I had this problem using Python 3.4.1 on Windows 7 x64, and unfortunately the packages I needed didn't have suitable exe or wheels that I could use. This system requires a few 'workarounds', which are detailed below (and TLDR at bottom).
Using the info in Jaxrtech's answer above, I determined I needed Visual Studio C++ 2010 (sys.version return MSC v.1600), so I installed Visual C++ 2010 Express from the link in his answer, which is http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9709949. I installed everything with updates, but as you can read below, this was a mistake. Only the original version of Express should be installed at this time (no updated anything).
vcvarsall.bat was now present, but there was a new error when installing the package, query_vcvarsall raise ValueError(str(list(result.keys())))ValueError: [u'path']
. There are other stackoverflow questions with this error, such as Errors while building/installing C module for Python 2.7
I determined from that answer that 2010 Express only installs 32-bit compilers. To get 64-bit (and other) compilers, you need to install Windows 7.1 SDK. See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb980924.aspx
This would not install for me though, and the installer returned the error installation failed with return code 5100
. I found the solution at the following link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2717426. In short, if newer versions of x86 and x64 Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable's are installed, they conflict with the ones in SDK installer, and need uninstalling first.
The SDK then installed, but I noticed vcvars64.bat still did not exist in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin
, nor its subfolders. vcvarsall.bat runs the vcvars64 batch file, so without it, the python package still wouldn't install (I forgot the error that was shown at this time).
I then found some instructions here: http://www.cryptohaze.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_7_Build_Setup#Download_VS_2010_and_Windows_SDK_7.1
Following the instructions, I had already installed Express and 7.1 SDK, so installed SDK 7.1 SP1, and did the missing header file fix. I then manually created vcvars64.bat with the content CALL setenv /x64
. I will paste all those instructions here, so they don't get lost.
Step 1 is to download Visual Studio Express 2010.
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/express
is a good place to start. Download the installer, and run it
(vc_web.exe). You don't need the SQL 2008 additional download.
You'll also need the Windows SDK (currently 7.1) for the 64-bit
compilers - unless you want to do 32-bit only builds, which are not
fully supported...
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8279 is a good
starting point to download this - you'll want to run winsdk_web.exe
when downloaded!
The default install here is just fine.
Finally, download and install the Windows SDK 7.1 SP1 update:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=4422
And, to fix missing header file, VS2010 SP1.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/confirmation.aspx?FamilyID=75568aa6-8107-475d-948a-ef22627e57a5
And, bloody hell, fix the missing batch file for VS2010 Express. This
is getting downright absurd.
In C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\amd64,
create "vcvars64.bat" with the following (you will need to be running
as administrator):
CALL setenv /x64
My python package still did not install (can't recall error). I then found some instructions (copied below) to use the special SDK 7.1 Command Prompt, see: https://mail.python.org/pipermail/distutils-sig/2012-February/018300.html
Never mind this question. Somebody here noticed this item on the menu: Start->All Programs->Microsoft Windows SDK v7.1 ->Windows SDK 7.1 Command Prompt
This runs a batch job that appears to set up a working environment for the compiler. From that prompt, you can type "setup.py build" or "setup.py install".
I opened the Windows SDK 7.1 Command Prompt as instructed, and used it to run easy_install on the python package. And at last, success!
TLDR;
- Install Visual Studio Express 2010 (preferably without updated redistributables or SQL server).
- Install Windows 7.1 SDK
- Instal SDK 7.1 SP1 update, and VS2010 SP1 header file fix (this step may not be required).
- Manually create
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\bin\amd64\vcvars64.bat
with content CALL setenv /x64
- Start->All Programs->Microsoft Windows SDK v7.1 ->Windows SDK 7.1 Command Prompt to open special x64 command prompt, which can then be used with python/easy_install/pip/etc (including those in virtual_envs).