LateX text rendering is not working with Matplotlib

Question

I am trying this simple code to display a mathematical expression that has variables and their values but I got a big error. it seems that Latex does not work with Matplotlib.

See the picture

The code:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import rc   
rc('text', usetex=True)

formula = r'm=\frac{{w}}{{g}} = \frac{{{0}}}{{{1}}}'.format(100,20)

plt.plot( [0,1,2,3], [0,1,2,3], '.')
plt.text(1,1,r'\[{}\]'.format(formula),fontsize=20)
plt.show()

Here is the Error:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\python.exe" 

"C:/Users/Techno/PycharmProjects/try/MathExpression .py"

Exception in Tkinter callback

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\tkinter\__init__.py", line 1702, in __call__
    return self.func(*args)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\_backend_tk.py", line 227, in resize
    self.draw()

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_tkagg.py", line 12, in draw
    super(FigureCanvasTkAgg, self).draw()

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_agg.py", line 433, in draw
    self.figure.draw(self.renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\figure.py", line 1475, in draw
    renderer, self, artists, self.suppressComposite)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\image.py", line 141, in _draw_list_compositing_images
    a.draw(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axes\_base.py", line 2607, in draw
    mimage._draw_list_compositing_images(renderer, self, artists)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\image.py", line 141, in _draw_list_compositing_images
    a.draw(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axis.py", line 1192, in draw
    renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axis.py", line 1130, in _get_tick_bboxes
    extent = tick.label1.get_window_extent(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\text.py", line 922, in get_window_extent
    bbox, info, descent = self._get_layout(self._renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\text.py", line 309, in _get_layout
    ismath=ismath)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_agg.py", line 232, in get_text_width_height_descent
    s, fontsize, renderer=self)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 501, in get_text_width_height_descent
    dvifile = self.make_dvi(tex, fontsize)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 365, in make_dvi
    texfile], tex)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 335, in _run_checked_subprocess
    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 336, in check_output
    **kwargs).stdout

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 403, in run
    with Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs) as process:
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 709, in __init__
    restore_signals, start_new_session)
  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 997, in _execute_child
    startupinfo)

FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified
Exception in Tkinter callback
Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\tkinter\__init__.py", line 1702, in __call__
    return self.func(*args)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\tkinter\__init__.py", line 746, in callit
    func(*args)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\_backend_tk.py", line 310, in idle_draw
    self.draw()

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_tkagg.py", line 12, in draw
    super(FigureCanvasTkAgg, self).draw()

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_agg.py", line 433, in draw
    self.figure.draw(self.renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\figure.py", line 1475, in draw
    renderer, self, artists, self.suppressComposite)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\image.py", line 141, in _draw_list_compositing_images
    a.draw(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axes\_base.py", line 2607, in draw
    mimage._draw_list_compositing_images(renderer, self, artists)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\image.py", line 141, in _draw_list_compositing_images
    a.draw(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\artist.py", line 55, in draw_wrapper
    return draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axis.py", line 1192, in draw
    renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\axis.py", line 1130, in _get_tick_bboxes
    extent = tick.label1.get_window_extent(renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\text.py", line 922, in get_window_extent
    bbox, info, descent = self._get_layout(self._renderer)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\text.py", line 309, in _get_layout
    ismath=ismath)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_agg.py", line 232, in get_text_width_height_descent
    s, fontsize, renderer=self)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 501, in get_text_width_height_descent
    dvifile = self.make_dvi(tex, fontsize)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 365, in make_dvi
    texfile], tex)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\texmanager.py", line 335, in _run_checked_subprocess
    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 336, in check_output
    **kwargs).stdout

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 403, in run
    with Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs) as process:

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 709, in __init__
    restore_signals, start_new_session)

  File "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python36-32\lib\subprocess.py", line 997, in _execute_child
    startupinfo)

FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

Process finished with exit code 0

Answer 1

I just tried running your code, and got this as a result:

Assuming this is the output you wanted, this means your code is written correctly, and your problem is likely with how Python is installed or configured in your system.

As your error message points out to something going wrong with Tkinter, there is a chance your graphics backend might the culprit, so that might be a good place to start investigating.

Over here, I run Python 3.6.5 64-bit from the Anaconda Distribution installation, and use Spyder as my IDE. In Spyder, I can change my graphics backend between Tkinter (amongst others) by going to Tools - Preferences - IPython Console - Graphics - Graphics backend . I tried running your code with my backend set to Tkinter and automatic , and it worked fine in both cases. I can see from your screenshot you're not using Spyder, but I hope this might help you find your own way through your system.