Python matplotlib: Save to pdf in multiple pages

Question

I am trying to do the following:

I have created a figure, using matplotlib, with several subplots. More specifically, 2x4 subplots

The output is great for showing it on the screen, but not for saving it to pdf.

If I just use save_fig, it prints a single page pdf document, with the 2x4 grid.

What I would like to do, is re-arrange my subplots, to let's say a 2x4 grid (choosing which subplot goes where, would be good, but not necessary) and printing it to a 2-page pdf with 4 subplots each. (in order to be able to fit it to A4 page size)

Is this possible?

Thank you in advanced!

Answer 1

I would suggest to create 3 figures. One for showing and 2 for saving and plot the same data to them.

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np


data = np.sort(np.cumsum(np.random.rand(24,16), axis=0), axis=0)

def plot(ax, x, y, **kwargs):
    ax.plot(x,y, **kwargs)

colors = ["crimson", "indigo", "limegreen", "gold"]
markers = ["o", "", "s", ""]
lines = ["", "-", "", ":"]

# figure 0 for showing
fig0, axes = plt.subplots(nrows=2,ncols=4)

for i, ax in enumerate(axes.flatten()):
    plot(ax, data[:,2*i], data[:,2*i+1], marker=markers[i%4], ls=lines[i%4],color=colors[i%4])


# figure 1 for saving
fig1, axes = plt.subplots(nrows=1,ncols=4)
for i, ax in enumerate(axes.flatten()):
    plot(ax, data[:,2*i], data[:,2*i+1], marker=markers[i], ls=lines[i],color=colors[i])

#figure 2 for saving
fig2, axes = plt.subplots(nrows=1,ncols=4)
for i, ax in enumerate(axes.flatten()):
    plot(ax, data[:,2*i+4], data[:,2*i+1+4], marker=markers[i], ls=lines[i],color=colors[i])

#save figures 1 and 2
fig1.savefig(__file__+"1.pdf")
fig2.savefig(__file__+"2.pdf")

#close figures 1 and 2
plt.close(fig1)
plt.close(fig2)
#only show figure 0
plt.show()