Python Forum

I had to generate a bar chart from a list. I solved it in the simple way with no problems (Task 3a in the code below).

After that I wanted to write the code in the form of function (Task 3b).
The code 3b works well too, BUT now I'm struggling to understand if there is a way to avoid of writing again the full list of names ['Jerome','Ibraheem','Tiana','Lucas','Rickie'] and weights [3.38, 3.08, 0.81, 3.33, 4.4] for "x" and "y" inside the function and make it simpler.
Anybody can help with this?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
import math
%matplotlib inline

def main(duck_list_1,duck_list_2):
    return main
duck_list_1 = [
               {'name': 'Jerome', 'weight': 3.38, 'wingspan': 49.96, 'length': 19.75},
               {'name': 'Ibraheem', 'weight': 3.08, 'wingspan': 50.59, 'length': 20.6},
               {'name': 'Tiana', 'weight': 0.81, 'wingspan': 47.86, 'length': 17.94},
               {'name': 'Lucas', 'weight': 3.33, 'wingspan': 48.27, 'length': 18.77},
               {'name': 'Rickie', 'weight': 4.4, 'wingspan': 51.0, 'length': 20.34}
                ]
duck_list_2 = [
               {'name': 'Mysha', 'weight': 6.05, 'wingspan': 60.05, 'length': 30.52},
               {'name': 'Ruben', 'weight': 3.99, 'wingspan': 60.36, 'length': 30.46},
               {'name': 'Tara', 'weight': 6.99, 'wingspan': 62.0, 'length': 32.7},
               {'name': 'Shaurya', 'weight': 6.63, 'wingspan': 61.7, 'length': 31.82}
               ]

# Task 3a generate the graph bar (simple solution)
fig1a, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8), dpi=90)
ax.bar(['Jerome','Ibraheem','Tiana','Lucas','Rickie'], [3.38, 3.08, 0.81, 3.33, 4.4], color='b')
ax.set_title("Show Duck Values")
ax.set_xlabel("Duck Name")
ax.set_ylabel("Weight")
plt.show()
print()

# Task 3b create a function to generate a graph bar (function solution)
def show_ducks_weights(duck_list,filename):
    x = ['Jerome','Ibraheem','Tiana','Lucas','Rickie']
    y = [3.38, 3.08, 0.81, 3.33, 4.4]
    fig1b, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8), dpi=90)
    ax.bar(x,y, color='b')
    ax.set_title("Show Duck Values")
    ax.set_xlabel("Duck Name")
    ax.set_ylabel("Weight")
    plt.show()
show_ducks_weights(duck_list_1, 'weight')

You're already passing duck_list to the function, so get the data from there instead of hard coding it. You're not currently using that argument.

Also, what exactly are you trying to do with that main function (lines 6 and 7)? You don't even call it anywhere.

OK, thanks. From my understanding of your comment I should have assigned the names and weights to x and y as below, but now the bar chart practically is empty, why?

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
import math
%matplotlib inline

duck_list_1 = [
               {'name': 'Jerome', 'weight': 3.38, 'wingspan': 49.96, 'length': 19.75},
               {'name': 'Ibraheem', 'weight': 3.08, 'wingspan': 50.59, 'length': 20.6},
               {'name': 'Tiana', 'weight': 0.81, 'wingspan': 47.86, 'length': 17.94},
               {'name': 'Lucas', 'weight': 3.33, 'wingspan': 48.27, 'length': 18.77},
               {'name': 'Rickie', 'weight': 4.4, 'wingspan': 51.0, 'length': 20.34}
                ]
duck_list_2 = [
               {'name': 'Mysha', 'weight': 6.05, 'wingspan': 60.05, 'length': 30.52},
               {'name': 'Ruben', 'weight': 3.99, 'wingspan': 60.36, 'length': 30.46},
               {'name': 'Tara', 'weight': 6.99, 'wingspan': 62.0, 'length': 32.7},
               {'name': 'Shaurya', 'weight': 6.63, 'wingspan': 61.7, 'length': 31.82}
               ]

# Task 3a generate the graph bar (simple solution)
fig1a, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8), dpi=90)
ax.bar(['Jerome','Ibraheem','Tiana','Lucas','Rickie'], [3.38, 3.08, 0.81, 3.33, 4.4], color='b')
ax.set_title("Show Duck Values")
ax.set_xlabel("Duck Name")
ax.set_ylabel("Weight")
plt.show()
print()

# Task 3b create a function to generate a graph bar (function solution)
def show_ducks_weights(duck_list,filename):
    x = ['name']
    y = ['weight']
    fig1b, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8), dpi=90)
    ax.bar(x,y, color='b')
    ax.set_title("Show Duck Values")
    ax.set_xlabel("Duck Name")
    ax.set_ylabel("Weight")
    plt.show()
duck_list = duck_list_1
show_ducks_weights(duck_list_1, 'weight')

OK found the solution for the 3b:

def show_ducks_weights(duck_list):
    x = [d["name"] for d in duck_list]
    y = [d["weight"] for d in duck_list]
    fig1b, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8), dpi=90)
    ax.bar(x,y, color='b')
    ax.set_title("Show Duck Values")
    ax.set_xlabel("Duck Name")
    ax.set_ylabel("Weight")
    plt.show()
show_ducks_weights(duck_list_1)

Hi @Paulman ,
Of course this is a fine solution. Well done.

x = [d["name"] for d in duck_list]
y = [d["weight"] for d in duck_list]

But why not use the function "get_data()" you built in your previous thread? Then you can do:

x = get_data(duck_list_1, 'name')
y = get_data(duck_list_1, 'weight')