Matplotlib axis with two scales shared origin
I need two overlay two datasets with different Y-axis scales in Matplotlib. The data contains both positive and negative values. I want the two axes to share one origin, but Matplotlib does not align the two scales by default.
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig = plt.figure()
ax1 = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax2 = ax1.twinx()
ax1.bar(range(6), (2, -2, 1, 0, 0, 0))
ax2.plot(range(6), (0, 2, 8, -2, 0, 0))
plt.show()
I suppose it is possible to perform some computation with .get_ylim()
and .set_ylim()
two align the two scales. Is there an easier solution?
use the align_yaxis() function:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
def align_yaxis(ax1, v1, ax2, v2):
"""adjust ax2 ylimit so that v2 in ax2 is aligned to v1 in ax1"""
_, y1 = ax1.transData.transform((0, v1))
_, y2 = ax2.transData.transform((0, v2))
inv = ax2.transData.inverted()
_, dy = inv.transform((0, 0)) - inv.transform((0, y1-y2))
miny, maxy = ax2.get_ylim()
ax2.set_ylim(miny+dy, maxy+dy)
fig = plt.figure()
ax1 = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax2 = ax1.twinx()
ax1.bar(range(6), (2, -2, 1, 0, 0, 0))
ax2.plot(range(6), (0, 2, 8, -2, 0, 0))
align_yaxis(ax1, 0, ax2, 0)
plt.show()
In order to ensure that the y-bounds are maintained (so no data points are shifted off the plot), and to balance adjustment of both y-axes, I made some additions to @HYRY's answer:
def align_yaxis(ax1, v1, ax2, v2):
"""adjust ax2 ylimit so that v2 in ax2 is aligned to v1 in ax1"""
_, y1 = ax1.transData.transform((0, v1))
_, y2 = ax2.transData.transform((0, v2))
adjust_yaxis(ax2,(y1-y2)/2,v2)
adjust_yaxis(ax1,(y2-y1)/2,v1)
def adjust_yaxis(ax,ydif,v):
"""shift axis ax by ydiff, maintaining point v at the same location"""
inv = ax.transData.inverted()
_, dy = inv.transform((0, 0)) - inv.transform((0, ydif))
miny, maxy = ax.get_ylim()
miny, maxy = miny - v, maxy - v
if -miny>maxy or (-miny==maxy and dy > 0):
nminy = miny
nmaxy = miny*(maxy+dy)/(miny+dy)
else:
nmaxy = maxy
nminy = maxy*(miny+dy)/(maxy+dy)
ax.set_ylim(nminy+v, nmaxy+v)