How to have a function return a figure in python (using matplotlib)?

Question

Assume that I have some data, and I want to create a plot of this data by passing it to a custom plotting function (myplot()). I am using the matplotlib's modules in myplot().

I would like myplot() to return the handle to a figure, and not plot display the plot when I call this function. Here is a sample code and output from iPython.

enter image description here

I have two questions regarding this:

Why do I still see a plot, even though I am assigning the output of myplot() to f?
What do I need to supress this plot when I am assigning the output of myplot() to a variable?

This is only an iPython Notebook feature, right? Because I don't see a plot when I pass the figures around in IDLE. — Sukrit Kalra
– Sukrit Kalra, Commented Jul 9, 2013 at 13:44

unutbu · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-09 14:08:39Z

8

Start ipython with

ipython notebook

rather than

ipython notebook --pylab=inline

enter image description here

answered Jul 9, 2013 at 14:08

unutbu

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2 Comments

ala Over a year ago

I think you do not have to start the whole notebook-session in non-inline-modus. You can control the inline-backend-behaviour with the following command. %config InlineBackend.close_figures = False This will prevent your plots from beeing closed (thus shown inside the browser) immediately.

Filipe Pinto Over a year ago

When you do the plot(t,x) the picture will be shown. Is there a way to generate the picture without it appearing?

ala · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-09 14:24:06Z

1

If you do not want to start the whole notebook in non-inline-modus you can just use the following code:

%config InlineBackend.close_figures = False

def myplot(t,x):
    fig = figure()
    x = plot(t,x)
    fig.savefig('plot.png') # This is just to show the figure is still generated
    return fig

t = arange(0,6,0.01)
x = sin(t)

f = myplot(t,x)

answered Jul 9, 2013 at 14:24

ala

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1 Comment

siva82kb Over a year ago

This did not work. I still get the same output as shown in my question.

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