improve docstrings of pyplot.xlabel and pyplot.ylabel

timhoffm · timhoffm · commit 377cdb1531a9 · 2018-02-24T21:04:58.000+01:00
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -211,19 +211,20 @@ def get_xlabel(self):
 
     def set_xlabel(self, xlabel, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, **kwargs):
         """
-        Set the label for the xaxis.
+        Set the label for the x-axis.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        xlabel : string
-            x label
+        xlabel : str
+            The label text.
 
         labelpad : scalar, optional, default: None
-            spacing in points between the label and the x-axis
+            Spacing in points between the label and the x-axis.
 
         Other Parameters
         ----------------
-        **kwargs : `~matplotlib.text.Text` properties
+        **kwargs : `.Text` properties
+            `.Text` properties control the appearance of the label.
 
         See also
         --------
@@ -242,19 +243,20 @@ def get_ylabel(self):
 
     def set_ylabel(self, ylabel, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, **kwargs):
         """
-        Set the label for the yaxis
+        Set the label for the y-axis.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
-        ylabel : string
-            y label
+        ylabel : str
+            The label text.
 
         labelpad : scalar, optional, default: None
-            spacing in points between the label and the y-axis
+            Spacing in points between the label and the y-axis.
 
         Other Parameters
         ----------------
-        **kwargs : `~matplotlib.text.Text` properties
+        **kwargs : `.Text` properties
+            `.Text` properties control the appearance of the label.
 
         See also
         --------
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -1500,41 +1500,28 @@ def axis(*v, **kwargs):
 
 def xlabel(s, *args, **kwargs):
     """
-    Set the *x* axis label of the current axis.
+    Set the x-axis label of the current axes.
 
-    Default override is::
-
-      override = {
-          'fontsize'            : 'small',
-          'verticalalignment'   : 'top',
-          'horizontalalignment' : 'center'
-          }
+    Call signature::
 
-    .. seealso::
+        xlabel(label, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, **kwargs)
 
-        :func:`~matplotlib.pyplot.text`
-            For information on how override and the optional args work
+    This is the pyplot equivalent of calling `.set_xlabel` on the current axes.
+    See there for a full parameter description.
     """
     return gca().set_xlabel(s, *args, **kwargs)
 
 
 def ylabel(s, *args, **kwargs):
     """
-    Set the *y* axis label of the current axis.
+    Set the y-axis label of the current axes.
 
-    Defaults override is::
-
-        override = {
-           'fontsize'            : 'small',
-           'verticalalignment'   : 'center',
-           'horizontalalignment' : 'right',
-           'rotation'='vertical' : }
+    Call signature::
 
-    .. seealso::
+        ylabel(label, fontdict=None, labelpad=None, **kwargs)
 
-        :func:`~matplotlib.pyplot.text`
-            For information on how override and the optional args
-            work.
+    This is the pyplot equivalent of calling `.set_ylabel` on the current axes.
+    See there for a full parameter description.
     """
     return gca().set_ylabel(s, *args, **kwargs)
 
