Using layouts in Python

Load, adjust, render

Quick Copy gives you a Design before creating the figure:

from pyplotdesigner.core.design_loader import load_design, make_figure_from_design
import_string = "PASTE_EXPORTED_STRING"
design = load_design(import_string)
fig, axes = make_figure_from_design(design)

You can use that design object to edit properties of the layout between loading and rendering. For example, if your layout contains a constant named spacing:

design.get_constant('spacing').value.set(0.4)

Rendering then solves the constraints using the new value when you ask for the fig and axes objects. Dependent axes move or resize accordingly. See Worked example: two panels with adjustable spacing for a complete runnable script.

An unknown constant name returns None. Check names that come from user input:

spacing = design.get_constant('spacing')
if spacing is None:
    raise ValueError('This layout has no spacing constant')
spacing.value.set(0.4)

Axis names and properties

The returned axes dictionary uses the names entered in the GUI:

axes['left_panel'].set_title('Measurements')
axes['left_panel'].plot([0, 1], [0, 1])

For direct layout edits, use the internal ID stored in the exported layout:

panel = design.get_element('axis-0')
panel.width.set(2.0)

Solving overwrites a direct edit if a constraint assigns that property. You can change the constant used by the constraint to parameterize such properties.

Reusing and exporting a design

Figure options such as DPI pass through to Matplotlib:

fig, axes = make_figure_from_design(design, dpi=200)

You can always change constants and render again. Each call creates a new figure; already created figures retain their existing positions.

design.get_constant('spacing').value.set(0.6)
another_fig, another_axes = make_figure_from_design(design)

Export a modified design with:

compressed_string = design.get_b64_string(compressed=True)
legacy_string = design.get_b64_string()

If you changed constraints or constants and want exported geometry to reflect them, call design.solve() before exporting.

String compatibility

The GUI exports gzip-compressed strings beginning with ppd1:. Both load_design() and the GUI importer also accept legacy base64 JSON strings. Compression preserves the layout without rounding coordinates or changing IDs.

Existing one-step Python code still works:

from pyplotdesigner.core.design_loader import make_figure_from_b64
fig, axes = make_figure_from_b64(import_string)

Package releases before 0.6.0 cannot read ppd1: strings or import load_design. Upgrade the package to use these features:

python -m pip install --upgrade pyplotdesigner