Add subplots to matplotlib figure after creation

Question

I would like to create a figure with 2x2 subplots. Then with some input from the user (on a different thread), the figure changes to MxN group of sub plots without creating another figure box. Is this possible?

x = [1,2,3]
y = [1,2,3]
fig, axs = plt.subplots(222)
threadedPlotShow(ax, x, y) #in a different thread, shows figure with xy on each

#wait for user input
m = raw_input("enter rows")
n = raw_input("enter cols")

update_figure(x,y,M,N,fig)

def update_figure(self, x, y, M, N, fig):
    ax=fig.add_subplot(nrows=M,ncols=N, index=M+N+1)
    ax.plot(x,y)
    plt.draw()

These posts do not help because it creates new figures (at least in my implementation, if they should't let me know and I will keep trying): Dynamically add/create subplots in matplotlib

matplotlib dynamic number of subplot

Would you care to elaborate why those posts do not help? What is different in your case. It seems from the outset at least, that what you require is a combination of those posts. — Duck Dodgers, Dec 31 '18 at 17:36
Or this: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/35322009/can-i-tell-python-to-put-an-existing-figure-in-a-new-figure — doctorlove, Dec 31 '18 at 17:39
@JoeyMallone I tried the combo and I got new figures each iteration. I went through the docs and came up with this example I added and its not working... I will now go back and try the combo again — laserpython, Dec 31 '18 at 18:25
I updated matplotlib from 2.0.2 to 3.0.x and used gridspec and it works... Should I delete question? or answer it? — laserpython, Dec 31 '18 at 20:06

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 03 '19 at 21:45

user inputs which data to plot, then M,N are auto generated. We clear figure, add gridpsec, add subplot, plot data. Same figure is reused, just new data each time.

clear_figure()
gs = fig.add_gridspec(M, N, wspace=0.1)
ax = fig.add_subplot(gs[M,N])
ax.plot(x,y)

Add subplots to matplotlib figure after creation

1 Answers1