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Make Axis.get_tick_space account for tick label rotation #32056

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Make Axis.get_tick_space account for tick label rotation #32056

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71e71ff
Make Axis.get_tick_space account for tick label rotation
Jul 17, 2026
d31474f
minimising the computing cost
Jul 21, 2026
c4557ef
Simplify _get_tick_label_rotation per review feedback
Jul 21, 2026
25ed72b
ruff error fixed
Jul 21, 2026
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25 changes: 20 additions & 5 deletions lib/matplotlib/axis.py
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -1831,6 +1831,13 @@ def _get_tick_label_size(self, axis_name):
mpl.rcParams[f'{axis_name}tick.labelsize'])
return mtext.FontProperties(size=size).get_size_in_points()

def _get_tick_label_rotation(self):
"""
Return the rotation (in degrees) applied to tick labels on this
Axis, as set via `.Axis.set_tick_params(rotation=...)`.
"""
return float(self._major_tick_kw.get('labelrotation', 0))

def _copy_tick_props(self, src, dest):
"""Copy the properties from *src* tick to *dest* tick."""
if src is None or dest is None:
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -2828,9 +2835,13 @@ def get_tick_space(self):
ends = mtransforms.Bbox.unit().transformed(
self.axes.transAxes - self.get_figure(root=False).dpi_scale_trans)
length = ends.width * 72
# There is a heuristic here that the aspect ratio of tick text
# is no more than 3:1
size = self._get_tick_label_size('x') * 3
# There is a heuristic here that the aspect ratio of horizontal
# tick text is no more than 3:1 (width:height); as the label is
# rotated towards vertical, its footprint along the x-axis shrinks
# towards a single line-height (aspect ratio ~1:1).
rotation = np.deg2rad(self._get_tick_label_rotation())
aspect = abs(3 * np.cos(rotation)) + abs(np.sin(rotation))
size = self._get_tick_label_size('x') * aspect
if size > 0:
return int(np.floor(length / size))
else:
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -3058,8 +3069,12 @@ def get_tick_space(self):
ends = mtransforms.Bbox.unit().transformed(
self.axes.transAxes - self.get_figure(root=False).dpi_scale_trans)
length = ends.height * 72
# Having a spacing of at least 2 just looks good.
size = self._get_tick_label_size('y') * 2
# Having a spacing of at least 2 just looks good, for horizontal
# labels; as the label rotates towards vertical, its footprint
# along the y-axis grows towards a horizontal-text-like 3:1 ratio.
rotation = np.deg2rad(self._get_tick_label_rotation())
aspect = abs(2 * np.cos(rotation)) + abs(3 * np.sin(rotation))
size = self._get_tick_label_size('y') * aspect
if size > 0:
return int(np.floor(length / size))
else:
Expand Down
20 changes: 20 additions & 0 deletions lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axis.py
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -128,3 +128,23 @@ def test_set_ticks_emits_lim_changed():
ax2.callbacks.connect("ylim_changed", called_polar.append)
ax2.set_rticks([1, 2, 3])
assert called_polar


def test_tick_space_rotation():
# Rotating x tick labels towards vertical should let more x ticks fit
# (their horizontal footprint shrinks), while rotating y tick labels
# towards vertical should let fewer y ticks fit (their vertical
# footprint grows). See issue #32005.
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(1.8, 1.8), layout="constrained")
fig.canvas.draw()
xspace_horizontal = ax.xaxis.get_tick_space()
yspace_horizontal = ax.yaxis.get_tick_space()

fig2, ax2 = plt.subplots(figsize=(1.8, 1.8), layout="constrained")
ax2.tick_params(rotation=90)
fig2.canvas.draw()
xspace_vertical = ax2.xaxis.get_tick_space()
yspace_vertical = ax2.yaxis.get_tick_space()

assert xspace_vertical > xspace_horizontal
assert yspace_vertical < yspace_horizontal
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