py27-matplotlib @1.5.1_1: fails to import when locale is set to just `UTF-8`

[petrrr]

On an OS X 10.7.5 machine we get a somewhat strange error on import matplotlib.

Here the traceback:

>>> import matplotlib
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.py", line 1131, in <module>
    rcParams = rc_params()
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.py", line 975, in rc_params
    return rc_params_from_file(fname, fail_on_error)
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.py", line 1100, in rc_params_from_file
    config_from_file = _rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error)
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.py", line 1018, in _rc_params_in_file
    with _open_file_or_url(fname) as fd:
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/contextlib.py", line 17, in __enter__
    return self.gen.next()
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/__init__.py", line 1000, in _open_file_or_url
    encoding = locale.getdefaultlocale()[1]
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/locale.py", line 543, in getdefaultlocale
    return _parse_localename(localename)
  File "/opt/local/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/locale.py", line 475, in _parse_localename
    raise ValueError, 'unknown locale: %s' % localename
ValueError: unknown locale: UTF-8
>>>

The strange thing here is that the locale looks reasonable, the same version just importa fine on other OS X versions. Also after downgrade to an earlier version (py27-matplotlib @1.4.3_0+cairo+tkinter), the import just works fine and the problem is gone.

The locale looks reasonable:

>>> import locale
>>> locale.getpreferredencoding()
'UTF-8'
)))

Any idea what's going on here?
Is this an upstream issue?

[petrrr]

Looks like this was already address ​upstream and should be solved in 1.5.2.

[mojca (Mojca Miklavec)]

We could simply ​apply the upstream patch until the new version gets released.

I didn't try to recompile the patched package yet, but the problem can be reproduced with

$ export LC_ALL=UTF-8
$ /opt/local/bin/python2.7
>>> import matplotlib

and hopefully fixed after the patch.

[mojca (Mojca Miklavec)]

An upstream patch to work around UTF-8 locale in matplotlib

[seanfarley (Sean Farley)]

Should we apply the patch then?

[petrrr]

I am in favor of applying the patch, as it would fix the problem for users immediately.

[mojca (Mojca Miklavec)]

Sean, can you please commit this? I happily do it myself (I just run "svn ci"), but I would prefer your blessing.

[petrrr]

r147515 applies this patch. I just added a revision bump.

[petrrr]

@mojca @sean: I already applied this because it caused issues for quite some people. Hope that is okay.

[mojca (Mojca Miklavec)]

Thank you. I didn't try to update in the last hour. I noticed you made a change in the ticket, but didn't check the sources.

[seanfarley (Sean Farley)]

Yeah, if I'm not responding (as in this case), it usually means I'm traveling. So, please feel free to apply any patches :-)