matplotlib-devel

[matplotlib-devel] Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc

[Hans D. <han...@ki...>]

Hi fellow developers,

I am using matplotlib in particle physics where we generally do not plot 
the little end caps of error bars. They add no information, but they 
make the plot harder to read, especially if it is a busy plot.

In physics, we follow the general aesthetic rule to maximise the "data 
to ink ratio", which means that the information should be presented with 
a minimum of optical gimmicks.

So, I end up calling errorbar everytime with capsize=0. I argue that 
having end caps or not is a global style option, and therefore it makes 
sense to put this into matplotlibrc.

I prepared a patch in order to do that and would like you to include it 
into the distribution.

Please tell me what you think of it.

[matplotlib-devel] Fwd: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc

[Hans D. <han...@ki...>]

Dear developers,

I submitted a patch a few weeks ago that I think would be useful to have 
in the matplotlib, but I didn't get any response. I use the library 
extensively for science work and would like to be able to contribute to 
this great project.

Since I didn't get any responses, I would like to know what you want me 
to do in order to get my ideas into the project. I cannot commit much 
time, but I am sure I will find little neat pieces to add every now and 
then.

Please allow me to participate.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc
Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:10:27 +0200
From: Hans Dembinski <han...@ki...>
To: mat...@li...

Hi fellow developers,

I am using matplotlib in particle physics where we generally do not plot
the little end caps of error bars. They add no information, but they
make the plot harder to read, especially if it is a busy plot.

In physics, we follow the general aesthetic rule to maximise the "data
to ink ratio", which means that the information should be presented with
a minimum of optical gimmicks.

So, I end up calling errorbar everytime with capsize=0. I argue that
having end caps or not is a global style option, and therefore it makes
sense to put this into matplotlibrc.

I prepared a patch in order to do that and would like you to include it
into the distribution.

Please tell me what you think of it.

Re: [matplotlib-devel] Fwd: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc

[Eric F. <ef...@ha...>]

On 2012/08/29 11:57 PM, Hans Dembinski wrote:
> Dear developers,
>
> I submitted a patch a few weeks ago that I think would be useful to have
> in the matplotlib, but I didn't get any response. I use the library
> extensively for science work and would like to be able to contribute to
> this great project.

Good!

>
> Since I didn't get any responses, I would like to know what you want me
> to do in order to get my ideas into the project. I cannot commit much
> time, but I am sure I will find little neat pieces to add every now and
> then.

Submitting patches as github pull requests is strongly preferred.  See 
http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/devel/index.html.

In the svn days, most devel discussions of proposed changes occurred on 
this mailing list, but now attention is much more on github PRs and less 
on the mailing list.

>
> Please allow me to participate.

We welcome you--but sometimes we are simply overwhelmed and/or 
unorganized, and consequently unresponsive.  There is a random aspect to it!

Regarding your patch: this sounds like it might be a good idea, but I 
don't think the rc param should be called lines.capsize because it is 
not a general line property, but something specific to errorbars. 
"lines.*cap*" refer to completely unrelated general line properties.

It would be good to get some thoughts from others as to whether to an 
"errorbar" or similar category should be added to rcParams, with your 
suggestion as the first entry in that category.  Maybe we need some 
policy guideline as to what should go in rcParams and what should not.

Eric

>
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc
> Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:10:27 +0200
> From: Hans Dembinski <han...@ki...>
> To: mat...@li...
>
> Hi fellow developers,
>
> I am using matplotlib in particle physics where we generally do not plot
> the little end caps of error bars. They add no information, but they
> make the plot harder to read, especially if it is a busy plot.
>
> In physics, we follow the general aesthetic rule to maximise the "data
> to ink ratio", which means that the information should be presented with
> a minimum of optical gimmicks.
>
> So, I end up calling errorbar everytime with capsize=0. I argue that
> having end caps or not is a global style option, and therefore it makes
> sense to put this into matplotlibrc.
>
> I prepared a patch in order to do that and would like you to include it
> into the distribution.
>
> Please tell me what you think of it.
>
>
>
>
>
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> Mat...@li...
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/matplotlib-devel
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Re: [matplotlib-devel] Fwd: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc

[Hans D. <han...@ki...>]

: ) Thanks for the response.

On 08/30/2012 08:41 PM, Eric Firing wrote:
> Submitting patches as github pull requests is strongly preferred.  See
> http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/devel/index.html.
>
> In the svn days, most devel discussions of proposed changes occurred on
> this mailing list, but now attention is much more on github PRs and less
> on the mailing list.

Okay, I will try that then!

>> Please allow me to participate.
>
> We welcome you--but sometimes we are simply overwhelmed and/or
> unorganized, and consequently unresponsive.  There is a random aspect to it!

I can deal with randomness, in fact, the field of statistics is one of 
my special interests : D

> Regarding your patch: this sounds like it might be a good idea, but I
> don't think the rc param should be called lines.capsize because it is
> not a general line property, but something specific to errorbars.
> "lines.*cap*" refer to completely unrelated general line properties.
>
> It would be good to get some thoughts from others as to whether to an
> "errorbar" or similar category should be added to rcParams, with your
> suggestion as the first entry in that category.  Maybe we need some
> policy guideline as to what should go in rcParams and what should not.

You are right, I also thought about that. My first idea was to add an 
errorbar.* category, but then I saw that also the bar plots 
(axes.bar(...), axes.barh(...)) use caps. What I am trying to say is 
that it is not only used by axes.errorbar(...). That's why I put into 
the lines.* category, but that's certainly open for discussion.

Having a policy on what to put into rcParams sounds useful.

Best regards,
Hans

Re: [matplotlib-devel] Fwd: Patch: set capsize of errorbar via matplotlibrc

[Benjamin R. <ben...@ou...>]

On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 5:57 AM, Hans Dembinski <han...@ki...>wrote:

> Dear developers,
>
> I submitted a patch a few weeks ago that I think would be useful to have
> in the matplotlib, but I didn't get any response. I use the library
> extensively for science work and would like to be able to contribute to
> this great project.
>
> Since I didn't get any responses, I would like to know what you want me to
> do in order to get my ideas into the project. I cannot commit much time,
> but I am sure I will find little neat pieces to add every now and then.
>
> Please allow me to participate.
>
>
Sorry for the lack of a response.  We have been absolutely swamped with the
push for v1.2.0, and your email must have gotten lost in the pile.  Note,
repinging us as you have done is the absolutely correct thing to do.

Looking over your patch, the goal is sound, but the name of the rcparam you
choose would likely cause confusion.  "line.capsize" and "line.capstyle",
for instance, are referring to two completely different things that just
happens to have the same name "cap".  There are a lot of kwargs in axes.py
that have yet to be included into the rcparams, and we really need to push
to do this, but in a sensible and structured manner.

Anybody have thoughts on updating the naming scheme of the rc-params?

Ben Root