matplotlib xkcd not working on mac

Question

I've small problem in visualizing matplotlib xkcd plots. By simply trying to execute the example found on matplotlib.org. When i execute xkcd.py the visualization of the plots does't work and I get this error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/figure.py", line 1084, in draw
    func(*args)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/axes/_base.py", line 2092, in draw
    a.draw(renderer)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/lines.py", line 712, in draw
    drawFunc(renderer, gc, tpath, affine.frozen())
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/lines.py", line 1067, in _draw_lines
    self._lineFunc(renderer, gc, path, trans)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/lines.py", line 1107, in _draw_solid
    renderer.draw_path(gc, path, trans)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/patheffects.py", line 115, in draw_path
    rgbFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/patheffects.py", line 217, in draw_path
    renderer.draw_path(gc, tpath, affine, rgbFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py", line 58, in draw_path
    gc.draw_path(path, transform, linewidth, rgbFace)
AttributeError: 'GraphicsContextBase' object has no attribute 'draw_path'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/figure.py", line 1084, in draw
    func(*args)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/axes/_base.py", line 2092, in draw
    a.draw(renderer)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/axis.py", line 1102, in draw
    tick.draw(renderer)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/axis.py", line 244, in draw
    self.tick1line.draw(renderer)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/artist.py", line 59, in draw_wrapper
    draw(artist, renderer, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/lines.py", line 757, in draw
    rgbaFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/patheffects.py", line 127, in draw_markers
    **kwargs)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/backend_bases.py", line 266, in draw_markers
    rgbFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/patheffects.py", line 115, in draw_path
    rgbFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/patheffects.py", line 217, in draw_path
    renderer.draw_path(gc, tpath, affine, rgbFace)
  File "/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.5.x-py2.7-macosx-10.10-intel.egg/matplotlib/backends/backend_macosx.py", line 58, in draw_path
    gc.draw_path(path, transform, linewidth, rgbFace)
AttributeError: 'GraphicsContextBase' object has no attribute 'draw_path'

While if I try to save these plots I get two perfect png files:

I really don't understand why !

Answer 1

As a commenter said, the macOSX backend isn't supported. With Python 3.4 on OS X 10.10.1, TkAgg worked.

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use("TkAgg")