Adjust evenly spaced ticks on current matplotlib axis.

tick_space.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

"""
Adjust evenly spaced ticks on current matplotlib axis.
"""

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

def tick_space(space, which='major', axis='both'):
    """
    Adjust evenly spaced ticks on current axis.

    Parameters
    ----------
    space : float
        Space between each tick.
    which : str
        Can be 'major', 'minor', or 'both'.
    axis : str
        Can be 'x', 'y', or 'both'

    Notes
    -----
    Grid visibility and other properties should be set via
    `matplotlib.pyplot.grid`.
    """
    
    ax = plt.gca()
    if axis in ['x', 'both']:
        ticks = ax.axes.get_xticks()
        lim = ax.axes.get_xlim()
        a = min(min(ticks), min(lim))
        b = max(max(ticks), max(lim))
        if which in ['major', 'both']:
            new_ticks = np.arange(a, b, space)
            ax.set_xticks(new_ticks)
            ax.set_xlim(lim)
        if which in ['minor', 'both']:
            new_ticks = np.arange(a, b, space)
            ax.set_xticks(new_ticks, minor=True)
            ax.set_xlim(lim)
    if axis in ['y', 'both']:
        ticks = ax.axes.get_yticks()
        lim = ax.axes.get_ylim()
        a = min(min(ticks), min(lim))
        b = max(max(ticks), max(lim))
        if which in ['major', 'both']:
            new_ticks = np.arange(a, b, space)
            ax.set_yticks(new_ticks)
            ax.set_ylim(lim)
        if which in ['minor', 'both']:
            new_ticks = np.arange(a, b, space)
            ax.set_yticks(new_ticks, minor=True)
            ax.set_ylim(lim)