Adding subplots to a particular figure using "subplot2grid" method

Question

I am trying to add subplots of differing sizes to a particular matplotlib figure, and am unsure of how to do so. In the case of there only being one figure, the "subplot2grid" can be utilized as follows:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig = plt.figure()

ax1 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (0, 0), colspan=2)
ax1 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (1, 1))

plt.show()

The above code creates a figure, and adds two subplots to that figure, each with different dimensions. Now, my issue arises in the case of having multiple figures -- I cannot find the appropriate way to add subplots to a particular figure using "subplot2grid." Using the more simple "add_subplot" method, one can add subplots to a particular figure, as seen in the below code:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig1 = plt.figure()
fig2 = plt.figure()

ax1 = fig1.add_subplot(2, 2, 1)
ax2 = fig1.add_subplot(2, 2, 4)

plt.show()

I am looking for the analogous method for adding subplots of different sizes (preferably using some sort of grid manager, e.g. "subplot2grid") to a particular figure. I have reservations about using the plt."x" style because it operates on the last figure that was created -- my code will have several figures, all of which I will need to have subplots of different sizes.

Thanks in advance,

Curtis M.

You can set the current figure, then your plt."x" style command will go to whichever figure you have chosen. stackoverflow.com/questions/7986567/… — RuthC
– RuthC, Commented Aug 30, 2017 at 20:17

ImportanceOfBeingErnest · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-31 10:44:15Z

4

In the future (probably the upcoming release?), subplot2grid will take a fig argument

subplot2grid(shape, loc, rowspan=1, colspan=1, fig=None, **kwargs)

such that the following would be possible:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig1=plt.figure()
fig2=plt.figure()

ax1 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (0, 0), colspan=2, fig=fig1)
ax2 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (1, 1),  fig=fig1)

plt.show()

As of now (version 2.0.2) this is not yet possible. Alternatively, you can manually define the underlying GridSpec

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.gridspec import GridSpec

fig1=plt.figure()
fig2=plt.figure()

spec1 = GridSpec(2, 2).new_subplotspec((0,0), colspan=2)
ax1 = fig1.add_subplot(spec1)
spec2 = GridSpec(2, 2).new_subplotspec((1,1))
ax2 = fig1.add_subplot(spec2)

plt.show()

Or you can simply set the current figure, such that plt.subplot2grid will work on that exact figure (as shown in this question)

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig1=plt.figure(1)
fig2=plt.figure(2)

# ... some other stuff

plt.figure(1) # set current figure to fig1
ax1 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (0, 0), colspan=2)
ax2 = plt.subplot2grid((2, 2), (1, 1))

plt.show()

answered Aug 31, 2017 at 10:44

ImportanceOfBeingErnest

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1 Comment

Curtis Mason Over a year ago

Manual definition of GridSpec worked just fine. Thank you!

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