Invalid DISPLAY variable #3466

marcoippolito · 2014-09-04T05:59:18Z

In my AWS Ubuntu 14.02 instance I installed the matplotlib dependencies and then via pip I installed matplotlib:

sudo apt-get build-dep python-matplotlib

sudo pip install matplotlib

sudo pip freeze:
matplotlib==1.4.0

in a brand new file plotting1.py I wrote:

!/usr/bin/python

from pylab import *
plot([1,2,3])
show()

after typying chmod +x plotting1.py, I executed the little script:

time python plotting1.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "plotting1.py", line 4, in
plot([1,2,3])
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 3086, in plot
ax = gca()
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 827, in gca
ax = gcf().gca(*_kwargs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 461, in gcf
return figure()
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 434, in figure
*_kwargs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4ag g.py", line 47, in new_figure_manager
return new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, thisFig)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4ag g.py", line 54, in new_figure_manager_given_figure
canvas = FigureCanvasQTAgg(figure)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4ag g.py", line 72, in init
FigureCanvasQT.init(self, figure)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.p y", line 68, in init
_create_qApp()
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.p y", line 139, in _create_qApp
raise RuntimeError('Invalid DISPLAY variable')
RuntimeError: Invalid DISPLAY variable

real 0m0.404s
user 0m0.284s

What do I have to do now?

Looking forward to your kind help.
Kind regards.
Marco

cimarronm · 2014-09-04T06:27:45Z

Do you have the X server running? What is your DISPLAY environment variable set to (echo $DISPLAY)?

marcoippolito · 2014-09-04T06:30:55Z

Hi,
thanks for helping!!!!

echo $DISPLAY

so it say nothing

What do I have to do to make X server running in my AWS Ubuntu 12.04 instance?
I rebooted but still nothing:
echo $DISPLAY

Do you know how to set the DISPLAY environment variable to disp?

marcoippolito · 2014-09-04T09:45:03Z

Solved. I cannot visualize graphs on AWS server.
so I have to save them in files and download them locally.

Thanks for your kind help.
Kind regards.
Marco

LinZichuan · 2016-03-13T07:02:43Z

I had the same problem and I solved it by adding plt.switch_backend('agg') after import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

amberkaka · 2016-04-22T02:29:33Z

@LinZichuan I encoutered this problem too and your solution works. Thanks for your sharing!

jenshnielsen · 2016-04-23T07:04:20Z

For the record it's better to chose a backend before importing pyplot i.e.

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use('agg')
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

aluenkinglee · 2017-01-03T10:34:05Z

@LinZichuan Great! It works

bzhr · 2017-01-05T09:45:06Z

For me on AWS ec2 instance

import matplotlib matplotlib.use('agg')
Does not work. But
plt.switch_backend('agg')
does the trick.

hana9090 · 2017-04-01T20:50:28Z

@jenshnielsen
I have this error, although I add

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use('agg')
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

Demo for data/demo/000456.jpg
Detection took 0.233s for 300 object proposals
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./tools/demo.py", line 153, in
demo(net, im_name)
File "./tools/demo.py", line 102, in demo
vis_detections(im, cls, dets, thresh=CONF_THRESH)
File "./tools/demo.py", line 51, in vis_detections
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 12))
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 1177, in subplots
fig = figure(**fig_kw)
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/pyplot.py", line 527, in figure
**kwargs)
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py", line 46, in new_figure_manager
return new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, thisFig)
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py", line 53, in new_figure_manager_given_figure
canvas = FigureCanvasQTAgg(figure)
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4agg.py", line 76, in init
FigureCanvasQT.init(self, figure)
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt4.py", line 68, in init
_create_qApp()
File "/home/usr/anaconda2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py", line 138, in _create_qApp
raise RuntimeError('Invalid DISPLAY variable')
RuntimeError: Invalid DISPLAY variable

hana9090 · 2017-04-01T20:57:45Z

@bzhr

I have modified as you suggested, by replacing plt with plt.switch_backend('agg')
I have the following error:

