Error: Could Not Create '/Library/Python/2.7/site-packages/xlrd': Permission Denied

I'm trying to install xlrd on mac 10.8.4 to be able to read excel files through python. I have followed the instructions on http://www.simplistix.co.uk/presentations/python-excel.p

Solution 1:

Try python setup.py install --user

You shouldn't use sudo as suggested above for two reasons:

1. You're allowing arbitrary untrusted code off the internet to be run as root
2. Passing the --user flag to python setup.py install will install the package to a user-owned directory. Your normal non-root user won't be able to access the files installed by sudo pip or sudo python setup.py

Solution 2:

try sudo python setup.py install

the /Library folder needs root permission to be accessed.

Solution 3:

Try in a virtualenv:

• sudo pip install virtualenvwrapper
• mkvirtualenv
• workon
• python setup.py install