matchart 1.1.5
Convenient plotting wrapper around matplotlib.
Requires Python: >=3.6
Keywords: plot,chart,diagram,matplotlib,visualization

# MatChart

MatChart is a convenient one-line wrapper around *matplotlib* plotting library.

## Usage

```python
from matchart import plot

plot([x1, y1], [y2], [x3, y3], y4, ...,
	# common parameters
	kind='plot',
	show: bool = True,
	block: Optional[bool] = None,
	context: bool = False,
	clear_on_error: bool = True,
	
	# plotter explict parameters
	label: ClippedArguments = None,
	color: CycledArguments = None,
	marker: ClippedArguments = None,
	linestyle: ClippedArguments = None,
	linewidth: ClippedArguments = None,
	markersize: ClippedArguments = None,
	
	# figure and axes parameters
	legend: Optional[bool] = None,
	legend_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	title: Optional[str] = None,
	title_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	xlabel: Optional[str] = None,
	xlabel_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	ylabel: Optional[str] = None,
	ylabel_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	limit: Union[Tuple[Any, Any, Any, Any], bool] = True,
	xticks: Optional[Union[Iterable, Dict[str, Any], bool]] = None,
	yticks: Optional[Union[Iterable, Dict[str, Any], bool]] = None,
	ticks: Optional[Dict[str, Union[Iterable, Dict[str, Any], bool]]] = None,
	figsize: Tuple[float, float] = (10, 8),
	dpi: float = 100,
	subplots_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	grid: Optional[bool] = False,
	grid_kwargs: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
	theme = 'seaborn-v0_8-deep',

	# plotter rest parameters
	** plotter_kwargs 
) -> Tuple[Figure, Axes, List[Artist]]
```

`kind` - pyplot [function name](https://matplotlib.org/stable/plot_types/index.html), e.g. _plot_ or _scatter_.

`show` - whether to show plot or just to draw it.

`block` - whether to block running code when showing plot or just display windows and run next lines. By default, detected from environment.

`context` - delay showing plot by using context manager (see below).

`clear_on_error` - whether to clean up on any error.

`label`, `color`, `marker`, `linestyle`, `linewidth`, `markersize` and rest `plotter_kwargs` - plotter parameters. Can differ per kind. See [common parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.plot.html) for `kind='plot'`. Can be `list` or `tuple` to define per-dataset values. Values can also be `None` or even clipped to skip definition for particular dataset.

`legend` - set `True`, `False` or `None` to autodetect. `legend_kwargs` - [additional parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.axes.Axes.legend.html).

`title` - plot's title. `title_kwargs` - [additional parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.axes.Axes.set_title.html).

`xlabel` - horizontal axis label. `xlabel_kwargs` - [additional parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.axes.Axes.set_xlabel.html).

`ylabel` - vertical axis label. `ylabel_kwargs` - [additional parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.axes.Axes.set_ylabel.html).

`limit` - set `True` to autodetect 2D plot's borders or `False` to use default matplot's behaviour. Set to `(left, right, bottom, top)` to use [custom borders](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.axes.Axes.set_ylim.html).

`ticks`, `xticks`, `yticks` - set [corresponding ticks](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.xticks.html). Can be `False` to disable ticks. Can be dictionary of kwargs. Can be array-like value to define ticks locations. Argument `xticks` defines ticks for X axis, `yticks` - for Y axis. Alternatively argument `ticks` can be defined as dictionary with keys `'x'` or `'y'` containing same values as  `xticks` and `yticks` arguments. Argument `xticks` must be used solely.

`figsize` - plot's size as `(width, height)` in inches. By default, is overriden with *10x8*.

`dpi` - plot's resolution in dots-per-inch.

`subplots_kwargs` - [additional plot's parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.subplots.html) and [Figure's parameters](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.figure.html#matplotlib.pyplot.figure).

`grid` - plot's [grid visibility](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.grid.html) with `grid_kwargs` as additional parameters.

`theme` - plot's [style](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/style_api.html#matplotlib.style.use). By default is overriden with *seaborn-v0_8-deep*.

## Examples

### Just plot something

Firstly prepare data:

```python
import numpy as np

x1 = np.arange(21)
y1 = x1 ** 2
y2 = x1 ** 1.9
x3 = 5, 15
y3 = 300, 100
y4 = x1 ** 2.1
```

Then plot data:

```python
from matchart import plot

plot([x1, y1], [y2], [x3, y3], y4,
	 label=['$x^{2}$', '$x^{1.9}$', 'Points'],
	 xlabel='X', ylabel='Y',
	 title='Power of $x$ comparison.',
	 grid=True,
	 color=[None, 'green', 'red', 'gray'],
	 marker=['o', None, '*'],
	 linestyle=[None, '--'],
	 linewidth=[None, 3, 0],
	 markersize=20,
	 fillstyle='top')
```

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/example1.png)

### Migrate from matplotlib simple

Let's take [FiveThirtyEight style sheet example](https://matplotlib.org/stable/gallery/style_sheets/fivethirtyeight.html#sphx-glr-gallery-style-sheets-fivethirtyeight-py):

```python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

plt.style.use('fivethirtyeight')

x = np.linspace(0, 10)
np.random.seed(19680801)  # Fixing random state for reproducibility

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) + x + np.random.randn(50))
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) + 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50))
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) + 2 * x + np.random.randn(50))
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) - 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50))
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) - 2 * x + np.random.randn(50))
ax.plot(x, np.sin(x) + np.random.randn(50))
ax.set_title("'fivethirtyeight' style sheet")
plt.show()
```

