How to Return a Figure from a Function in Python's OSMnx Library

Discover how to effectively return and save a figure object in Python using the OSMnx library and matplotlib. Learn step-by-step solutions to enhance your coding practices.
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How to Return a Figure from a Function in Python's OSMnx Library

When working with Python, especially with libraries such as OSMnx and Matplotlib, you might encounter a common issue: how to return a figure object from a function and manipulate or save it after. This issue can be a source of frustration for many developers, especially when they want to allow user interaction before saving such as customizing the background color or style.

In this guide, we will walk through a typical scenario of how to achieve this effectively so that you can work with the generated figure confidently.

The Problem

You may have written a function to create a map using OSMnx like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While trying to use the function, you may do:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, this approach leads to issues such as not being able to save the figure since you haven't stored the fig object anywhere. You may also try to call return fig() but encounter the error: "figure is not a callable object."

The Solution

The key to resolving this issue lies in assigning the returned figure to a variable. This way, you can manipulate, customize, and save it once you finish your interactions. Follow the steps below to modify your code effectively:

Step 1: Modify the Function Call

Instead of calling the function without storing its result, assign it to a variable like so:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This adjustment will allow you to store the figure created inside the makemap function.

Step 2: Customize Interactions

Once you have the figure stored in the variable fig, you can prompt the user to customize the background color or any other attributes you want to allow them to change:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Save the Figure

Lastly, you can go ahead and save the figure after the user has made their modifications:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Summary

To successfully return and manipulate the figure made with OSMnx in a Python function, ensure that you:

Assign the output of the function to a variable to hold the figure object.

Allow user interactions to customize it as needed.

Save the figure only after all necessary modifications.

By following these steps, you'll be equipped to handle figures in your OSMnx projects seamlessly and can easily enhance your code to include user-friendly features. Happy coding!