Demo for data/demo/000456.jpg
Detection took 0.268s for 300 object proposals
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./tools/demo2.py", line 153, in
demo(net, im_name)
File "./tools/demo2.py", line 102, in demo
vis_detections(im, cls, dets, thresh=CONF_THRESH)
File "./tools/demo2.py", line 51, in vis_detections
fig, ax = plt.switch_backend('agg').subplots(figsize=(12, 12))
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'subplots'

tacaswell · 2017-04-02T00:23:44Z

@hana9090 That is not how the library works. plt.switch_backend() changes some global state which affects how future calls to plt.subplots() works.

teuneboon · 2017-07-24T12:28:48Z

For others having this issue: for me it was solved by putting the

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use('agg')

all the way at the top of the file it was used in. Initially I though "hmm, it should be fine as long as I put it above all other matplotlib stuff", but nope! It had to be all the way on the top for it to work.

tacaswell · 2017-07-24T13:31:17Z

@teuneboon It must be above anything that imports pyplot.

HappyStorm · 2017-10-09T07:24:20Z

@LinZichuan Thanks for sharing!!! It works for me 😆 !

empty16 · 2017-11-16T05:52:56Z

@LinZichuan I encountered this problem too and it works for me, Thanks for sharing! Mark!

sulth · 2017-11-17T06:03:35Z

@tacaswell Iam also having the same problem of visualizing the output using plt.show() ,when used plt.switch_backend().How to solve this issue.

WeatherGod · 2017-11-17T14:48:17Z

switch_backend() probably won't work (although we are working on improvements to make it possible under certain situations). It would be hard to figure out your problem without more information. What OS? Which version of matplotlib? And how did you install matplotlib?

…

On Fri, Nov 17, 2017 at 1:03 AM, sulth ***@***.***> wrote: @tacaswell <https://github.com/tacaswell> Iam also having the same problem of visualizing the output using plt.show() ,when used plt.switch_backend().How to solve this issue. — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3466 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AARy-JXhKsPiygGvkoT87tF5oL3e5X98ks5s3SG4gaJpZM4CeU7q> .

sulth · 2017-11-18T00:12:43Z

Hi Thanks !i got it.it was due to agg (non interactive visualisation env).replaced it with qt4agg (interactive)and it worked

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

XiangyunHuang · 2018-04-16T07:19:06Z

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.switch_backend('agg') # Very Important in R Markdown

That works for me in R Markdown

Naman-ntc · 2018-05-22T04:05:29Z

Is there any other method where matplotlib plots and shows over ssh or manually saving is the only option??

WeatherGod · 2018-05-22T15:13:06Z

If the server you are logging into does not have xserver running in some form or another, then, no you can't get a GUI window since the GUI window would have to come from the server you are logging into. But, usually, xserver is available on most systems, and usually, doing `ssh -X ...` (or sometimes, ssh -Y ...` is sufficient to make this work when logging into a remote server. I should note that I have experienced issues with my CentOS7 machine, and I suspect it has to do with some weird interaction with SELinux and plymouth. But in general, it should work if you include "-X" option for your ssh calls. Note, if you are making multiple ssh hops, each one of those hops will need the -X option invoked.

…

On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 12:05 AM, Naman Jain ***@***.***> wrote: Is there any other method where matplotlib plots and shows over ssh or manually saving is the only option?? — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#3466 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AARy-MPLDuO4AH3Y4IBudfnGR22ZqXsAks5t046MgaJpZM4CeU7q> .

This demo doesn't work on my Linux machine because it doesn't declare a backend for matplotlib. With this change it can now work on my server. This seems to be a common issue as described here: matplotlib/matplotlib#3466

kapil-varshney · 2018-08-06T05:05:10Z

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use('agg')
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

^ Solved the problem for me. Thanks @jenshnielsen .

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

debovis · 2019-05-13T15:55:19Z

Switching to 'agg' does solve the issue. Although I am back stuck at this issue: #12074

Explicitly specifying matplotlib backend, which according to this issue on GitHub: matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 should fix the problem with the DISPLAY env variable being invalid on some systems.

