How to repeat axes setting in a loop in matplotlib?

Question

I usually use the following commands to create a multi-panel plot:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

fig, mainax = plt.subplots(nrows=2, ncols=2, figsize=(10, 10), dpi=100)
ax1, ax2, ax3, ax4 = mainax.flatten()

Then, I use the following command to adjust the axes setting:

ax1.tick_params('x', which='major', length=10, width=2, direction='in', labelsize=24, labelbottom=True)

ax1.tick_params('x', which='minor', length=7, width=2, direction='in')

for axis in ['top', 'bottom', 'left', 'right']:
    ax1.spines[axis].set_linewidth(2)

for tick in ax1.get_xticklabels():
    tick.set_fontname('serif')

I have to repeat them for ax1, ax2, ax3, and ax4. As long as I have a few panels, there is no problem, but when I have too many panels (e.g., 5 rows and 4 columns) the code would be ugly if I repeat them.

How can I put them in a loop? Or any alternative way to avoid repeating the commands?

Answer 1

You can avoid any loop by using matplotlib.rcParams.
You can add those line at the beginning of your python script:

rcParams['xtick.major.size'] = 10
rcParams['xtick.major.width'] = 2
rcParams['xtick.direction'] = 'in'
rcParams['xtick.labelsize'] = 24
rcParams['xtick.labelbottom'] = True

rcParams['xtick.minor.size'] = 7
rcParams['xtick.minor.width'] = 2

rcParams['font.family'] = 'serif'

rcParams['axes.linewidth'] = 2

Refer to this documentation for more customization options.
Example of working code:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import rcParams

rcParams['xtick.major.size'] = 10
rcParams['xtick.major.width'] = 2
rcParams['xtick.direction'] = 'in'
rcParams['xtick.labelsize'] = 24
rcParams['xtick.labelbottom'] = True

rcParams['xtick.minor.size'] = 7
rcParams['xtick.minor.width'] = 2

rcParams['font.family'] = 'serif'

rcParams['axes.linewidth'] = 2


fig, mainax = plt.subplots(nrows=2, ncols=2, figsize=(10, 10), dpi=100)

plt.show()

• 2 rows and 2 columns:

  

• 5 rows and 4 columns: