IPython Notebook: How to combine HTML output and matplotlib figures?

Question

The following code outputs rendered HTML in the result cell of an IPython command:

from IPython.core.display import HTML

def putHTML():
    source = """
    <h1>Yah, rendered HTML</h1>
    <h2>Here is an image</h2>
    <img src="http://lbkbd.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/HTML-Logo.png"/>
    """
    return HTML(source)

How can I use this approach to include figures generated by matplotlib on the fly in an HTML layout?

Answer 1

Since IPython already has a backend that generates HTML output for images, you can use their inline backend:

from matplotlib._pylab_helpers import Gcf
from IPython.core.pylabtools import print_figure 
from base64 import b64encode

# Plot something
plot([1,2],[3,4])

# Get a handle for the plot that was just generated
fig = Gcf.get_all_fig_managers()[-1].canvas.figure

# Generate a data URL for the image
# Matplotlib's display() would output the plot, so I do this manually.
# There might be a wrapper for this somewhere in IPython, if you're
# unhappy with this line..
image_data = "data:image/png;base64,%s" % b64encode(print_figure(fig)).decode("utf-8")

# Remove the plot from the list of plots for the current cell
Gcf.destroy_fig(fig)

# Now you can use the data URL in your HTML output
HTML("Foo Bar <br> <img src='%s'> <br> Baz" % image_data)