QGIS Semi-automatic classification plugin install error on OS X 10.10: matplotlib.backends.backend_qt4agg

I have tried repeatedly to install the QGIS Semi-automatic classification plugin via both (1) Plugins > Install & Manage Plugins and (2) manually based on other comments I found here, but I can't get it to work. I continue to get the error:

The plugin is broken. Python said:
No module named matplotlib.backends.backend_qt4agg

I have checked and have installed matplotlib, GDAL, scipy, numpy via macports (QGIS was installed via macports as well, but I have uninstalled, reinstalled, and rebooted a couple of times at this point).

I am not sure how else to proceed.

Answer

Matplotlib has many backends

In my Mac OS X matplotlib (1.4.2) installation, using the pure Python script in List of all available matplotlib backends the result is:

 print backends
 ['agg', 'cairo', 'cocoaagg', 'gdk', 'gtk', 'gtk3', 'gtk3agg', 'gtk3cairo', 'gtkagg', 'gtkcairo', 'macosx', 'mixed', 'nbagg', 'pdf', 'pgf', 'ps', 'qt4', 'qt4agg', 'qt5', 'qt5agg', 'svg', 'template', 'tkagg', 'webagg', 'webagg_core', 'wx', 'wxagg']

As you can see, there is a 'qt4agg' backend

As I use the default Apple Python, the backends files are in /Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/matplotlib-1.4.2/matplotlib/backends

So your matplotlib is not correctly installed or you PYTHONPATH is not correct. Look at Macports Ticket: py27-matplotlib say py27-pyqt4 not installed when using qt-backend

But why use MacPorts ? There are other solutions available, more reliable, KyngChaos or Homebrew, look at QGIS python location problem