Matplotlib not listening to font choices

Question

I am unable to avoid an error in matplotlib regarding font choice. Whenever I try to plot on a remote machine in Linux I get the following error:

/home/josh/anaconda/envs/py27/lib/python2.7/site-packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py:1236:
UserWarning: findfont: Font family ['Arial'] not found. 
Falling back to Bitstream Vera Sans 
(prop.get_family(), self.defaultFamily[fontext]))

I have edited my .matplotlibrc file (just in case, in two locations):

.matplotlib/.matplotlibrc
.config/matplotlib/.matplotlibrc

Where I added the following lines:

backend: Agg
font.family        : serif
font.serif         : Times, Palatino, New Century Schoolbook, Bookman, Computer Modern Roman
font.sans-serif    : Helvetica, Avant Garde, Computer Modern Sans serif
font.cursive       : Zapf Chancery
font.monospace     : Courier, Computer Modern Typewriter
text.usetex        : true

Still, matplotlib keeps complaining about Arial. Why? (note this is when running a script with python my_script.py) with no IPython involved.

Added the seaborn tag. If you are not using straight matplotlib you should indicate what extension layer you are using. — tacaswell
– tacaswell, Commented Apr 22, 2014 at 14:31

mwaskom · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-23 00:52:42Z

6

If you're using seaborn and don't have Arial installed, this will happen (I'm actually currently in the process of making this work better). Best solution for the time being would be to call

sns.set(font="serif")

After importing seaborn and before plotting.

edited Apr 23, 2014 at 0:52

answered Apr 22, 2014 at 20:34

mwaskom

49.3k16 gold badges135 silver badges137 bronze badges

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

4 Comments

Amelio Vazquez-Reina Over a year ago

Thanks -- Has there been a solution since then? I recently upgraded seaborn from master with no success.

mwaskom Over a year ago

Unfortunately not, I ended up tracking the problem down to a bug in matplotlib. It should be fixed in 1.4...

tommy.carstensen Over a year ago

What is sns? How would I set Arial if available on my system?

Neelotpal Shukla Over a year ago

Seaborn is most commonly imported as sns.

akgill · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-21 23:36:01Z

3

from the documentation (see method description for set_family or set_name)

Real font names are not supported when text.usetex is True.

Perhaps you should use a font family like 'serif', 'sans-serif', 'cursive', 'fantasy', or 'monospace' if you'd like to be able to use TeX.

answered Apr 21, 2014 at 23:36

akgill

7064 silver badges8 bronze badges

4 Comments

Amelio Vazquez-Reina Over a year ago

Thanks, although I am not sure I follow. Where am I failing to specify a font family like the ones you mentioned? What exactly do I need to change in my .matplotlibrc?

akgill Over a year ago

It would be helpful to see the code in which you are specifying 'Arial'.

Amelio Vazquez-Reina Over a year ago

I am not setting it myself. I wonder if this is coming from importing seaborn.

Paul H Over a year ago

seaborn indeed overrides the fonts. @user815423426

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Matplotlib not listening to font choices

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related