Thread: [Matplotlib-users] How to specify size in matplotlib.pyplot.figure(...)?

Hello all, I'd like to create a "matplotlib.pyplot.figure(...)" object
and specify the size while I'm at it. I see this argument list from
the matplotlib's documentation:

pyplot.figure(num=None, figsize=(8, 6), dpi=80, facecolor='w', edgecolor='k')

The on-screen size is being computed using inches (for height and
width) and dpi. But I don't know what the dpi is in advance. What can
I do? In case it's relevant, I'm using Python 2.5 and the latest
download of matplotlib.

Thanks in advance.

-L

lionel keene wrote:
> Hello all, I'd like to create a "matplotlib.pyplot.figure(...)" object
> and specify the size while I'm at it. I see this argument list from
> the matplotlib's documentation:
> 
> pyplot.figure(num=None, figsize=(8, 6), dpi=80, facecolor='w', edgecolor='k')
> 
> The on-screen size is being computed using inches (for height and
> width) and dpi. But I don't know what the dpi is in advance. What can
> I do? In case it's relevant, I'm using Python 2.5 and the latest
> download of matplotlib.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> -L


I'm not quite sure I understand; if you don't know the dpi when you 
create the figure, when *will* you know it?

Lack of knowledge of the actual dpi of a display is a general problem, 
and I don't know of any general solution.  Typically one has to guess, 
or let the user measure it and input it as a variable at the start of a 
graphics program.  Ideally, every display would communicate its dpi to 
the operating system, and graphics software would be able to read and 
use this value.  I don't know if any systems actually work this way.

Eric