auto_update_plot.py

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy
import random

plt.ion()

fig = plt.figure()

ax = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax.grid(True)

line1, = plt.plot([], [],'-o', label='MPH', ms=5, lw=2, alpha=0.7, mfc='orange')
line2, = plt.plot([], [], 'c-', label='goal')
plt.ylim((0, 1.1))

x = [0]
goal = 0.8

def update_plot(line, xdata, ydata):
    """Update the line on plot while maintaining goal as constant"""
    map(lambda l: l.set_xdata(numpy.append(l.get_xdata(), xdata)), (line, line2))
    line.set_ydata(numpy.append(line.get_ydata(), ydata))
    line2.set_ydata(numpy.append(line2.get_ydata(), goal))
    ax.relim()
    ax.autoscale_view(None, True, False)
    fig.canvas.draw()
    
def gen_new_data(n):
    """Generate some new data and update the plot"""
    for _ in xrange(n):
    new_x = x[-1] + 1
    x.append(new_x)
    update_plot(line1, new_x, rand_y())

def rand_y():
    """Get data between 0.50 and 1.00 - just for fun"""
    return round((random.random() * 100) % 5 / 10 + 0.5, 2)

gen_new_data(100)

fibonacci_animated.py

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy
import random

plt.ion()

fig = plt.figure()

ax = fig.add_subplot(111)
ax.grid(True)
ax.margins(0.1,0.1)

line1, = plt.plot([], [],'-o', label='MPH', ms=5, lw=2, alpha=0.7, mfc='red')
plt.ylim((0, 100))

x = [0,1]
y = [0,1]

def update_plot(line, xdata, ydata):
    """Update the line on plot while maintaining goal as constant"""
    line.set_xdata(numpy.append(line.get_xdata(), xdata))
    line.set_ydata(numpy.append(line.get_ydata(), ydata))
    ax.relim()
    ax.autoscale_view(True, True, True)
    ax.figure.axes[0].autoscale(enable=True, axis='y')
    fig.canvas.draw()
    
def gen_new_data(n):
    """Generate some new data and update the plot"""
    for _ in xrange(n):
        new_x = x[-1] + 1
        new_y = y[-1] + y[-2]
        x.append(new_x)
        y.append(new_y)
        update_plot(line1, new_x, new_y)