betterstar

A python package that implements a better looking star for matplotlib plots.

About this package

This package allows you to integrate a more professionally looking star into your matplotlib plots.

The upper star is the standard matplotlib star. The lower one is the one you get with this package.

Setup

pip install betterstar

Quick Usage Example

from betterstar import star
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# some code

p33 = plt.plot(x3[i3], min3, marker=star, color='c', markersize=6, markeredgewidth=0.35)

# some more code

Advanced example

If you need a professional look to your plots, you can use the following code example. This way you will use a LaTeX rendered font.

# Initial plot setup
figure2 = plt.figure(figsize=(10.0,5.0),dpi=150)
axes2 = plt.subplot(1, 1, 1)
axes2.spines[['right', 'top']].set_visible(False)
axes2.tick_params(direction="in", width=0.5)
plt.xlim([80, 175])
plt.ylim([0.5, 1.5])

# Change tick frequency
locy = plticker.MultipleLocator(base=0.1)
axes2.yaxis.set_major_locator(locy)
locx = plticker.MultipleLocator(base=10.0)
axes2.xaxis.set_major_locator(locx)

# Remove Tick at origin
xticks = axes2.xaxis.get_major_ticks()
xticks[1].tick1line.set_visible(False)
yticks = axes2.yaxis.get_major_ticks()
yticks[1].tick1line.set_visible(False)

# Title and axes
hT = plt.title(r'\boldmath$\frac{P}{v_\mathrm{TAS}}$ $\textbf{\textrm{\"{u}ber}}$ $v_\mathrm{TAS}$') # Title
hT.set_fontsize(16)
plt.xlabel(r'$v_\mathrm{TAS}$ $\left[\mathrm{kt}\right]$', fontsize=12) # x-axis label
plt.ylabel(r'$\frac{P}{v_\mathrm{TAS}}$ $\left[\frac{\mathrm{hp}}{\mathrm{kt}}\right]$', fontsize=12) # y-axis label

# Plot the first line
p11 = plt.plot(v_tas_b, ppv2,'ms', markersize=1)
plt.plot(x2,y2,'g',linewidth=0.5)
p22 = plt.plot(x2[i2],min2, marker=mlab_star, color='c', markersize=6, markeredgewidth=0.35)

# Plot second line
p12 = plt.plot(v_tas, ppv,'bs', markersize=1) # r for red, s for square
plt.plot(x1,y1,'r',linewidth=0.5)
p21 = plt.plot(x1[i1],min1, marker=mlab_star, color='y', markersize=6, markeredgewidth=0.35)

# Text at lowest point of line
plt.text(x1[i1]-2,min1+0.05, f'$\mathrm{{{round(min1,2)}}}$' + r'$\frac{\mathrm{hp}}{\mathrm{kt}}$')
plt.text(x2[i2],min2-0.05, f'$\mathrm{{{str(round(min2,2))}}}$' + r'$\frac{\mathrm{hp}}{\mathrm{kt}}$')

# Legend
legend = plt.legend([p11[0], p12[0], p21[0], p22[0]], [r'$\frac{P}{v_\mathrm{TAS}}$', r'$\frac{P}{v_\mathrm{TAS}}$ \textrm{berechnet}', r'\textrm{minimum}', r'\textrm{minimum}'], loc='upper right', handlelength=0)
frame = legend.get_frame()
frame.set_edgecolor('black')
frame.set_linewidth(0.5)

This will result in a plot like this: