Rust plotting library using Python and Matplotlib

This library implements high-level functions to generate plots and drawings.Although we use Python/Matplotlib, the goal is to provide a convenient Rust librarythat isdifferent than Matplotlib. The difference happens because we wantconveniencefor the Rust developer while getting thefantastic quality of Matplotlib 😀.

Internally, we useMatplotlib via a Python 3 script.First, we generate a python code in a directory of your choice (e.g.,/tmp/plotpy),and then we callpython3 using Rust’sstd::process::Command.

The Python script has the same name as the figure name given to thePlot::save function,but with the.py extension. The figure name can have the (png, pdf, or svg) extension(seeMatplotlib)for more information regarding file extensions.

We generate the Python script with the preamble listed inPYTHON_HEADER and the fileshould be useful for double checking or even directly adding Python/Matplotlib commands,in case the functionality is not implemented here yet.

When callingPlot::save() orPlot::show(), if an error occurs, we generate a logfile in the same output directory with the same filename as the figure (and python script),but with the.log extension.

The typical use of this library is by allocating structures such asCanvas,Curve,Contour,Histogram,Surface,Text (and more) and then passing them toPlot for the generationof the files mentioned above. ThePlot::show() function may also be used to immediatelysee the plot or drawing on the screen.

Alternatively,if evcxr is installed, the functionPlot::show_in_jupyter() can be used to show the resulting figure in a Jupyter notebook.

Each structure (e.g.Curve,Legend, orText) defines many configuration optionsthat can be set by calling their ownset_... function. Typically, these structures providedraw_... functions to plot/draw features. Afterwards, we callPlot::add to add these structuresto thePlot and then callPlot::save. Thedraw method of each object must be calledbefore adding toPlot.

§Example

useplotpy::{generate3d, Plot, StrError, Surface};fnmain() ->Result<(), StrError> {letmutsurface = Surface::new();    surface        .set_with_wireframe(true)        .set_colormap_name("Pastel1")        .set_with_colorbar(true)        .set_colorbar_label("temperature")        .set_wire_line_color("#1862ab")        .set_wire_line_style(":")        .set_wire_line_width(0.75);// draw surfaceletn =9;let(x, y, z) = generate3d(-2.0,2.0, -2.0,2.0, n, n, |x, y| x * x + y * y);    surface.draw(&x,&y,&z);// add surface to plotletmutplot = Plot::new();    plot.add(&surface);// save figureplot.save("/tmp/plotpy/example_main.svg")?;Ok(())}