[Matplotlib-users] possible documentation mistake in errorbar (mpl 1.1.1rc)

[Oliver <oli...@gm...>]

I apologize if this has been fixed already, I can only check different
versions at home. However, the documentation of mpl
1.3.1<http://matplotlib.org/1.3.1/api/pyplot_api.html#matplotlib.pyplot.errorbar>.
has the same information. So unless the code changed to reflect the
documentation, this is still present.

When using errorbar, the documentation says the color of the errorbar lines
will match with the color of the markers if ecolor=None. That’s not what I
found. Apparently it takes over the color of the Line2D instance which
interconnects the markers.

Short, Self Contained, Correct Example:

from pylab import *
plt.ion()  # saves typing show

x = np.arange(10)
y = np.random.rand(10)
xerr, yerr = y/4., y/4.

# Markers in red, but errorlines assume the color of the "trendline"
(default rcparams: blue).
errorbar(x, y, yerr=yerr, mfc='r', marker='o', ecolor=None)

# Errorlines get color green now - documentation not in line with results

figure(); errorbar(x, y, yerr=xerr, mfc='r', marker='o', ecolor=None, color='g')
# Errorlines get color blue now, because it can be specified -
expected behaviour
figure(); errorbar(x, y, yerr=xerr, mfc='r', marker='o', ecolor='b', color='g')

Is this an oversight mistake?