Why does pip install matplotlib version 0.91.1 when PyPi shows version 1.0.0?

Question

PyPi shows matplotlib 1.0.0. However, when I install matplotlib via pip into a virtualenv, version 0.91.1 is installed.

• Why the difference in versions?
• Is there a way to pip install matplotlib 1.0.0?

Research

It appears that matplotlib's DOAP record on PyPi is pointing to the correct version. Below is the DOAP record for reference:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rdf:RDF xmlns="http://usefulinc.com/ns/doap#" xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"&gt;&lt;Project&gt;&lt;name&gt;matplotlib&lt;/name&gt;
<shortdesc>Python plotting package</shortdesc>
<description>matplotlib strives to produce publication quality 2D graphics
      for interactive graphing, scientific publishing, user interface
      development and web application servers targeting multiple user
      interfaces and hardcopy output formats.  There is a 'pylab' mode
      which emulates matlab graphics</description>
<download-page>https://sourceforge.net/projects/matplotlib/files/matplotlib/matplotlib-1.0&lt;/download-page&gt;
<homepage rdf:resource="http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net" />
<maintainer><foaf:Person><foaf:name>John D. Hunter</foaf:name>
<foaf:mbox_sha1sum>4b099b4a7f50a1f39642ce59c2053c00d4de6416</foaf:mbox_sha1sum></foaf:Person></maintainer>
<release><Version><revision>1.0.0</revision></Version></release>
</Project></rdf:RDF>

Update 24-Aug-10 7:09 AM

Installing from the PyPi mirror also installs version 0.91.1:

$ pip install -i http://d.pypi.python.org/simple matplotlib

Answer 1

I've experienced the same problem. I have no idea why it happens, but I do have a fix; use the -f option in pip to tell it where to find the matplotlib sources. (This works in requirements.txt as well).

pip install -f http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/matplotlib/matplotlib/matplotlib-1.0/matplotlib-1.0.0.tar.gz matplotlib

Answer 2

This happens because the download link for matplotlib 1.0 on PyPI points to a URL that doesn't appear to pip to be a file in a known format (the URL ends with /download rather than a filename). See this bug filed on pip.

oyvindio's workaround is the best option I'm aware of for now, until either pip gets more flexible about URLs or matplotlib fixes their PyPI link.