saving figures in pyplot produces blank windows

Question

I am using python and matplotlib.pyplot to produce various plots.

I am not making the plots show(), I am instead saving them using matplotlib.pyplot.savefig() and matplotlib.pyplot.clf()

As the code runs, X11 brings up a cascade of blank windows - 1 for every plot that I save - until the code has finished.

The code works and my plots are saved as desired, but the blank windows which appear while the code is running are annoying.

How can I stop this please?

Edit:

This happens on all of my code. I guess the only relevant code is what I already put:

matplotlib.pyplot.savefig('{0}.png' .format(index))
matplotlib.pyplot.clf()

Okay, after further invetigation, my problem only occurs if I have imported Gpy. Here is a simple example that shows my issue:

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

x = np.arange(0,10,1)

for i in range(10):
    fig = plt.figure()
    plt.plot(x)
    plt.savefig('test_{0}.png' .format(i))
   plt.clf()

Of course now, I can just remove the import Gpy line if I don't need it.

My version of python is 2.7.3

It's not clear to me, why you are calling plt.clf at the end. Isn't plt.close what you actually want to do? — cel
– cel, Commented Feb 22, 2015 at 11:53
Which version of matplotlib are you using? Could you increase the size of your code example to show a minimal, complete and verifiable example that produces the undesired behavior on your side, but such that we can also run it, to verify? — Oliver W.
– Oliver W., Commented Feb 22, 2015 at 12:07
Also consider using the OO interface and a non-interactive backend (ex Agg) — tacaswell
– tacaswell, Commented Feb 23, 2015 at 3:03

george · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-23 04:40:20Z

1

There's a pretty good chance that GPy is somehow turning on matplotlibs interactive mode. You can turn it off again using

plt.ioff()

Hopefully that works

answered Feb 23, 2015 at 4:40

george

1611 gold badge1 silver badge6 bronze badges

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

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

saving figures in pyplot produces blank windows

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related