latex-pythontex-matplotlib-tikzplotlib

Source

1. The problem

Sometimes I want to use a python script to produce a plot and include this plot in \(\LaTeX\). My usual approach was like this. First I wrote a python script that, after some computations, exported the plot to a pdf file (or some other format). Then I imported the pdf file within a figure environment in a \(\LaTeX\) file. Thus, I had three files, of which two were kind of superfluous, i.e., the python script and the pdf file with the figure. And, after some time, I typically forgot which python script I used to make which pdf file, so I had to include comments in my \(\LaTeX\) file to explain where to find what, and what did what.

And then there came a day that I did not like this anymore.

2. My solution

I want one file .tex file that contains all: obviously the story itself, but also the python and the figure, provided of course it takes not a lot of time to make the data for the figure. After some searching and testing, here is an MWE of how I am doing things now with pythontex, matplotlib, and tikzplotlib.

I use arara to compile the LaTeX file, but this just handy, not necessary for the rest to work.

2.1. One option.

If you want to run the code, but don't want to show it, use the pycode environment, as I do here. 

% arara: pdflatex: { shell: yes }
% arara: pythontex: {verbose: yes, rerun: modified }
% arara: pdflatex: { shell: yes }

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pythontex}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

Here is text.

\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\begin{pycode}

from matplotlib.pylab import plt
import tikzplotlib

plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [1, 5, 2], label="x")

plt.legend()
print(tikzplotlib.get_tikz_code(axis_height="5cm", axis_width="6cm"))
\end{pycode}
\caption{It works.}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

The trick is to not write the output of tikzplotlib to a file, but have it printed as output of the pycode environment. Note that this is an MWE; for a good figure you'll need to tune it to your needs.

2.2. Another option

If you like to include in the main text the code to show how you made the graph, use the pyblock environment, and then \printpythontex within a figure environment. 

% arara: pdflatex: { shell: yes }
% arara: pythontex: {verbose: yes, rerun: modified }
% arara: pdflatex: { shell: yes }

\begin{document}

Here is text.

\begin{pyblock}
from matplotlib.pylab import plt
import tikzplotlib

plt.plot([1, 2, 3], [9, -1, 8], label="x")

plt.legend()
print(tikzplotlib.get_tikz_code(axis_height="5cm", axis_width="6cm"))
\end{pyblock}

\begin{figure}[h]
  \centering
  \printpythontex
\end{figure}

\end{document}