How Can I Share X Axes of Matplotlib Subplots After Their Creation?

Sharing X Axes of Subplots Post-Creation

In matplotlib, subplots created independently have separate x and y axes. To share axes among subplots, it's typically recommended to specify the shared property during subplot creation.

However, this article addresses the specific scenario of sharing x axes after the subplots have already been created. This may arise when using libraries that generate pre-existing subplots.

Post-Creation Axis Sharing

To link the x axes of two subplots after their creation, use the sharex(ax) method:

<code class="python">ax2.sharex(ax1)</code>

where ax1 is the subplot with the desired x axis, and ax2 is the subplot for which you want to share the x axis.

X Tick Labels Handling

After sharing the x axes, you need to disable the x tick labels on one of the subplots to avoid duplication.

<code class="python">ax1.set_xticklabels([])  # Disable x tick labels for ax1</code>

Autoscaling Consideration

Depending on the need, you may want to use the autoscale() method on the second subplot (ax2) to adjust its y-axis scaling.

Example

Consider the following code that creates two subplots and then shares their x axes post-creation:

<code class="python">import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

t = np.arange(1000) / 100
x = np.sin(2 * np.pi * 10 * t)
y = np.cos(2 * np.pi * 10 * t)

fig = plt.figure()
ax1 = plt.subplot(211)
ax1.plot(t, x)
ax2 = plt.subplot(212)
ax2.plot(t, y)

ax2.sharex(ax1)
ax1.set_xticklabels([])
# ax2.autoscale()  # Uncomment for autoscaling

plt.show()</code>

This code generates two subplots, each with its own y axis but sharing the same x axis. The x tick labels are disabled on the first subplot to avoid duplication. And, if necessary, autoscaling can be applied to the second subplot for y-axis adjustment.

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