How to prevent numbers being changed to exponential form in a plot

Question

I'm using Matplotlib in Python to plot simple x-y datasets. This produces nice-looking graphs, although when I "zoom in" too close on various sections of the plotted graph using the Figure View (which appears when you execute plt.show() ), the x-axis values change from standard number form (1050, 1060, 1070 etc.) to scientific form with exponential notation (e.g. 1, 1.5, 2.0 with the x-axis label given as +1.057e3).

I'd prefer my figures to retain the simple numbering of the axis, rather than using exponential form. Is there a way I can force Matplotlib to do this?

Saurel

duplicate of #11855863 – Carvey

Obsolete answers. For an updated version, see here: https://mcmap.net/q/157809/-prevent-scientific-notation/8881141 – Nonagenarian

Answer 1

The formatting of tick labels is controlled by a Formatter object, which assuming you haven't done anything fancy will be a ScalerFormatterby default. This formatter will use a constant shift if the fractional change of the values visible is very small. To avoid this, simply turn it off:

plt.plot(arange(0,100,10) + 1000, arange(0,100,10))
ax = plt.gca()
ax.get_xaxis().get_major_formatter().set_useOffset(False)
plt.draw()

If you want to avoid scientific notation in general,

ax.get_xaxis().get_major_formatter().set_scientific(False)

Can control this with globally via the axes.formatter.useoffset rcparam.

Carvey

Thanks, that works. Apologies for the duplicate question too - I did search before posting it, but my searches included terms such as "scientific notation" and "exponential form" rather than "relative axis shifts", which is what the previous user used. – Saurel

Is there a way to permanently force this change? I've never found the scientific notation axes and always end up turning them off. I couldn't see an rcParam for this though. – Saurel

@Saurel See update it is the axes.formatter.useoffset rcparam – Carvey

Great, thanks! I'd personally prefer to see this set to False by default, since it seems to confuse many and benefit few. – Saurel

True, good point. That was a fairly unsubstantiated claim, although I have seen quite a few people asking how to disable this. Anyway, this fix solves it nicely so I can forget about this for now... Cheers – Saurel

I can't get this to work; see my question here: #40336520 – Reverential

Answer 2

You can use a simpler command to turn it off:

plt.ticklabel_format(useOffset=False)

Golgotha

You might need to specify the axis with axis='x' for instance, in case you get an AttributeError about ScalarFormatters. – Barcelona

Answer 3

You can use something like:

from matplotlib.ticker import ScalarFormatter, FormatStrFormatter

ax.xaxis.set_major_formatter(FormatStrFormatter('%.0f'))

Xylia

This is the only solution that worked for me whilst using a log axis. Other options I tried all raised attribute errors, e.g. AttributeError: 'LogFormatterSciNotation' object has no attribute 'set_scientific' – Amatory

Answer 4

Use the following command: ax.ticklabel_format(useOffset=False, style='plain')

If you are using a subplot, you may experience the AttributeError: This method only works with the ScalarFormatter in which case you would add axis='y' like the below. You can change 'y' to the axis with the issues.

ax1.ticklabel_format(useOffset=False, style='plain', axis='y')

Source question and answer here. Note, the axis 'y' command use is hidden in the answer comments.

Ain

Answer 5

I have used below code before the graphs, and it worked seamless for me..

plt.ticklabel_format(style='plain')

Silicate

Answer 6

Exactly I didn't want scientific numbers to be shown when I zoom in, and the following worked in my case too. I am using Lat/Lon in labeling where scientific form doesn't make sense.

plt.ticklabel_format(useOffset=False)

Oscitancy