How to label the x-axis only with hour:min in matplotlib (using datetime)?

Question

I am trying to create a plot using time in the hour:min format on the x-axis and some values on the y-axis. The data on the x-axis is built using the datetime.datetime method. However, the figure shows the x-axis in the month-day:hour format.

I would be very grateful if someone could help me solve this problem.

Here is the python code to reproduce the problem:

import datetime
import matplotlib
import matplotlib.pyplot

x_axis_time = [datetime.datetime(2024, 1, 24, h, 0) for h in range(1,24)]
#x_axis_time = [i.time() for i in x_axis_time] #converting to HH:MM format do not work
y_axis_values = [n*50 for n in range(0,23)]

matplotlib.pyplot.plot(x_axis_time, y_axis_values)
matplotlib.pyplot.gcf().autofmt_xdate()
matplotlib.pyplot.show()

Blue Robin · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-27 12:34:54Z

2

Just format the data to show in the axis: .strftime('%H:%M')

x_axis_time = [datetime.datetime(2024, 1, 24, h, 0).strftime('%H:%M') for h in range(1,24)]

edited Jan 27, 2024 at 12:34

Blue Robin

1,1536 gold badges17 silver badges40 bronze badges

answered Jan 26, 2024 at 1:01

Angel Luis Ortega Amador

193 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Ivan Castro Over a year ago

It works. The disadvantage now is that it populates the x-axis with every single time-data. But it will be another question. Thanks a lot.

RuthC · Accepted Answer · 2024-01-26 18:45:09Z

1

Format the dates using the DateFormatter class. The format string is the same as for datetime's strftime and strptime.

import datetime

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.dates as mdates


x_axis_time = [datetime.datetime(2024, 1, 24, h, 0) for h in range(1,24)]
y_axis_values = [n*50 for n in range(0,23)]

fig, ax = plt.subplots()

ax.plot(x_axis_time, y_axis_values)
ax.xaxis.set_major_formatter(mdates.DateFormatter('%H:%M'))

fig.autofmt_xdate()
plt.show()

answered Jan 26, 2024 at 18:45

RuthC

4,3192 gold badges21 silver badges39 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to label the x-axis only with hour:min in matplotlib (using datetime)?

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related