Pure Python Implementation
Below's a pure python implementation of the desired functionality that handles any numeric series (int or float) with positive, negative, or mixed values and allows for the user to specify the desired step size:
import math
def computeTicks (x, step = 5):
"""
Computes domain with given step encompassing series x
@ params
x - Required - A list-like object of integers or floats
step - Optional - Tick frequency
"""
xMax, xMin = math.ceil(max(x)), math.floor(min(x))
dMax, dMin = xMax + abs((xMax % step) - step) + (step if (xMax % step != 0) else 0), xMin - abs((xMin % step))
return range(dMin, dMax, step)
Sample Output
# Negative to Positive
series = [-2, 18, 24, 29, 43]
print(list(computeTicks(series)))
[-5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45]
# Negative to 0
series = [-30, -14, -10, -9, -3, 0]
print(list(computeTicks(series)))
[-30, -25, -20, -15, -10, -5, 0]
# 0 to Positive
series = [19, 23, 24, 27]
print(list(computeTicks(series)))
[15, 20, 25, 30]
# Floats
series = [1.8, 12.0, 21.2]
print(list(computeTicks(series)))
[0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25]
# Step – 100
series = [118.3, 293.2, 768.1]
print(list(computeTicks(series, step = 100)))
[100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800]
Sample Usage
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
x = [0,5,9,10,15]
y = [0,1,2,3,4]
plt.plot(x,y)
plt.xticks(computeTicks(x))
plt.show()
Notice the x-axis has integer values all evenly spaced by 5, whereas the y-axis has a different interval (the matplotlib
default behavior, because the ticks weren't specified).
pyplot.locator_params(nbins=4)
– Dr. Jan-Philip Gehrcke