如何在matplotlib中获得较小的乳胶支架？

Question

I have the following expression in matplotlib, using latex code:

ax.set_xlabel(r'\langle \epsilon \rangle', fontsize=18)

While rendering the epsilon is significantly smaller than the brackets. The brackets are sized to "wrap" an uppercase letter. How do I make the brackets smaller?

Answer 1

In LaTeX's math-mode one can make things smaller using:

• \\scriptstyle or
• \\scriptscriptstyle

However these expressions don't work in default matplotlib backend:

#!/usr/bin/python3

import matplotlib
custom_preamble = {
    "text.usetex": True,
    }

from matplotlib import pyplot as plt


x = range(5)
y = range(5)

fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(111)

ax.text(0.5, 0.5,
    r"${\scriptscriptstyle(} {\scriptstyle(} (\varepsilon$",
    horizontalalignment = 'center',
    backgroundcolor = "white",
    verticalalignment = 'center',
    transform = ax.transAxes,
    )

ax.plot(x, y)

fig.savefig("mwe-1.png")

Results in:

However for a better LaTeX support one can use pgf backend, and then it works:

import matplotlib
matplotlib.use("pgf")
# the rest is the same as in the code above

Result:

pgf backend was added to matplotlib 1.3. I think You'll need a working XeTeX installed on Your system (I think the relative binary is called xelatex ). Both major LaTeX distributions (MiKTeX and TeXLive) allow to install XeTeX.