Changing the order of pandas/matplotlib line plotting without changing data order

Question

Given the following example:

df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(1,10, size=(8,3)), columns=list('XYZ'))
df.plot(linewidth=10)

The order of plotting puts the last column on top:

How can I make this keep the data & legend order but change the behaviour so that it plots X on top of Y on top of Z?

(I know I can change the data column order and edit the legend order but I am hoping for a simpler easier method leaving the data as is)

UPDATE: final solution used:

(Thanks to r-beginners) I used the get_lines to modify the z-order of each plot

df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(1,10, size=(8,3)), columns=list('XYZ'))
fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(111)
df.plot(ax=ax, linewidth=10)
lines = ax.get_lines()
for i, line in enumerate(lines, -len(lines)):
    line.set_zorder(abs(i))
fig

In a notebook produces:

r-beginners · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-15 10:10:33Z

6

Get the default zorder and sort it in the desired order.


import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
np.random.seed(2021)

df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(1,10, size=(8,3)), columns=list('XYZ'))
ax = df.plot(linewidth=10)
l = ax.get_children()
print(l)
l[0].set_zorder(3)
l[1].set_zorder(1)
l[2].set_zorder(2)

Before definition

After defining zorder

answered Feb 15, 2021 at 10:10

r-beginners

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Comments

SpaceBurger · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-15 10:13:00Z

1

I will just put this answer here because it is a solution to the problem, but probably not the one you are looking for.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np

# generate data
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(1,10, size=(8,3)), columns=list('XYZ'))

# read columns in reverse order and plot them
# so normally, the legend will be inverted as well, but if we invert it again, you should get what you want
df[df.columns[::-1]].plot(linewidth=10, legend="reverse")

Note that in this example, you don't change the order of your data, you just read it differently, so I don't really know if that's what you want.

You can also make it easier on the eyes by creating a corresponding method.

def plot_dataframe(df: pd.DataFrame) -> None:
  df[df.columns[::-1]].plot(linewidth=10, legend="reverse")

# then you just have to call this
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(1,10, size=(8,3)), columns=list('XYZ'))
plot_dataframe(df)

edited Feb 15, 2021 at 10:13

answered Feb 15, 2021 at 10:00

SpaceBurger

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1 Comment

mrkbutty Over a year ago

Thanks @spacebrger that's a useful solution but as you said not quite what i was looking for - i didn't know about that legend option either, so thanks for that too!

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