Overview of Axes creation methods #17376

timhoffm · 2020-05-10T00:19:51Z

We should have an overview (possibly in the tutorials) which methods create Axes and when to use which.

This could contain the flow-chart blow plus additional descriptions.

I've not taken into account subgridspec and axes_grid1.
Am I missing some methods?
the diagram could be embedded using .. graphviz. However, while it renders with http://graphviz.it/ it currently does not with sphinx (issueing some errors).
The styling could still be improved (add links, font/color, use a HTML node instead of a record, ...)

digraph {
    node[shape=diamond]
        q_fullsize; q_simple_grid; q_complex_grid; q_inset; q_twin;
    node[shape=record]
        full_size;
       
    q_fullsize [label="full size?"]
    full_size [label="{plt.subplot()|plt.subplots()} | {Figure.add_subplot()|Figure.subplots()}"]
    q_simple_grid [label="simple grid?"]
    simple_grid [label="{plt.subplot(n, m, k) | plt.subplots(n, m)}| {Figure.add_subplot(n, m, k) | Figure.subplots(n, m)}"]
    q_complex_grid [label="complex grid?"]
    complex_grid [label="{plt.subplot2grid() | plt.subplot(subplotspec) | plt.subplots(gridspec_kw) | } | { | Figure.subplot(subplotspec) | Figure.subplots(gridspec_kw) | GridSpec.subplots()}"]
    q_inset [label="inset?"]
    inset [label="Axes.inset_axes()"]
    q_twin [label="twin?"]
    twin [label="{plt.twinx() | plt.twiny()} | {Axes.twinx() | Axes.twiny()}"]
    axes [label="{plt.axes() | Figure.add_axes()}"]

    q_fullsize -> q_simple_grid [ label = "No" ];
    q_simple_grid -> q_complex_grid [label = "No" ];
    q_fullsize -> full_size [ label = "Yes" ];
    q_simple_grid -> simple_grid[ label = "Yes" ];
    q_complex_grid -> complex_grid [label = "Yes"];
    q_complex_grid -> q_inset [label = "No"];
    q_inset -> inset[label="Yes"];
    q_inset -> q_twin [label="No"]
    q_twin -> twin[label="Yes"]
    q_twin -> axes[label="No"]

    {
        rank=same;
        q_fullsize full_size
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_simple_grid simple_grid
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_complex_grid complex_grid
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_inset inset
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_twin twin
    }
}

The text was updated successfully, but these errors were encountered:

ianhi · 2020-05-10T02:33:13Z

This would be great! I've always been a bit overwhelmed by this.

possibly in the tutorials

👍

Am I missing some methods?

I think you're missing Figure.gca() which will create an axis if one doesn't exist. https://matplotlib.org/3.1.1/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.figure.Figure.html#matplotlib.figure.Figure.gca

Suggestions:

Are there any methods to create axes that shouldn't be used? If so it would great to have this communicated.
It would also be great to have some substructure at each level to avoid choice paralysis. Something like highlighting one in green for each box of methods as the first thing someone should consider.
How about providing some basic imagery demonstrating the types of layouts being made on each level. Even just some arrays of squares with ellipses.

YonghuiWang99 · 2020-05-10T06:21:03Z

I am just learning matplotlib through the tutorials. The overview helps me to understand more about the creative logic. Understanding improve skill of application, I believe. So thank you.

In addition, do you think if it is possible to add general concepts which I could find in version 3.1.0 in the current released version (version 3.2.1) ? I think it is also important to understand the creative logic as well.

https://matplotlib.org/3.1.0/tutorials/introductory/usage.html

timhoffm · 2021-08-29T22:55:01Z

added subplot_mosaic
style updates

digraph {
    node[shape=diamond, width=2.7, height=0.8]
        q_fullsize; q_simple_grid; q_complex_grid; q_inset; q_twin;
    node[shape=none, margin=0]
        full_size;
       
