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matplotlib.pyplot.xticks

matplotlib.pyplot.xticks(ticks=None, labels=None, **kwargs)[source]

Get or set the current tick locations and labels of the x-axis.

Call signatures:

locs, labels = xticks()           # Get locations and labels

xticks(ticks, [labels], **kwargs)  # Set locations and labels
Parameters:
ticks : array_like

A list of positions at which ticks should be placed. You can pass an empty list to disable xticks.

labels : array_like, optional

A list of explicit labels to place at the given locs.

**kwargs

Text properties can be used to control the appearance of the labels.

Returns:
locs

An array of label locations.

labels

A list of Text objects.

Notes

Calling this function with no arguments (e.g. xticks()) is the pyplot equivalent of calling get_xticks and get_xticklabels on the current axes. Calling this function with arguments is the pyplot equivalent of calling set_xticks and set_xticklabels on the current axes.

Examples

Get the current locations and labels:

>>> locs, labels = xticks()

Set label locations:

>>> xticks(np.arange(0, 1, step=0.2))

Set text labels:

>>> xticks(np.arange(5), ('Tom', 'Dick', 'Harry', 'Sally', 'Sue'))

Set text labels and properties:

>>> xticks(np.arange(12), calendar.month_name[1:13], rotation=20)

Disable xticks:

>>> xticks([])