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/simple_matplotlib.png)

and rewrite it with MatChart:

```python
from matchart import plot
import numpy as np

x = np.linspace(0, 10)
np.random.seed(19680801)  # Fixing random state for reproducibility

plot([x, np.sin(x) + x + np.random.randn(50)],
	 [x, np.sin(x) + 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
	 [x, np.sin(x) + 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
	 [x, np.sin(x) - 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
	 [x, np.sin(x) - 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
	 [x, np.sin(x) + np.random.randn(50)],
	 title="'fivethirtyeight' style sheet",
	 theme='fivethirtyeight')
```

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/simple_matchart.png)

*Note that default figure size differs.*

### Migrate from matplotlib stackplot

Let's take [stackplots example](https://matplotlib.org/stable/gallery/lines_bars_and_markers/stackplot_demo.html#sphx-glr-gallery-lines-bars-and-markers-stackplot-demo-py):

```python
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# data from United Nations World Population Prospects (Revision 2019)
# https://population.un.org/wpp/, license: CC BY 3.0 IGO
year = [1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2018]
population_by_continent = {
	'africa'  : [228, 284, 365, 477, 631, 814, 1044, 1275],
	'americas': [340, 425, 519, 619, 727, 840, 943, 1006],
	'asia'    : [1394, 1686, 2120, 2625, 3202, 3714, 4169, 4560],
	'europe'  : [220, 253, 276, 295, 310, 303, 294, 293],
	'oceania' : [12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 31, 36, 39],
}

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.stackplot(year, population_by_continent.values(),
			 labels=population_by_continent.keys(), alpha=0.8)
ax.legend(loc='upper left')
ax.set_title('World population')
ax.set_xlabel('Year')
ax.set_ylabel('Number of people (millions)')

plt.show()
```

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/stackplot_matplotlib.png)

and rewrite it with MatChart:

```python
from matchart import plot

# data from United Nations World Population Prospects (Revision 2019)
# https://population.un.org/wpp/, license: CC BY 3.0 IGO
year = [1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2018]
population_by_continent = {
	'africa'  : [228, 284, 365, 477, 631, 814, 1044, 1275],
	'americas': [340, 425, 519, 619, 727, 840, 943, 1006],
	'asia'    : [1394, 1686, 2120, 2625, 3202, 3714, 4169, 4560],
	'europe'  : [220, 253, 276, 295, 310, 303, 294, 293],
	'oceania' : [12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 31, 36, 39],
}

plot([year, population_by_continent.values()],
	 kind='stackplot',
	 labels=population_by_continent.keys(),
	 alpha=0.8,
	 legend=True,
	 legend_kwargs=dict(loc='upper left'),
	 limit=False,
	 title='World population',
	 xlabel='Year',
	 ylabel='Number of people (millions)')
```

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/stackplot_matchart.png)

*Note that default figure size and theme differ.*

### Customization of plots

Let's take FiveThirtyEight style sheet example above and customize it before showing.

Imagine now we want to remove X and Y axes.

![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/baterflyrity/matchart/main/docs/customization.png)

#### Straightforward solution (not bad)

To do the trick we can:

1. only draw plot with `show=False`;
2. customize figure with *matplotlib* stuff;
3. show plot with `matplotlib.pyplot.show()`.

```python
from matchart import plot
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt

x = np.linspace(0, 10)
np.random.seed(19680801)  # Fixing random state for reproducibility

fig, ax, arts = plot(
		[x, np.sin(x) + x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + np.random.randn(50)],
		title="'fivethirtyeight' style sheet",
		theme='fivethirtyeight',
		show=False)
ax.xaxis.set_visible(False)
ax.yaxis.set_visible(False)
plt.show()
```

#### Clever solution (better)

To solve such kind of problems there is *context manager* support:

1. draw plot with `context=True`;
2. customize figure with *matplotlib* stuff within context manager.

```python
from matchart import plot
import numpy as np

x = np.linspace(0, 10)
np.random.seed(19680801)  # Fixing random state for reproducibility

with plot(
		[x, np.sin(x) + x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + np.random.randn(50)],
		title="'fivethirtyeight' style sheet",
		theme='fivethirtyeight',
		context=True) as results:
	ax = results[1]
	ax.xaxis.set_visible(False)
	ax.yaxis.set_visible(False)
```

#### The best solution

Specially for lazy people there is special alias to be used within *context manager*:

1. draw plot with `matchart.cplot()`;
2. customize figure with *matplotlib* stuff within context manager.

```python
from matchart import cplot
import numpy as np

x = np.linspace(0, 10)
np.random.seed(19680801)  # Fixing random state for reproducibility

with cplot(
		[x, np.sin(x) + x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 0.5 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) - 2 * x + np.random.randn(50)],
		[x, np.sin(x) + np.random.randn(50)],
		title="'fivethirtyeight' style sheet",
		theme='fivethirtyeight') as plotter:
	plotter.axis.xaxis.set_visible(False)
	plotter.axis.yaxis.set_visible(False)
```

Now you can customize plots just adding literally one letter.

# Changelog

**1.1.5**:

* Add getters to context plotter.

**1.1.4**:

* Add ticks control parameters.
* Add automatic cleanup on any error (parameter `clear_on_error`).

**1.1.3**:

* Add `context` parameter and alias `matchart.cplot(...)` to delay plot showing within context manager.
* Add `block` parameter of [matplotlib's show function](https://matplotlib.org/stable/api/_as_gen/matplotlib.pyplot.show.html#matplotlib.pyplot.show).
* Small enhancements and bugs fixes.