[Matplotlib-users] scientific notation in ticklabels for linear plot

[Jonathan S. <js...@cf...>]

Hi,

I'm wondering if there's some relatively automatic way to have the
ticklabels to come out in scientific notation for an axis that uses a
linear scale (and has a range that warrants scientific notation)?  For
example, an axis that goes from 0 to 2.E18 by default uses the labels 0,
0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and puts 1e18 at the end of the axis.  To me this is
unappealing. 1e18 is a computer programming way to write the 10^{18} (in
LaTeX formatting).  In IDL the ticklabels are 5.0x10^{17}, 1.0x10^{18},
1.5x10^{18}, 2.0x10^{18}.  This is one instance where I think IDL gets
it right and matplotlib gets it wrong.  So, as far as I can tell, one
can give the ticklabels by hand, and so I could achieve my desired
labels that way, but it'd be nice to have a more automatic way to do it.
Searching the examples, I've come up empty so far.  I would also
advocate changing the default format for labeling axes that fall in this
category.  Do the developers have any opinions on this?

Regards,
Jon