Updating a figure made using Plotly

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Swamp Thing
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SUMMARY

To update a Plotly figure in Python, specifically in Google Colab, users must modify the data in place using the syntax f1.data[0].y = [new_data]. However, simply updating the data does not refresh the plot automatically. Users must call f1.show() to visualize changes, which generates a new plot instead of updating the existing one. This limitation arises because Google Colab does not support live updates of plots like traditional Jupyter notebooks.

PREREQUISITES
  • Familiarity with Plotly for Python
  • Understanding of Python programming
  • Basic knowledge of Google Colab environment
  • Experience with data visualization concepts
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore Plotly's documentation on figure updates
  • Learn about live plotting techniques in Jupyter notebooks
  • Investigate alternative methods for interactive plotting in Google Colab
  • Research the use of callbacks in Plotly Dash for dynamic updates
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Data scientists, Python developers, and anyone using Plotly for data visualization in Google Colab who seeks to enhance their plotting capabilities.

Swamp Thing
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TL;DR
I'm trying to update a plotly graph with new data:
f1.update_traces(y=[4,3,2,1])
Nothing happens.
After making a graph using Plotly in Python, I'd like to change the data. From the documentation (which is not very clear) it appears this is the code we need:

f1.update_traces( y=[4,3,2,1] )
(where f1 is the figure created previously).

But nothing happens when I run this.

In order to see the new data, I find that I need to do f1.show() after the above step. The problem with this is that it shows a new plot rather than changing the old one, so each time I change the data it goes into a new plot.

So I guess my big-picture question is, using Python in Google Colab, how can I change attributes (including data) of an existing plot in situ?
 
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You should be able to just modify the data in place:
Python:
f1.data[0].y = [4, 3, 2, 1]
 
pbuk said:
You should be able to just modify the data in place:
Python:
f1.data[0].y = [4, 3, 2, 1]

I've tried that too.
Python:
f1.data[0].y=[7,6,5,9]
print(f1.data[0])

The output from the print statement shows that the 'y' array has been written into correctly:
Code:
Scatter({
    'uid': '289cc751-4c63-4126-8235-82c69798e9d6', 'x': [2, 3, 4, 5], 'y': [7, 6, 5, 9]
})

... but the plot doesn't reflect the change.

Are you using Python in a notebook? I'm using Google Colab, which perhaps doesn't support live updating of plots...
 
Swamp Thing said:
I'm using Google Colab, which perhaps doesn't support live updating of plots...
No it doesn't, at least not in the same way as a 'normal' Jupyter notebook does.
 
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