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I just got a new machine (osx-lion), and I'm in the process of trying to reinstall all of my tools. I'm trying to install NumPy and SciPy. I know that the version Apple ships isn't exactly what makes NumPy and SciPy happy, so I went to Python.org and installed the recommended version (2.7.3), which went smoothly. Now when I which python, it points to the new 2.7 version which was different than the one the machine came with. My PATH variable also contains the path to the 2.7 (python.org) version.

Then I downloaded NumPy and got the message:

numpy 1.6.1 cannot be installed on this disk. numpy requires python.org Python 2.6 to install.

So then I tried SciPy, and got the same message:

scipy 0.10.1 can't be installed on this disk. scipy requires python.org Python 2.6 to install.

After some googling, I see that the 2.6 required is just 2.6 or or greater, and I did install the Python.org version (2.7), but I must be missing something.

Edit - Just tried rebooting the machine in case there were some changes that needed a restart to take effect, but that didn't help.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

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Then I downloaded NumPy - Do you mean a pre-built binary installer? If so, which one? From where? (There are a lot of different binary installers, especially for OSX.) Generally speaking, somewhere on the page you downloaded the installer from, it will specify which version of python is was built to run under. –  Joe Kington May 12 '12 at 20:57
Are you sure you are using the Python 2.7 you installed? Without modifying the PATH you may accidentally be using the default Python that comes with OS X. I'm not sure, but I think the version varies according to the version of OS X you are using. –  dtlussier May 15 '12 at 19:17
However - to make life easy definitely go for the Enthough distribution as suggested by @thundersteele. It comes with numpy and a lot of other goodies, and that way any other packages you install to work with the Enthought Python won't be entangled with your system's Python. –  dtlussier May 15 '12 at 19:17

5 Answers 5

up vote 8 down vote accepted

A simple and easy way to install numpy and scipy without going through version conflicts is to use the Enthought python distribution. They have a free version that includes python and the two packages you want, and the iPython console that I like a lot. They also offer a more extensive distribution that is free only for academic use, otherwise you have to pay for it.

python.org recommends installing an updated version of python 2.x instead of the version that comes with OSX. Following this advice, I was able to get scipy and numpy to work without enthought. Here are the versions that I am using (some version numbers missing, my notes are not complete):

  • Python 2.7.2 from python.org (64 bit)
  • numpy/scipy (OSX 10.6 build)
  • ipython 0.12
  • readline
  • matplotlib

At the end of the day, enthought.com is the easiest way to install everything.

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Thanks..that's what I did with my old machine..I guess that's what I'll do this time around as well. –  prelic May 12 '12 at 21:02

Install latest version of Xcode/devtools and fortran ( http://www.scipy.org/Installing_SciPy/Mac_OS_X ).

confirm python version

python --version

install pip

sudo easy_install pip

install numpy

sudo pip install numpy

if it complains you have an older version of bumpy installed, upgrade it

pip install numpy --upgrade

check how many tests it fails ;)

sudo pip instal nose
import bumpy as np
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Yes! Your solution worked for me. My program nows compiles and I didn't have to change from Python 2.7 to 2.6, it's amazing! Thank you man, you made my day. –  jule64 Dec 29 '12 at 5:08

If you have the OSX developer tools installed, you should be able to install from source without much trouble.

  • make sure you have setuptools/distribute installed in your Python.org installation: run distribute_setup.py from the new python
  • make sure you have the gfortran compiler for scipy. This is just brew install gfortran if you use Homebrew.
  • use the right easy_install to just do easy_install numpy; easy_install scipy. (Or, easy_install pip and then pip install numpy; pip install scipy.)
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im not exactly sure how osx works, but if it prompts you for a directory select the one in which you installed python 2.7

you could also download numpy for 2.6 here: (via sourceforge) http://sourceforge.net/projects/numpy/files/NumPy/1.6.1/numpy-1.6.1-py2.6-python.org-macosx10.3.dmg/download

note: i was searching for a scipy for 2.6 when i came across this on their website: "Note that the Mac OS X binaries work with the Python from python.org, not with the Python provided by Apple. "

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Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately, I am not presented with an option to browse for a directory. I also found that same note about the binaries, which is why I downloaded the python.org version. –  prelic May 12 '12 at 19:13

I suggest using the superpack by https://twitter.com/fonnesbeck you can find the install script here http://fonnesbeck.github.io/ScipySuperpack/

Enthought's canopy is a lot of money for software they did not build themselves.

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