On 30 Jun 2018, dieter wrote (in article<mailman.216.1530334151.7721.python-l...@python.org>):
> Elliott Roper <nos...@yrl.co.uk> writes: > > ... > > install scipy wrote an error message longer than War and Peace that finished > > with:- > > ____________________________________________________________________________ > > error: library dfftpack has Fortran sources but no Fortran compiler found > > An error message of the type I like: precise: > Install a "Fortran compiler" and try again. > > > ... > > and matplotlib produced a beautifully formatted report that started with: > > __________________ > > Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info: > > IMPORTANT WARNING: > > This is a warning only (even though it is marked as important). > > > pkg-config is not installed. > > matplotlib may not be able to find some of its dependencies > > And the warning message is precise again: install "pkg-config" > to get rid of it. > > I do not know "pkg-config". The name seems to indicate an > operating system package; but, it might also be a Python extension > package (less likely). > I would start with the "matplotlib" > installation instructions to look for information about it. Thanks Jim and dieter. I should have mentioned that none of this went wrong in 3.6. All I'm after are packages I can install with pip3. I really don't need to go down all the twisty passages installing Fortran I DID have pkg-config installed in ~/Library ..... site-packages. I uninstalled it and re-installed with an Admin account, where it appeared in /Library ... site-packages but that made no difference, pip3 install -- user matplotlib still complaining about pkg-config not being installed and not being able to find png I was wrong about Both look like not having write access to /private/var/folders/v2/gj68t3zx3bd6764zxc332ctc0000gr/T/pip-install- np76k73m/ I do have write access. It looks like a Mac specific per user directory tree for temporary stuff and installation records. I really am out of my depth here. I have found a post with a very similar problem on Stack Exchange https://stackoverflow.com/questions/51082934/matplotlib-2-2-2-installation- error-on-high-sierra sadly without an answer -- To de-mung my e-mail address:- fsnospam$elliott$$ PGP Fingerprint: 1A96 3CF7 637F 896B C810 E199 7E5C A9E4 8E59 E248 -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list