Strange "Access Denied" error when building a Python package on Windows using conda

Question

I'm attempting to build the Chaco package, using:

conda build --numpy=1.16 --use-local conda.recipe\chaco

I'm getting this very strange error midway through the build:

Using c:\programdata\anaconda3\conda-bld\chaco_1566078508037\_h_env\lib\site-packages
Searching for fonttools==3.44.0
Best match: fonttools 3.44.0
Adding fonttools 3.44.0 to easy-install.pth file
Installing fonttools-script.py script to %BUILD_PREFIX%\Scripts
Installing fonttools.exe script to %BUILD_PREFIX%\Scripts
error: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\ProgramData\\Anaconda3\\conda-bld\\chaco_1566078508037\\_h_env\\Scripts\\font
tools.exe'

(%BUILD_PREFIX%) %SRC_DIR%>if errorlevel 1 exit 1
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Scripts\conda-build-script.py", line 10, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\cli\main_build.py", line 445, in main
    execute(sys.argv[1:])
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\cli\main_build.py", line 436, in execute
    verify=args.verify, variants=args.variants)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\api.py", line 209, in build
    notest=notest, need_source_download=need_source_download, variants=variants)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\build.py", line 2324, in build_tree
    notest=notest,
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\build.py", line 1439, in build
    windows.build(m, build_file, stats=build_stats, provision_only=provision_only)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\windows.py", line 294, in build
    check_call_env(cmd, cwd=m.config.work_dir, stats=stats, rewrite_stdout_env=rewrite_env)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\utils.py", line 397, in check_call_env
    return _func_defaulting_env_to_os_environ('call', *popenargs, **kwargs)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\conda_build\utils.py", line 377, in _func_defaulting_env_to_os_enviro
n
    raise subprocess.CalledProcessError(proc.returncode, _args)
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '['cmd.exe', '/d', '/c', 'conda_build.bat']' returned non-zero exit status 1.

But, when I check the contents of the C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\conda-bld\chaco_1566078508037\_h_env\Scripts\ directory, I see the fonttools.exe file:

(base) C:\Users\dbanas\Documents\GitHub\PyBERT>dir C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\conda-bld\chaco_1566078508037\_h_env\Scripts

 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is FCC9-2CA2

 Directory of C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\conda-bld\chaco_1566078508037\_h_env\Scripts

08/17/2019  02:50 PM    <DIR>          .
08/17/2019  02:50 PM    <DIR>          ..
08/09/2019  04:35 PM                74 2to3-script.py
07/23/2019  09:00 AM            40,960 2to3.exe
07/15/2019  09:09 AM               215 cygdb-script.py
01/26/2019  07:02 PM            40,960 cygdb.exe
07/15/2019  09:09 AM               236 cython-script.py
01/26/2019  07:02 PM            40,960 cython.exe
07/15/2019  09:09 AM               216 cythonize-script.py
01/26/2019  07:02 PM            40,960 cythonize.exe
04/29/2019  08:08 AM               225 easy_install-script.py
01/26/2019  07:02 PM            40,960 easy_install.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               441 f2py-script.py
05/21/2019  02:14 PM               156 f2py.bat
05/29/2019  07:49 AM            74,752 f2py.exe
08/17/2019  02:50 PM               463 fonttools-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 fonttools.exe
08/09/2019  04:35 PM                72 idle-script.py
07/23/2019  09:00 AM            40,960 idle.exe
05/10/2019  08:22 AM               207 pip-script.py
01/26/2019  07:02 PM            40,960 pip.exe
08/09/2019  04:35 PM                57 pydoc-script.py
07/23/2019  09:00 AM            40,960 pydoc.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               200 pyftinspect-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 pyftinspect.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               198 pyftmerge-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 pyftmerge.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               199 pyftsubset-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 pyftsubset.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               199 pygmentize-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 pygmentize.exe
08/17/2019  02:49 PM               196 ttx-script.py
07/19/2019  01:00 PM            74,752 ttx.exe
05/14/2019  11:39 AM               203 wheel-script.py
01/26/2019  05:02 PM            40,960 wheel.exe
              33 File(s)        895,461 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  168,398,778,368 bytes free

So, clearly, the build process was not denied access.

When this first happened, I thought, "Uh-oh! corrupted Anaconda3 installation." So, I uninstalled Anaconda3, made sure I was up-to-date on all Windows (7-Pro) updates, rebooted, and reinstalled Anaconda3. I'm getting precisely the same error!

The contents of my conda.recipe\chaco\meta.yaml file, for reference:

package:
  name: chaco
  version: "4.8.0"

source:
  path: ../../chaco/
  # fn: chaco-4.6.1.tar.gz
  # url: https://pypi.python.org/packages/d8/5f/82539366bb321f6f07fada6278e320bb52916a36b43fbe0e30e5ef9f9166/chaco-4.6.1.tar.gz
  # md5: d28117730f942f7cecb281b07abac3f4
#  patches:
   # List any patch files here
   # - fix.patch

build:
  # noarch_python: True
  # preserve_egg_dir: True
  # entry_points:
    # Put any entry points (scripts to be generated automatically) here. The
    # syntax is module:function.  For example
    #
    # - chaco = chaco:main
    #
    # Would create an entry point called chaco that calls chaco.main()


  # If this is a new build for the same version, increment the build
  # number. If you do not include this key, it defaults to 0.
  number: 2

requirements:
  build:
    - python
    - setuptools
    - enable >=4.8.0,<4.9
    - cython
    - pillow

  run:
    - python
    - enable >=4.8.0,<4.9
    - cython
    - pillow

test:
  # Python imports
  imports:
    - chaco
    - chaco.contour
    - chaco.downsample
    - chaco.downsample.tests
    - chaco.layers
    - chaco.overlays
    - chaco.plugin
    - chaco.scales
    - chaco.scales.tests
    - chaco.shell
    - chaco.tests
    - chaco.tools
    - chaco.tools.tests
    - chaco.tools.toolbars
    - chaco.ui

  # commands:
    # You can put test commands to be run here.  Use this to test that the
    # entry points work.


  # You can also put a file called run_test.py in the recipe that will be run
  # at test time.

  # requires:
    # Put any additional test requirements here.  For example
    # - nose

about:
  home: http://docs.enthought.com/chaco
  license: BSD License
  summary: 'interactive 2-dimensional plotting'
  license_family: BSD

# See
# http://docs.continuum.io/conda/build.html for
# more information about meta.yaml

And my bld.bat:

"%PYTHON%" setup.py install 
if errorlevel 1 exit 1

:: Add more build steps here, if they are necessary.

:: See
:: http://docs.continuum.io/conda/build.html
:: for a list of environment variables that are set during the build process.

Per the advice in this post, I tried uninstalling Anaconda3 and reinstalling "just for me", which has the effect of installing Anaconda3 under my home directory. No change in behavior: still getting the "Access Denied" error for the same file: fonttools.exe.

Question: Is there a way I can go into the Chaco build directory and complete the build/upload manually, so I can get the Windows version of this PyBERT update released while I wait for an answer to my post?

Answer 1

FWIW -- another possible workaround until you find a solution in Anaconda would be to install an environment using the Enthought Deployment Manager (EDM), which provides chaco 4.8.0 on Win/Lin/Mac for CPython 2.7.15, 3.5.2, and 3.6.5 EDM Product Description and Download, EDM Documentation