Export vector PDF plots
Description:
This code exports a plot as a vector-based PDF using matplotlib, which ensures that the plot remains sharp and clear when zoomed or printed.
Code Explanation:
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First, we import matplotlib and create sample data.
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A simple line plot is created using
plt.plot(). -
Instead of saving the plot as a raster image (like PNG), we use
plt.savefig()to save it as a PDF. -
PDFs are vector-based, which means they can scale without losing quality.
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This is ideal for scientific papers, publications, and print work where clarity is important.
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The
bbox_inches='tight'argument helps to remove extra white spaces around the plot.
Program:
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
# Sample data
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.cos(x)
# Create the plot
plt.figure(figsize=(8, 4))
plt.plot(x, y, label='Cosine Wave', color='blue')
plt.title('Vector PDF Export Example')
plt.xlabel('X Axis')
plt.ylabel('Y Axis')
plt.legend()
plt.grid(True)
# Save the plot as a vector PDF
plt.savefig("vector_plot.pdf", format='pdf', bbox_inches='tight')
# Show the plot (optional)
plt.show()
Output:
