In Matplotlib, is there a way to know the list of available output format

Question

According to Matplotlib documentation, matplotlib.figure.save_figtakes an optional argument format (see matplotlib.figure documentation).

This parameters takes 'one of the file extensions supported by the active backend' (as said by the official documentation).

My point is: how to know, for a specific backend, the list of supported extensions?

The list of available backends is accessible thru matplotlib.rcsetup.all_backends. These backends are available in matplotlib.backends but, I do not find a way to retrieve supported extensions.

Answer 1

If you create a figure, you can get the available supported file format with the canvas object :

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt fig = plt.figure()  print fig.canvas.get_supported_filetypes()  >>> {    'svgz': 'Scalable Vector Graphics',     'ps': 'Postscript',     'emf': 'Enhanced Metafile',     'rgba': 'Raw RGBA bitmap',    'raw': 'Raw RGBA bitmap',    'pdf': 'Portable Document Format',     'svg': 'Scalable Vector Graphics',     'eps': 'Encapsulated Postscript',     'png': 'Portable Network Graphics'  } 

and it will list all the formats in which you can output your current object.