ENH: Expose symlog scaling in plotting API
State: closed

- [x] closes #24867
- [ ] tests added / passed
- [ ] passes `git diff upstream/master -u -- "*.py" | flake8 --diff`
- [ ] whatsnew entry


Labels:
name: Enhancement
name: Visualization
description: plotting

Comments:
I am very very sorry that i made some git mistakes in my preivous PR, so i closed it and reopen this one. 
And this one is based on the review from @jreback. https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24871
Will appreciate a lot for further feedbacks.
# [Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=h1) Report
> Merging [#24968](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=desc) into [master](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/commit/2b16e2e6c5a298396727fc2e66a60edf1eb13bf9?src=pr&el=desc) will **decrease** coverage by `49.49%`.
> The diff coverage is `0%`.

[![Impacted file tree graph](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/graphs/tree.svg?width=650&token=eZ4WkYLtcO&height=150&src=pr)](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=tree)

```diff
@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master   #24968      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   92.38%   42.88%   -49.5%     
==========================================
  Files         166      166              
  Lines       52398    52406       +8     
==========================================
- Hits        48406    22476   -25930     
- Misses       3992    29930   +25938
```

| Flag | Coverage Δ | |
|---|---|---|
| #multiple | `?` | |
| #single | `42.88% <0%> (-0.01%)` | :arrow_down: |

| [Impacted Files](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=tree) | Coverage Δ | |
|---|---|---|
| [pandas/plotting/\_core.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL3Bsb3R0aW5nL19jb3JlLnB5) | `17.68% <0%> (-65.9%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/formats/latex.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL2Zvcm1hdHMvbGF0ZXgucHk=) | `0% <0%> (-100%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/core/categorical.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvY2F0ZWdvcmljYWwucHk=) | `0% <0%> (-100%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/sas/sas\_constants.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL3Nhcy9zYXNfY29uc3RhbnRzLnB5) | `0% <0%> (-100%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/tseries/plotting.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL3RzZXJpZXMvcGxvdHRpbmcucHk=) | `0% <0%> (-100%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/tseries/converter.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL3RzZXJpZXMvY29udmVydGVyLnB5) | `0% <0%> (-100%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/formats/html.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL2Zvcm1hdHMvaHRtbC5weQ==) | `0% <0%> (-99.35%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/core/groupby/categorical.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvZ3JvdXBieS9jYXRlZ29yaWNhbC5weQ==) | `0% <0%> (-95.46%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/sas/sas7bdat.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL3Nhcy9zYXM3YmRhdC5weQ==) | `0% <0%> (-91.17%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/sas/sas\_xport.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL3Nhcy9zYXNfeHBvcnQucHk=) | `0% <0%> (-90.15%)` | :arrow_down: |
| ... and [124 more](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree-more) | |

------

[Continue to review full report at Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=continue).
> **Legend** - [Click here to learn more](https://docs.codecov.io/docs/codecov-delta)
> `Δ = absolute <relative> (impact)`, `ø = not affected`, `? = missing data`
> Powered by [Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=footer). Last update [2b16e2e...f1c86af](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=lastupdated). Read the [comment docs](https://docs.codecov.io/docs/pull-request-comments).

# [Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=h1) Report
> Merging [#24968](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=desc) into [master](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/commit/6e0f9a971bcd07a4a6283dc03190b4363d42e292?src=pr&el=desc) will **increase** coverage by `0.01%`.
> The diff coverage is `75%`.

[![Impacted file tree graph](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/graphs/tree.svg?width=650&token=eZ4WkYLtcO&height=150&src=pr)](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=tree)

```diff
@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master   #24968      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   91.45%   91.47%   +0.01%     
==========================================
  Files         172      173       +1     
  Lines       52892    52883       -9     
==========================================
+ Hits        48373    48375       +2     
+ Misses       4519     4508      -11
```

| Flag | Coverage Δ | |
|---|---|---|
| #multiple | `90.03% <75%> (+0.01%)` | :arrow_up: |
| #single | `41.8% <0%> (-0.02%)` | :arrow_down: |

| [Impacted Files](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=tree) | Coverage Δ | |
|---|---|---|
| [pandas/plotting/\_core.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL3Bsb3R0aW5nL19jb3JlLnB5) | `83.57% <75%> (-0.09%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/packers.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL3BhY2tlcnMucHk=) | `88.11% <0%> (-0.11%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/core/panel.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvcGFuZWwucHk=) | `35.62% <0%> (-0.1%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/formats/printing.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL2Zvcm1hdHMvcHJpbnRpbmcucHk=) | `85.34% <0%> (-0.08%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/pytables.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL3B5dGFibGVzLnB5) | `90.19% <0%> (-0.01%)` | :arrow_down: |
| [pandas/io/formats/format.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL2Zvcm1hdHMvZm9ybWF0LnB5) | `97.99% <0%> (ø)` | :arrow_up: |
| [pandas/io/formats/latex.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2lvL2Zvcm1hdHMvbGF0ZXgucHk=) | `100% <0%> (ø)` | :arrow_up: |
| [pandas/core/indexes/interval.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvaW5kZXhlcy9pbnRlcnZhbC5weQ==) | `95.25% <0%> (ø)` | :arrow_up: |
| [pandas/core/indexes/multi.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvaW5kZXhlcy9tdWx0aS5weQ==) | `95.62% <0%> (ø)` | :arrow_up: |
| [pandas/core/api.py](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree#diff-cGFuZGFzL2NvcmUvYXBpLnB5) | `100% <0%> (ø)` | :arrow_up: |
| ... and [20 more](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968/diff?src=pr&el=tree-more) | |

------

[Continue to review full report at Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=continue).
> **Legend** - [Click here to learn more](https://docs.codecov.io/docs/codecov-delta)
> `Δ = absolute <relative> (impact)`, `ø = not affected`, `? = missing data`
> Powered by [Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=footer). Last update [6e0f9a9...5170000](https://codecov.io/gh/pandas-dev/pandas/pull/24968?src=pr&el=lastupdated). Read the [comment docs](https://docs.codecov.io/docs/pull-request-comments).

can anyone give a feedback? ^^
@TomAugspurger Hi, Tom, I checked your comment in #25586 and made some small changes and modified the tests to align it, feel free to provide your feedback.
@TomAugspurger a quick look if you can.
thanks @charlesdong1991