    q_fullsize [label="full size?"]
    full_size [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">plt.subplot()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">Figure.add_subplot()</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">plt.subplots()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">Figure.subplots()</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]
    q_simple_grid [label="simple grid?"]
    simple_grid [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">plt.subplot(n, m, k)</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">Figure.add_subplot(n, m, k)</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">plt.subplots(n, m)</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">Figure.subplots(n, m)</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]
    q_complex_grid [label="complex grid?"]
    complex_grid [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">plt.subplot_mosaic()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">Figure.subplot_mosaic()</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">plt.subplot2grid()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">Figure.subplot(subplotspec)</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">plt.subplot(subplotspec)</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">Figure.subplots(gridspec_kw)</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">plt.subplots(gridspec_kw)</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">GridSpec.subplots()</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]
    q_inset [label="inset?"]
    inset [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5" ALIGN="left">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">Axes.inset_axes()</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]
    q_twin [label="twin?"]
    twin [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">plt.twinx()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="200">Axes.twinx()</TD></TR>
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">plt.twiny()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left">Axes.twiny()</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]
    axes [label=<
<FONT FACE="arial"><TABLE BORDER="0" CELLBORDER="0" CELLSPACING="2" CELLPADDING="5">
<TR><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="150">plt.axes()</TD><TD BGCOLOR="gray90" ALIGN="left" WIDTH="150">Figure.add_axes()</TD></TR>
</TABLE></FONT>>]

    q_fullsize -> q_simple_grid [ label = "No" ];
    q_simple_grid -> q_complex_grid [label = "No" ];
    q_fullsize -> full_size [ label = "Yes" ];
    q_simple_grid -> simple_grid[ label = "Yes" ];
    q_complex_grid -> complex_grid [label = "Yes"];
    q_complex_grid -> q_inset [label = "No"];
    q_inset -> inset[label="Yes"];
    q_inset -> q_twin [label="No"]
    q_twin -> twin[label="Yes"]
    q_twin -> axes[label="No"]

    {
        rank=same;
        q_fullsize full_size
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_simple_grid simple_grid
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_complex_grid complex_grid
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_inset inset
    }
    {
        rank=same;
        q_twin twin
    }
}

QuLogic · 2021-08-30T21:26:51Z

You can insert Graphviz diagrams into Sphinx; maybe you just want to copy what you have in directly somewhere?

timhoffm · 2021-08-30T22:55:43Z

That's the plan. When trying that last year, it did not compile; see the original post. Should be tried again, but I don't have the time to work on this currently. Anybody is welcome to turn this in to a proper PR. But maybe it's better to wait until the new documentation structure is merged to see where in the docs this should go.

Closes matplotlib#17376. There might still be room for further improvements, be it description or formatting. But I would like to leave that for later. The main goal is to get a first version of this in soon.

github-actions · 2023-08-02T01:49:52Z

This issue has been marked "inactive" because it has been 365 days since the last comment. If this issue is still present in recent Matplotlib releases, or the feature request is still wanted, please leave a comment and this label will be removed. If there are no updates in another 30 days, this issue will be automatically closed, but you are free to re-open or create a new issue if needed. We value issue reports, and this procedure is meant to help us resurface and prioritize issues that have not been addressed yet, not make them disappear. Thanks for your help!

QuLogic · 2023-08-02T01:59:00Z

The PR has been opened; ergo this issue can stay open.

timhoffm added the Documentation label May 10, 2020

timhoffm mentioned this issue May 26, 2020

axes collage #16603

Merged

13 tasks

story645 pinned this issue May 26, 2020

story645 unpinned this issue May 26, 2020

timhoffm mentioned this issue Dec 14, 2022

Add note that users do not instantiate Axes directly #24715

Merged

timhoffm linked a pull request Jul 30, 2023 that will close this issue

DOC: Add overview of axes creation methods #26417

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github-actions bot added the status: inactive Marked by the “Stale” Github Action label Aug 2, 2023

QuLogic added keep Items to be ignored by the “Stale” Github Action and removed status: inactive Marked by the “Stale” Github Action labels Aug 2, 2023

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Overview of Axes creation methods #17376

Overview of Axes creation methods #17376

timhoffm commented May 10, 2020

ianhi commented May 10, 2020 •

edited

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YonghuiWang99 commented May 10, 2020

timhoffm commented Aug 29, 2021

QuLogic commented Aug 30, 2021

timhoffm commented Aug 30, 2021

github-actions bot commented Aug 2, 2023

QuLogic commented Aug 2, 2023

Overview of Axes creation methods #17376

Overview of Axes creation methods #17376

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timhoffm commented May 10, 2020

ianhi commented May 10, 2020 • edited Loading

YonghuiWang99 commented May 10, 2020

timhoffm commented Aug 29, 2021

QuLogic commented Aug 30, 2021

timhoffm commented Aug 30, 2021

github-actions bot commented Aug 2, 2023

QuLogic commented Aug 2, 2023

ianhi commented May 10, 2020 •

edited

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