IDLE python shell freezes after running show() of matplotlib

[Donny]

I have this problem as well. I'm on Windows XP (32-bit x86 processor)
using Python 2.6.4 and matplotlib 0.99.1 (installed with
matplotlib-0.99.1.win32-py2.6.exe). The IDLE version is 2.6.4. The
difficulty occurs for me during the first example of the (official?)
Pyplot tutorial at <http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/
pyplot_tutorial.html>, so it is possible that many new users of pyplot
experience this same difficulty:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.plot([1,2,3])
plt.ylabel('some numbers')
plt.show()

I see the plot, and I can close the plot window by clicking on the X
at the upper-right corner of the plot window. However, as Forrest
mentioned, IDLE does not then spit out the next command prompt, nor
does IDLE respond to a Ctrl-C.

I have found that by turning on pyplot's 'interactive mode', the above
problem does not occur:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
plt.ion()
plt.plot([1,2,3]) # plot opens after this command is issued, and new
command prompt appears
plt.ylabel('some numbers') # if plot is not closed before issuing this
command, then the open plot window is updated
plt.close() # same effect as manually click-closing the plot window

On Oct 24, 5:03 pm, Forrest Sheng Bao <forrest.... at gmail.com> wrote:
> I am having a weird problem on IDLE. After I plot something using show
> () of matplotlib, the python shell prompt in IDLE just freezes that I
> cannot enter anything and there is no new ">>>" prompt show up. I
> tried ctrl - C and it didn't work. I have to restart IDLE to use it
> again.
>
> My system is Ubuntu Linux 9.04. I used apt-get to install IDLE.