Updating A 3d Python Plot During A Convergence Iteration

I try to create a plotting script that plots my data in two 3d structures (with one variable as a color) that I use in a loop in which the data is supposed to converge. I would lik

Solution 1:

Two ways you could do this would be

• Use a combination of set_offsets() and set_3d_properties
• Clear the figure and/or axes object(s) and plot a new scatter every iteration

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Example using set_offsets() and set_3d_properties:

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D
import numpy as np

x = np.linspace(0, np.pi*2, 25)
y = np.sin(x)
z = np.cos(x)

fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.add_subplot(111, projection='3d')

defplot(ax):
    return ax.scatter(x, y, z)

defupdate(s):
    s.set_offsets(np.stack([x, y], 1))
    s.set_3d_properties(z, 'z')

s = plot(ax)
plt.savefig("./before.png")
y = np.cos(x)
z = np.sin(x)
update(s)
plt.savefig("./after.png")

Example clearing and redrawing:

defplot(fig, ax):
    ax.scatter(x, y, z)

plot(fig, ax)
plt.savefig("./before.png")
y = np.cos(x)
z = np.sin(x)
plt.cla()
plot(fig, ax)
plt.savefig("./after.png")

Or, if you want to accumulate the data from every iteration in the same scatter plot, you can just append the new data points to the x, y, and z objects and use one of the above methods.

Example with accumulation:

defplot(ax):
    return ax.scatter(x, y, z)

defupdate(s):
    s.set_offsets(np.stack([x, y], 1))
    s.set_3d_properties(z, 'z')

s = plot(ax)
plt.savefig("./before.png")
x = np.vstack([x,x])
y = np.vstack([y, np.cos(x)])
z = np.vstack([z, np.sin(x)])
update(s)
plt.savefig("./after.png")

I would recommend the combination of set_offsets() and set_3d_properties(). See this answer for more about scoping the figure and axes objects.