1. Python Professional Plots

Code example and function to help generate manuscript-worthy plots in Python with interactive zoom plots

• 1. Python Professional Plots
• 2. Single plots
• 3. Zoom plots
  • Inputs
  • Output

This script is to help researchers and alike produce manuscript-worthy plots in MATLAB without having to do too much work.

it has 3 main components

• sample plotting practises
• maximizing plot area using subplotter function
• adding zoom sub-axis to your plot for magnification

2. Single plots

An example of a single plot with zoomed axes is shown below

3. Zoom plots

There is a function written by Dr. Rahimi to help quickly and if needed interactively add zoom plots to your existing axes.

you can simply call the function with

zoomPlot(fig, ax)
# which is equivalent to
zoomPlot(fig, ax,srcLoc=[],desLoc=[],conVec=[])
# or add some additional options
zoomPlot(fig, ax,srcLoc=[],desLoc=[],conVec=[],showticks=False,color='blue')

Note that if you leave the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, elements in the function as empty (i.e.,[]), which is the default, then the function will work interactively to help you place your zoomed axes on your main axis. It will also give you the final elements in the command window so you can use it in future to hard-code them in your main script after you identify the elements interactively

Below is a quick animation of the functionality of the function

After you finalized your zoom plot with interactions as showns above, the function shows the final values for the not-given elements in the output window something similar to below

desLoc = [0.602  -5 1.96 -1.26], srcLoc = [0.356 -1.18 0.71 1.23], conVec = [3 4 2 1]

With this information you can update your code to have this vectors hard-coded in the main script so you don't have to do the interactions every time you run your code. So you would end up with something similar to below

zoomplot(fig,ax,desLoc = [0.602  -5 1.96 -1.26], srcLoc = [0.356 -1.18 0.71 1.23], conVec = [3 4 2 1], showticks=False)

Note that you can have any of the 3 elments inputted as empty (i.e., []) and if they are empty, the function (zoomPlot) will either ask you to input them (for srcLoc and desLoc) or automatically determines their value (conVec)

below is a list of all arguments and options for zoomPlot function

Inputs

Argument	Type	Required	Default	Description
fig	figure	Required	N/A	The figure the zoom axes will be inserted in
srcAx	axis	Required	N/A	The axis inside fig that the zoom axes will be inserted in
srcLoc	[1x4]	Optional	[]	Location of the source box in the srcAx in data units of srcAxis
desLoc	[1x4]	Optional	[]	Location of the zoomed box axis in the srcAx in data units of srcAxis
conVec	[1x4]	Optional	[]	Connector vector for lines between source and destination boxes
color	color value or string	Optional	'red'	The color for the highliught box and the connection lines
linewidth	decimal	Optional	1	The linewidth (thickness) for the highlight box and connectors
showconnectors	bool	Optional	True	The boolean to set whether to show the connector lines or not
showhighlightbox	bool	Optional	True	The boolean to set wether to show the highlight box or not
showticks	bool	Optional	True	The boolean to set whether to show the ticks on x and y axis of the added zoom axis

Output

Argument	Description
zoomax	Added zoom plot axis (Axis)

and here is additional information on the function and its inputs and outputs

    # This functions helps add a zoom sub axis to your existing plot
    # It is very useful when you need to add magnieifed portions to your plot
    # to give your viewer a better understanding of what is going on in a 
    # region of the plot that is very crowded