[matplotlib-devel] Re: Change to aspect ratio handling

[Mark B. <ma...@gm...>]

Sorry that I have not been involved much in the reworking of the
aspect ratio handling, but I have been travelling (I know, what
an excuse is that).

Regarding the options used, the 'equal' option mimics matlab, both
in functionality and in name. Besides, I think it is not a bad descriptor,
so my vote is to keep it.

The 'scaled' term I made up. It might be a bad word, but the functionality
is much more useful IMHO in that it keeps the limits on the axes
and it changes the size of the plotting area such that the axes are scaled.
The 'equal' option is surely a pain in the ass to use I think, as any time
you add something to the damn figure, it will reset the axes limits. But,
if former matlab users want it, I don't mind keeping it.

I'll try to find time to test Eric's new implementation soon. Thanks for
all the hard work,

Mark

Helge Avlesen wrote:
> On 3/22/06, Eric Firing <ef...@ha...> wrote:
>
>>unintuitive.  Maybe we could find better names than 'equal' and
>>'scaled', for example.  Even with the docstrings, I have a hard time
>>keeping track of which is supposed to do what.
>
>
> Hi,
> I think it would be nice if pylab "semantics" were kept close to matlab.
> Maybe for instance axis('scaled') could be renamed to axis('image'), and
> use similar wording as mathworks documentation in the docstrings?
>
> http://www.mathworks.com/access/helpdesk/help/techdoc/ref/axis.html
>
> Helge

Helge,

I understand the sentiment, but I don't always agree with it; while I
don't want to do things differently from Matlab just for the sake of
being different (except insofar is it may be necessary to avoid
violating copyright), neither do I want to slavishly follow Matlab.
Pylab/matplotlib can and should be better than Matlab.  (And is in many
respects.)

In the case of Matlab's axis command, the Matlab documentation makes my
head spin, and the whole command strikes me as too complicated for
anyone's good.  I don't think every possible capability should go into
the pylab interface; past a certain point, it is better to simply call
axis methods, etc.

For now, I have added an axis('image') mode, which is not quite the same
as 'scaled', and I have tried to improve the descriptions of the
options.  Please try out the various axis modes, and see if you think
both the behavior and the descriptions make sense.

Eric