matplotlib-users

[Matplotlib-users] Basemap: High resolution output & cutout marks on contours

[nickj <nic...@gm...>]

Hello all,

I'm playing with Matplotlib & Basemap for the first time, and attempting to
render data from the NOAA GFS models. With joy I finally got something on
screen, however I was wondering what I might be able to do, to better
improve the contour rendering of the final map. To better illustrate my
problem, here is a screenshot with added red lines pointing to the odd
slicing I get around the contours: http://www.bigoceans.com/slices.png

Is there any way to rectify that?

Also, part of my project is to output massively high resolution images of
this work, which I'll be using to display in a number of mediums which are
of particular aesthetic importance (I'm not a scientist, I'm producing
something more in the realm of infographics). I decided perhaps the best
method to achieve this is as a PDF/Vector output, which I could generate
bitmaps at a later date at any resolution I choose to render the PDF as
(upwards of 8000pixels). Would anyone be able to best recommend how I can
achieve the highest possible contouring, country borders and other things
related to detail? I have attempted to use the resolution=full keyword,
however my computer balked and failed to respond after five minutes. What is
this keyword actually doing? What can I do to get the greatest resolution of
coastline & map representation?

Thanks so much, Nick

Re: [Matplotlib-users] Basemap: High resolution output & cutout marks on contours

[Daπid <dav...@gm...>]

On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 11:36 AM, nickj <nic...@gm...> wrote:
> To better illustrate my problem, here is a screenshot with added red lines
> pointing to the odd slicing I get around the
> contours: http://www.bigoceans.com/slices.png

A low-tech option is to plot first all the oceans in light color, then
overplot the next color for all values (corresponding to that one an
higher) and so on.


For your performance issues, make sure you are not displaying the
image, but saving it directly to disk.

Re: [Matplotlib-users] Basemap: High resolution output & cutout marks on contours

[Jeff W. <js...@fa...>]

  On 10/4/10 3:36 AM, nickj wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I'm playing with Matplotlib & Basemap for the first time, and 
> attempting to render data from the NOAA GFS models. With joy I finally 
> got something on screen, however I was wondering what I might be able 
> to do, to better improve the contour rendering of the final map. To 
> better illustrate my problem, here is a screenshot with added red 
> lines pointing to the odd slicing I get around the contours: 
> http://www.bigoceans.com/slices.png
>
> Is there any way to rectify that?
>

Nick:  Are you using matplotlib 1.0.0?  I'm not sure, but I think there 
were some improvements to contour in that release which fixed this 
problem.  If you are using 1.0.0, could you post the script so I can try it?
> Also, part of my project is to output massively high resolution images 
> of this work, which I'll be using to display in a number of mediums 
> which are of particular aesthetic importance (I'm not a scientist, I'm 
> producing something more in the realm of infographics). I decided 
> perhaps the best method to achieve this is as a PDF/Vector output, 
> which I could generate bitmaps at a later date at any resolution I 
> choose to render the PDF as (upwards of 8000pixels). Would anyone be 
> able to best recommend how I can achieve the highest possible 
> contouring, country borders and other things related to detail? I have 
> attempted to use the resolution=full keyword, however my computer 
> balked and failed to respond after five minutes. What is this keyword 
> actually doing? What can I do to get the greatest resolution of 
> coastline & map representation?


The default is ='c' (or 'crude' which gives very low resolution 
coastlines).  Moving upward in resolution, there is 'l','i','h' and 
finally 'f', which is probably overkill for a domain of this size (it 
will be very slow and use a lot of memory).

-Jeff

-- 
Jeffrey S. Whitaker         Phone  : (303)497-6313
Meteorologist               FAX    : (303)497-6449
NOAA/OAR/PSD  R/PSD1        Email  : Jef...@no...
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