CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonmatplotlib
user3329732
user3329732

Reputation: 343

How can I suppress the major label xticks in matplotlib axes?

This code generates individual boxplots for samples subdivided into three groups of data. So, dataset 1 has samples A, B and C and so on. When I plot the x-axis I only want the sample names ('Sample A, 'Sample B' etc) and NOT the major labels (i.e. 'dataset1', 'dataset2' etc) - I don't know how to suppress the major labels.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
import random

#build dataset as dictionary
data = {}
data['dataset1'] = {}
data['dataset2'] = {}
data['dataset3'] = {}

#simulate data
n = 100
for k,v in data.iteritems():
    upper = random.randint(0, 1000)
    v['sample A'] = np.random.uniform(0, upper, size=n)
    v['sample B'] = np.random.uniform(0, upper, size=n)
    v['sample C'] = np.random.uniform(0, upper, size=n)

fig, axes = plt.subplots(ncols=3, sharey=True)
fig.subplots_adjust(wspace=0)

#build subplots
for ax, name in zip(axes, ['dataset1', 'dataset2', 'dataset3']):
    ax.boxplot([data[name][item] for item in ['sample A', 'sample B', 'sample C']])
    ax.set(xticklabels=['sample A', 'sample B', 'sample C'], xlabel=name)
    ax.margins(0.05) # Optional

#plot labels
for ax in fig.axes:
    plt.sca(ax)
    plt.xticks(ha = 'right', rotation=45)

plt.show()

In case your wondering this is causing a major presentation problem for my actual dataset.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 125

Answers (3)

Sheldore
Sheldore

Reputation: 39042

Both the other solutions first created the x-labels and then removed/hid them. The simplest way is to not put the labels in the first place.

Just use 

ax.set(xticklabels=['sample A', 'sample B', 'sample C'])

without passing the argument xlabel=name enter image description here

Upvotes: 2

gehbiszumeis
gehbiszumeis

Reputation: 3711

Set the labels invisible

#build subplots
for ax, name in zip(axes, ['dataset1', 'dataset2', 'dataset3']):
    ax.boxplot([data[name][item] for item in ['sample A', 'sample B', 'sample C']])
    ax.set(xticklabels=['sample A', 'sample B', 'sample C'], xlabel=name)
    ax.margins(0.05) # Optional
    ax.xaxis.label.set_visible(False)     # Add this to suppress the major labels

Upvotes: 1

Lucas
Lucas

Reputation: 7331

An easy solution replace the label with a empty string, or make it invisible: 

for ax in fig.axes:
    plt.xlabel('')
    # or
    # ax.xaxis.label.set_visible(False)

example_plot

Upvotes: 1

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