How do you treat a plot's territory for ticks? - briefly
Define the axis limits to cover the full range of tick values, then explicitly set tick positions (e.g., via set_xticks and set_yticks) and optionally add a small margin so ticks remain inside the plot area. This ensures the plot’s territory aligns precisely with the tick marks without excess whitespace.
How do you treat a plot's territory for ticks? - in detail
When configuring a graph, the region that accommodates axis markings must be managed explicitly. The process begins with defining the visual extent of the data display, typically through limits on each axis. Setting these limits determines the space available for tick placement and ensures that marks do not overlap the data or the figure border.
Next, choose a strategy for generating tick positions. Common approaches include:
- Fixed intervals: specify a constant step size (e.g., every 0.5 units) to create uniformly spaced marks.
- Adaptive intervals: employ an algorithm that selects “nice” numbers based on the range, often using a locator function that rounds to multiples of 1, 2, or 5.
- Custom positions: provide an explicit list of values when the default spacing does not suit the data distribution.
After establishing positions, assign formatting rules. Formatting controls the textual representation (decimal places, scientific notation, date formats) and the visual style (font size, rotation, alignment). Consistent formatting across major and minor ticks enhances readability.
Major and minor ticks serve different purposes. Major ticks carry labels and denote primary scale divisions; minor ticks provide finer granularity without labels. Configure them separately:
- Define major tick interval or list.
- Define minor tick interval as a fraction of the major interval.
- Adjust length, width, and color for each set to differentiate visually.
When the plot includes multiple subplots, synchronize tick settings across axes to maintain uniform scales. This often requires sharing axis limits or applying a common locator to all subplots.
Finally, verify that the allocated margin space (the area outside the data limits) is sufficient for tick labels. Increase the padding or adjust the figure size if labels are clipped. Many plotting libraries expose parameters such as tight_layout, constrained_layout, or explicit margin specifications to control this behavior.
By systematically defining limits, selecting tick generation methods, applying consistent formatting, differentiating major/minor marks, and ensuring adequate margins, the graph’s territory is prepared to display tick marks accurately and cleanly.