Module: core.magics.pylab

Implementation of magic functions for matplotlib/pylab support.

1 Class

class IPython.core.magics.pylab.PylabMagics(shell)

Bases: IPython.core.magic.Magics

Magics related to matplotlib’s pylab support

pylab(parameter_s='')

Load numpy and matplotlib to work interactively.

%pylab [GUINAME]

This function lets you activate pylab (matplotlib, numpy and interactive support) at any point during an IPython session.

It will import at the top level numpy as np, pyplot as plt, matplotlib, pylab and mlab, as well as all names from numpy and pylab.

If you are using the inline matplotlib backend for embedded figures, you can adjust its behavior via the %config magic:

# enable SVG figures, necessary for SVG+XHTML export in the qtconsole
In [1]: %config InlineBackend.figure_format = 'svg'

# change the behavior of closing all figures at the end of each
# execution (cell), or allowing reuse of active figures across
# cells:
In [2]: %config InlineBackend.close_figures = False

Parameters :

guiname : optional

One of the valid arguments to the %gui magic (‘qt’, ‘wx’, ‘gtk’, ‘osx’ or ‘tk’). If given, the corresponding Matplotlib backend is used, otherwise matplotlib’s default (which you can override in your matplotlib config file) is used.

Examples

In this case, where the MPL default is TkAgg:

In [2]: %pylab

Welcome to pylab, a matplotlib-based Python environment.
Backend in use: TkAgg
For more information, type 'help(pylab)'.

But you can explicitly request a different backend:

In [3]: %pylab qt

Welcome to pylab, a matplotlib-based Python environment.
Backend in use: Qt4Agg
For more information, type 'help(pylab)'.