Re: [matplotlib-devel] How to use STIX fonts in matplotlib plots?

Example script for using mathtext.fontset:

import matplotlib as mpl
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt

mpl.rcParams["mathtext.fontset"] = "stix"

x = np.arange(-5, 5, 0.01)
y = x*x

plt.plot(x, y)
plt.xlabel(r"$x$")
plt.ylabel(r"$x^2$")
plt.show()

Apparently the axis labels are correctly rendered using STIX fonts, *but*
in a bitmapped way (?). At least, on my retina screen the labels look fuzzy.

How can I change also the tic labels to use STIX fonts?

By the way, the following is a useful idiom to search for relevant
parameters in the rcParams:

[k for k in mpl.rcParams.keys() if 'font' in k]

I think it would be useful to document this -- where would be a good place?

Finally, could somebody please explain what 'rc' means? This does not seem
like a good name to me.
I know it comes from the UNIX world, but I couldn't find an explanation for
'rc' on Wikipedia.

OK, I found it:
http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/rc-file.html

This is not good -- there is *no* reason to use the nomenclature 'rc'; this
is just confusing for users who find it arcane and unwelcoming (I speak
from experience).

Could it not just be called
mpl.parameters,   or  mpl.mpl_parameters,
or something like that?


Best,
David






On Sat, Jul 20, 2013 at 9:41 AM, David P. Sanders <
dps...@ci...> wrote:

> I find the default font used in matplotlib horrible. We should be able to
> do much better these days.
>
> One very interesting option, at least for standard (paper) publishing, is
> the STIX fonts, which is a Times-like font set promoted by several
> publishers.
>
> There are various options in matplotlib, such as
> matplotlib.rcParams["mathtext.fontset"], which allow the option "stix",
> but I have not been able to get it to work. Can anybody please help me with
> this -- what is required?
>
> I have the STIX otf or ttf installed on my Mac, but I don't seem to manage
> to get the LaTeX versions installed -- installing LaTeX fonts is *so*
> disgusting (is there some helper script for that?).
>
> Thanks and best wishes,
> David.
>
> --
> Dr. David P. Sanders
>
> Profesor Titular "A" / Associate Professor
> Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
> Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
>
> dps...@ci...
> http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/~dsanders
>
> Cubículo / office: #414, 4o. piso del Depto. de Física
>
> Tel.: +52 55 5622 4965
>



-- 
Dr. David P. Sanders

Profesor Titular "A" / Associate Professor
Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

dps...@ci...
http://sistemas.fciencias.unam.mx/~dsanders

Cubículo / office: #414, 4o. piso del Depto. de Física

Tel.: +52 55 5622 4965