Matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset() in Python

Last Updated : 25 Apr, 2025

Matplotlib is a library in Python and it is numerical – mathematical extension for NumPy library. The Axes Class contains most of the figure elements: Axis, Tick, Line2D, Text, Polygon, etc., and sets the coordinate system. And the instances of Axes supports callbacks through a callbacks attribute.

matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset() Function

The Axes.indicate_inset() function in axes module of matplotlib library is also used to add an inset indicator to the axes.

Syntax: Axes.indicate_inset(self, bounds, inset_ax=None, *, transform=None, facecolor=’none’, edgecolor=’0.5′, alpha=0.5, zorder=4.99, **kwargs)

Parameters: This method accept the following parameters that are described below:

bounds: This parameter is the Lower-left corner of rectangle to be marked and its width and height.[x0, y0, width, height]
transform: This parameter is the units of rect are in axes-relative coordinates.
zorder: This parameter contains the number and its default value is 5.
inset_ax: This parameter is an optional inset axes to draw connecting lines to.
facecolor: This parameter is used to insert the facecolor of the rectangle.
edgecolor: This parameter is the color of the rectangle and color of the connecting lines.
alpha: This parameter represents the transparency of the rectangle and connector lines.

Returns: This method returns the following:

rectangle_patch : This return the indicator frame.
connector_lines: This return the four connector lines connecting to (lower_left, upper_left, lower_right upper_right) corners of inset_ax.

Note: This function works in Matplotlib version >= 3.0

Below examples illustrate the matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset() function in matplotlib.axes:

Example 1:

Python3

# Implementation of matplotlib function
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
   
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.plot(range(10))
axin1 = ax.indicate_inset([0.8, 0.1, 0.5, 0.5])
axin2 = ax.indicate_inset(
        [5, 7, 2.3, 2.3], transform = ax.transData)
ax.set_title('matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset() Example',
             fontsize = 14, fontweight ='bold')
plt.show()

Output:

Example 2:

Python3

# Implementation of matplotlib function
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
  
def geeks():
    from matplotlib.cbook import get_sample_data
    import numpy as np
    f = get_sample_data("axes_grid/bivariate_normal.npy",
                        asfileobj = False)
 
    z = np.load(f)
    return z, (-3, 4, -4, 3)
  
fig, ax = plt.subplots()
ax.plot(range(-3, 5), range(-4, 4))
X, extent = geeks()
Z2 = np.zeros([150, 150], dtype ="g")
ny, nx = X.shape
Z2[30:30 + ny, 30:30 + nx] = X
  
ax.imshow(Z2**3 + 100, extent = extent, 
          interpolation ="nearest",
          origin ="lower", cmap ="Greens")
  
axins, axins1 = ax.indicate_inset([-1.5, -2.5, 0.8, 0.8])
  
ax.set_title('matplotlib.axes.Axes.indicate_inset() Example',
             fontsize = 14, fontweight ='bold')
plt.show()