title: import matplotlib._png as _png Import: Error: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found
body: <p>I use the Anaconda Python distribution: Python 2.7 x64 with Windows 7 SP1 x64 Ultimate.</p>
  
  <p>When I do <code>import matplotlib.pyplot</code> I get <code>ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.</code>. What could be the issue?</p>
  
  <p>Full error stack:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "C:\svn\hw4\code\test_con.py", line 1, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib.pyplot 
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\pyplot.py", line 27, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib.colorbar
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\colorbar.py", line 34, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib.collections as collections
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\collections.py", line 27, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib.backend_bases as backend_bases
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backend_bases.py", line 56, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib.textpath as textpath
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\textpath.py", line 22, in &lt;module&gt;
      from matplotlib.mathtext import MathTextParser
    File "C:\Anaconda\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\mathtext.py", line 63, in &lt;module&gt;
      import matplotlib._png as _png
  ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><code>conda update -f numpy</code>, <code>conda update -f libpng</code>, and <code>conda update -f matplotlib</code> did not help.</p>
  
  <p>Output of <code>conda list matplotlib</code>:</p>
  
  <pre><code>C:\Anaconda&gt;conda list matplotlib
  # packages in environment at C:\Anaconda:
  #
  matplotlib                1.4.3               np110py27_2
  matplotlib-venn           0.11                      &lt;pip&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The issue appeared after running <code>conda update --all</code>.</p>