Cario install problem -- undefined symbol: cairo_svg_surface_set_document_unit

[Moribund7]

Hi,
I have problem with installing pycairo. I try follow instruction https://pycairo.readthedocs.io/en/latest/getting_started.html
but while trying import cairo i get this message:

Python 3.7.2 (default, Dec 29 2018, 06:19:36)
[GCC 7.3.0] :: Anaconda, Inc. on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

import cairo
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
File "/home/filip/anaconda3/lib/python3.7/site-packages/cairo/init.py", line 1, in
from ._cairo import * # noqa: F401,F403
ImportError: /home/filip/anaconda3/lib/python3.7/site-packages/cairo/_cairo.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: cairo_svg_surface_set_document_unit

Installation end without any error.

Thanks for any help,
Filip

[lazka]

You somehow have an older cairo version now compared to when you build pycairo.

[Moribund7]

I try uninstall pycairo and cairo and install it again, but still get the same error.

[lazka]

you have to pass --no-cache-dir to pip install otherwise it will just install it again as is.

[lazka]

I don't know any way to tell pip to not cache build results and re-use them in a different environment. So not much we can do here -> closing.

[shivam1423]

Hi I'm also facing the similar issue.

import cairo
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
File "/home/shivam/anaconda3/lib/python3.7/site-packages/cairo/init.py", line 1, in
from ._cairo import * # noqa: F401,F403
ImportError: /home/shivam/anaconda3/lib/python3.7/site-packages/cairo/_cairo.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: cairo_svg_surface_set_document_unit

I working on ubantu with pycairo-1.19.1
Is there any other solution?

[jeisner]

I am getting the same error. This is a new Linux laptop with fresh installs of everything including anaconda.
Not clear to me what I have to do to get Cairo installed.
I'm not super-familiar with the Python ecosystem, but am trying to install a script that uses other things that use Cairo ... and seem to have run into a dead end here.

[jeisner]

Here is a workaround posted elsewhere:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/doq8ye/installing_pycairo_issue/

[Jwolter0]

Here is a workaround posted elsewhere:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/doq8ye/installing_pycairo_issue/

Same problem, and that worked for me.

TL;DR: try

pip3 install pycairo==1.11.1

[TianyiShi2001]

TL;DR: try

pip3 install pycairo==1.11.1

This works but doesn't really solve the problem. A newer version should be expected to be back-compatible.

[naveen521kk]

Try

pip install pycairo --no-cache --force --no-binary :all:

[tamhanepd]

Try

pip install pycairo --no-cache --force --no-binary :all:

It worked for me. PyGObject wasn't getting installed despite having Cairo. Using this command and replacing pycairo with pygobject worked.

[americapat]

unresolved for me:
$ pip3 install PyGObject --no-cache --force --no-binary :all:
Collecting PyGObject
Downloading PyGObject-3.42.0.tar.gz (716 kB)
...
Successfully built pycairo
Failed to build PyGObject
ImportError: /tmp/pip-build-env-0m6jvsct/overlay/lib/python3.7/site-packages/cairo/_cairo.cpython-37m-x86_64-linux-gnu.so: undefined symbol: cairo_svg_surface_set_document_unit
Much appreciated if someone can figure this one, happy to provide more info. -- Pat.

[Neltherion]

@americapat I have the same problem as you. Did you find any solutions?

[Hubert-YH]

same problems， I tried all the suggestions yet still failed

[Hubert-YH]

TL;DR: try
pip3 install pycairo==1.11.1

This works but doesn't really solve the problem. A newer version should be expected to be back-compatible.

I think I have got a possible answer, at least for me, some functions should be achieved both with Cairo and pyoject, yet the least version requires a version newer than 1.16 but perhaps the newest version of Cairo did not match PyObject well, and it might already abandon symbols like cairo_tee_surface_index, but some old software is still using it. ideally, all these stuff should be arranged simultaneously, but it turns out to be different in the reality

[Hubert-YH]

In my practice, it is from Cairo-1.14.0, that cairo_svg_surface_set_document_unit was deleted
from changelog we can see:
1.14.0 - 2017-07-12
General:
Requires at least cairo 1.13.1 (The snapshop in Ubuntu 14.04)

Tests:
Optional Hypothesis tests.

New Features:
Add Surface.set_device_scale() and Surface.get_device_scale(). #pr-44 (Sander Sweers)

Add Device #pr-45

Add Surface.get_device() #pr-45

Add ScriptDevice and ScriptMode #pr-46

Add ScriptSurface #17

Add Status.JBIG2_GLOBAL_MISSING

Add Format.stride_for_width()

Add TextClusterFlags and SurfaceObserverMode

Add Gradient.get_color_stops_rgba()

Add TeeSurface !! here !!
Add MeshPattern

Add TeeSurface !! here must be related to cairo_tee_surface_index or other cairo tee stuffs