[Matplotlib-users] pyplot: Extract contourset without plotting

Dear all,

contourset = pyplot.contour(..)

calculates the contourset but also grabs whatever figure is currently  
active *somewhere* in the entire code
and whichever scope it was created. The contours are plotted into it.

While I could possibly live with that, I would really like to
suppress any plotting and grabbig of focus. Only the contourset  
should be calculated.

I can't find anything that describes this. Everybody wants the plot,  
not me.

I would like to avoid hte workaround  to ask for the currently active  
figure (if!! there is one at all), store the number, and later return  
focus. Is there no switch parameter (in pyplot or for contour at  
least) that turns plotting off?

Regards
Daniel