[Matplotlib-users] Getting contour positions without interacting with figure/axes

[Thomas R. <tho...@gm...>]

Hello,

I am using matplotlib to show an image using:

fig = figure()
ax  = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax.imshow(image)

After doing this, I want to find the contours for a different image 
(with different dimensions), but I do not want to interact with the 
current figure or axes, I just want to retrieve the set of 
LineCollection objects for the contours. The issue is that if I do

c = contour(image2)

the contours are stored inside c, but at the same time they are plotted 
in the current figure. If I use

ax.contour(image2)

then the contours are not plotted immediately, but the view interval has 
already been changed inside ax.

So essentially, I am wondering if it is possible to retrieve a set of 
LineCollection objects without acting in any way on the current figure/axes.

Thanks for any help,

Thomas