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

marcoippolito mentioned this issue Sep 4, 2014

when executing a small script nothing happens!! #3463

Closed

marcoippolito closed this as completed Sep 4, 2014

cehbrecht mentioned this issue Mar 24, 2016

deactivate matplotlib x11 backend bird-house/birdhousebuilder.recipe.pywps#5

Closed

gruselglatz mentioned this issue Jun 7, 2016

Fixed iostat_plotter_v3.py s3h10r/iostat-plotter#3

Merged

ederollora mentioned this issue May 3, 2017

'QPixmap' object has no attribute 'setDevicePixelRatio' #8562

Closed

conchoecia mentioned this issue May 30, 2017

RuntimeError: Invalid DISPLAY variable conchoecia/pauvre#2

Closed

idiapbbb pushed a commit to bioidiap/bob.bio.base that referenced this issue Sep 8, 2017

Use switch_backend instead, see matplotlib/matplotlib#3466

84a5555

anntzer mentioned this issue Nov 17, 2017

Backend switching #9795

Closed

wkentaro added a commit to wkentaro/labelme that referenced this issue Mar 31, 2018

Use plt.switch_backend

985bff2

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

tacaswell mentioned this issue Apr 29, 2018

Invalid Display Variable #11140

Closed

moonshoes87 mentioned this issue May 10, 2018

Problems with getting make_magic_plots working on EC2 Unbuntu 16.04 server PmagPy/PmagPy#351

Closed

linzhiqiu mentioned this issue Jun 18, 2018

Switch to agg backend for matplotlib.pyplot to work properly lanpa/tensorboardX#171

Merged

esc mentioned this issue Jul 9, 2018

segmentation fault when trying to read webm file dukebw/lintel#14

Closed

arvoelke mentioned this issue Sep 30, 2018

Calibration scripts fail when run remotely Stanford-BIS/pystorm#119

Open

wkentaro added a commit to wkentaro/labelme that referenced this issue Dec 26, 2018

Use plt.switch_backend

803aec5

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

codebaragi23 pushed a commit to codebaragi23/mindAT that referenced this issue Dec 23, 2020

Use plt.switch_backend

a04a227

matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

0ssamaak0 pushed a commit to 0ssamaak0/DLTA-AI that referenced this issue Apr 15, 2023

Use plt.switch_backend

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matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

0ssamaak0 pushed a commit to 0ssamaak0/DLTA-AI that referenced this issue May 21, 2023

Use plt.switch_backend

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matplotlib/matplotlib#3466 (comment)

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Invalid DISPLAY variable #3466

Invalid DISPLAY variable #3466

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

cimarronm commented Sep 4, 2014

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

LinZichuan commented Mar 13, 2016

amberkaka commented Apr 22, 2016

jenshnielsen commented Apr 23, 2016

aluenkinglee commented Jan 3, 2017

bzhr commented Jan 5, 2017

hana9090 commented Apr 1, 2017

hana9090 commented Apr 1, 2017 •

edited

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tacaswell commented Apr 2, 2017

teuneboon commented Jul 24, 2017

tacaswell commented Jul 24, 2017

HappyStorm commented Oct 9, 2017

empty16 commented Nov 16, 2017

sulth commented Nov 17, 2017

WeatherGod commented Nov 17, 2017 via email

sulth commented Nov 18, 2017

XiangyunHuang commented Apr 16, 2018

Naman-ntc commented May 22, 2018

WeatherGod commented May 22, 2018 via email

kapil-varshney commented Aug 6, 2018

debovis commented May 13, 2019

Invalid DISPLAY variable #3466

Invalid DISPLAY variable #3466

Comments

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

!/usr/bin/python

cimarronm commented Sep 4, 2014

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

marcoippolito commented Sep 4, 2014

LinZichuan commented Mar 13, 2016

amberkaka commented Apr 22, 2016

jenshnielsen commented Apr 23, 2016

aluenkinglee commented Jan 3, 2017

bzhr commented Jan 5, 2017

hana9090 commented Apr 1, 2017

hana9090 commented Apr 1, 2017 • edited Loading

tacaswell commented Apr 2, 2017

teuneboon commented Jul 24, 2017

tacaswell commented Jul 24, 2017

HappyStorm commented Oct 9, 2017

empty16 commented Nov 16, 2017

sulth commented Nov 17, 2017

WeatherGod commented Nov 17, 2017 via email

sulth commented Nov 18, 2017

XiangyunHuang commented Apr 16, 2018

Naman-ntc commented May 22, 2018

WeatherGod commented May 22, 2018 via email

kapil-varshney commented Aug 6, 2018

debovis commented May 13, 2019

hana9090 commented Apr 1, 2017 •

edited

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