.. index:: Matplotlib
.. _Matplotlib:

Matplotlib
==========

Description
-----------

Matplotlib is a python 2D plotting library which produces publication quality figures in a variety of hardcopy formats and interactive environments across platforms.

User instructions
-----------------

Matplotlib 2.0.0 is installed on all the workstations from the Debian repositories.

Extensive documentation is available at http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/.  Good quality documentation is also availably interactively via python docstrings, e.g.

.. code-block:: python

    import pylab
    print pylab.plot.__doc__

Note that matplotlib does not play nicely when multiple versions are installed.  In particular, the cached objects stored in $HOME/.matplotlib are not always (i.e. usually are not) compatible between different versions.  Errors related to fonts when using matplotlib can usually be resolved by simply deleting the $HOME/.matplotlib directory, which typically only contains cached data which is simply regenerated automatically when (the different version of) matplotlib is subsequently used.

Source
------

http://www.matplotlib.org

License
-------

Based upon the PSF licence.  Uses only BSD compatible code.

Admin notes
-----------

The version from the Debian repositories is sufficiently recent currently.