Using anaconda python in Stata

[Lorenzo Rocco]

Hello!
I'm working on a MacBook M2 machine, with MacOS 14.6. I want to access my anaconda python distribution located in /opt/anaconda3/ from Stata 17.0

In stata python search does not see any anaconda environment, but only

Python environments found:
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/Library/Frameworks/Python3.framework/Versions/Current/bin/python3
/usr/bin/python3

When I set exec with

python set exec /opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/bin/python

and then I run python within stata I get the following error

dlopen(/opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/lib/libpython3.8.dylib, 0x0009): tried: '/opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/lib/libpython3.8.dylib ' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'x86_64', need 'arm64e' or 'arm64')), '/System/Volumes/Preboot/Cryptexes/OS/opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/lib/libpython3.8.dylib' (no such file), '/opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/lib/libpython3.8.dylib' (mach-o file, but is an incompatible architecture (have 'x86_64', need 'arm64e' or 'arm64'))
failed to load the shared library /opt/anaconda3/envs/envforstata/lib/libpython3.8.dylib.
r(7100);


(I've tried with different python versions and always got a similar error)

If on the terminal I run arch, I get
arm64
as expected

Any idea? many thanks in advance
Lorenzo

[Bjarte Aagnes]

I am a windows user, and cannot test this, but it seems you have incompatible architecture: Stata expects arm64 Python, but get x86-64 Python (have 'x86_64', need 'arm64e' or 'arm64'). Thus, your env needs packages for your architecture. The problem is related to Anaconda, and not Stata, so you might try other forums if you dont get any solution here (and see Statalist FAQ 8 on cross-posting).

Alternatives:

1. Not using conda: macOS installers on www.python.org support both x86-64 and arm64.
2. Anaconda: First, make sure your Anaconda installation is up to date. Then, see post on stackoverflow.
3. Try native alternatives to Anaconda: make a fresh install of one of

miniconda Apple M1 64-bit
miniforge OS X arm64

NB: having both Anaconda and the alternative installed might create problems.

Then, create env with arm64 Python.

PS. Using conda, best practice is not to set path, so use Stata -set python_exec- to set full path to the Python.exe in the env to be used.

(And, use a newer version of Python https://devguide.python.org/versions)

[Lorenzo Rocco]

Hi Bjarte, many thanks. I thought as well I had a wrong version of Anaconda, but this is not the case. It is arm64. And Anaconda is the distro I always use for my python programming and it works perfectly. It would be hard to renounce to anaconda now. Anyway, thanks a lot for your time and hints.