Auto backend

Hello

I couldn't manage to find how to search the mailing list archive on
sourceforge, so sorry if it is already discussed/developed.

There are many backends for matplotlib and debian/ubuntu packages depend
  on at least one of the interactive once [1]. But matplotrc as
installed says "backend: TkAgg". This often results in errors upon
importing pylab after installation saying "Please install python-tk".

Has there been any work done about providing an auto backend? The one
that would select the best one automagically.

I've pocked into code a little bit. My understanding is to hook into
pylab_setup() (lib/matplotlib/backends/__init__.py). That is if backend
is auto, run a script which returns a name of the pretties backend which
then is used.

I think I will manage writing something like that. And I would be glad
to collaborate.

[1] One of the dependencies is:
python-tk | python-gtk2 | python-wxgtk2.8 | python-qt3 | python-qt4

ps. cloned github repo, now updating, takes ages =D Maybe git hub needs
to be updated with more revisions? =D

···

--
With regards,

Dmitrijs Ledkovs.