst bundle and will extract the compiled egg into your virtualenv's site-packages folder. I can also confirm that pip is still able to recognize and/or uninstall NumPy when you do this, and that using pip to install other packages which depend on NumPy works just fine.

The only catch is knowing which optimization level to use (SSE3, SSE2, or no-SSE). If you have a reasonably modern processor (newer than, say, a Pentium 4 or Athlon 64), it's probably safe to go with the full SSE3. You can probably also run the test suite to confirm everything works as expected.

I've found the easy_install "trick" to be really useful for installing all sorts of binary packages into a virtualenv. Even though I have all the requisite compilers set up on my machine, it's usually easier/faster/safer to stick with the official release when one is provided.

Since pip can only install from source, you need to have the setup to build and compile NumPy to be able to use pip. I never tried this.

What I did recently to get NumPy, SciPy and Matplotlib into a virtual environment on Windows 7 is to copy the directories and egg files from my regular Python install directly into the virtual environment. For Matplotlib I also managed to unzip the binary installer directly into the virtualenv (I only tried this for the Gohlke installer for Python 3.2).

I did manage in the past to easy_install NumPy into a virtualenv from a binary distribution, but I didn't manage this time (NumPy 1.5.1).

Someone recommended http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyg which should allow to install from binary packages to a virtualenv, but I haven't tried it yet.

I didn't have to do the trick of unpacking the .exe file. I just activated my virtual environment, and then:

easy_install numpy