python setup.py install failed Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server

Community matplotlib-users
1

Dear experts,

I have added the following entries in setupext.py (i.e. '/opt/gnome'

basedir = {

     'win32' : ['win32_static',],
     'linux2' : ['/usr','/opt/gnome',],
     'linux' : ['/usr','/opt/gnome',],
     'darwin' : ['/usr/local', '/sw'],
     'sunos5' : [os.getenv('MPLIB_BASE') or '/usr/local',],
}

Now python setup.py build works fine.
However

python setup.py install

as root failed with the following messages

Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "setup.py", line 75, in ?
     try: import gtk
   File "/usr/lib/python2.3/site-packages/gtk-2.0/gtk/__init__.py", line 43, in ?
     from _gtk import *
RuntimeError: could not open display

Any hint is appreciated

Nils