matplotlib · tacaswell · Aug 14, 2021 · Jun 1, 2018 · Jun 1, 2018 · Jun 1, 2018
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/behavior/20699-AFV.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/behavior/20699-AFV.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+Change of the (default) legend handler for Line2D instances
+-----------------------------------------------------------
+
+The default legend handler for Line2D instances (`.HandlerLine2D`) now
+consistently exposes all the attributes and methods related to the line
+marker (:ghissue:`11358`). This makes easy to change the marker features
+after instantiating a legend.
+
+.. code::
+
+  import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+
+  fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+
+  ax.plot([1, 3, 2], marker="s", label="Line", color="pink", mec="red", ms=8)
+  leg = ax.legend()
+
+  leg.legendHandles[0].set_color("lightgray")
+  leg.legendHandles[0].set_mec("black")  # marker edge color
+
+The former legend handler for Line2D objects has been renamed
+`.HandlerLine2DCompound`. To revert to the previous behavior, one can use
+
+.. code::
+
+  import matplotlib.legend as mlegend
+  from matplotlib.legend_handler import HandlerLine2DCompound
+  from matplotlib.lines import Line2D
+
+  mlegend.Legend.update_default_handler_map({Line2D: HandlerLine2DCompound()})
+
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/legend_handler.py b/lib/matplotlib/legend_handler.py
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@
     def legend_artist(self, legend, orig_handle, fontsize, handlebox)
 """
 
+from collections.abc import Sequence
 from itertools import cycle
 
 import numpy as np
 
-from matplotlib import cbook
+from matplotlib import _api, cbook
 from matplotlib.lines import Line2D
 from matplotlib.patches import Rectangle
 import matplotlib.collections as mcoll
@@ -119,6 +120,9 @@ def legend_artist(self, legend, orig_handle,
                                       xdescent, ydescent, width, height,
                                       fontsize, handlebox.get_transform())
 
+        if isinstance(artists, _Line2DHandleList):
+            artists = [artists[0]]
+
         # create_artists will return a list of artists.
         for a in artists:
             handlebox.add_artist(a)
@@ -204,10 +208,12 @@ def get_ydata(self, legend, xdescent, ydescent, width, height, fontsize):
         return ydata
 
 
-class HandlerLine2D(HandlerNpoints):
+class HandlerLine2DCompound(HandlerNpoints):
     """
-    Handler for `.Line2D` instances.
+    Original handler for `.Line2D` instances, that relies on combining
+    a line-only with a marker-only artist.  May be deprecated in the future.
     """
+
     def __init__(self, marker_pad=0.3, numpoints=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Parameters
@@ -252,6 +258,77 @@ def create_artists(self, legend, orig_handle,
         return [legline, legline_marker]
 
 
+class _Line2DHandleList(Sequence):
+    def __init__(self, legline):
+        self._legline = legline
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return 2
+
+    def __getitem__(self, index):
+        if index != 0:
+            # Make HandlerLine2D return [self._legline] directly after
+            # deprecation elapses.
+            _api.warn_deprecated(
+                "3.5", message="Access to the second element returned by "
+                "HandlerLine2D is deprecated since %(since)s; it will be "
+                "removed %(removal)s.")
+        return [self._legline, self._legline][index]
+
+
+class HandlerLine2D(HandlerNpoints):
+    """
+    Handler for `.Line2D` instances.
+
+    See Also
+    --------
+    HandlerLine2DCompound : An earlier handler implementation, which used one
+                            artist for the line and another for the marker(s).
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, marker_pad=0.3, numpoints=None, **kw):
+        """
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        marker_pad : float
+            Padding between points in legend entry.
+        numpoints : int
+            Number of points to show in legend entry.
+        **kwargs
+            Keyword arguments forwarded to `.HandlerNpoints`.
+        """
+        HandlerNpoints.__init__(self, marker_pad=marker_pad,
+                                numpoints=numpoints, **kw)
+
+    def create_artists(self, legend, orig_handle,
+                       xdescent, ydescent, width, height, fontsize,
+                       trans):
+
+        xdata, xdata_marker = self.get_xdata(legend, xdescent, ydescent,
+                                             width, height, fontsize)
+
+        markevery = None
+        if self.get_numpoints(legend) == 1:
+            # Special case: one wants a single marker in the center
+            # and a line that extends on both sides. One will use a
+            # 3 points line, but only mark the #1 (i.e. middle) point.
+            xdata = np.linspace(xdata[0], xdata[-1], 3)
+            markevery = [1]
+
+        ydata = np.full_like(xdata, (height - ydescent) / 2)
+        legline = Line2D(xdata, ydata, markevery=markevery)
+
+        self.update_prop(legline, orig_handle, legend)
+
+        if legend.markerscale != 1:
+            newsz = legline.get_markersize() * legend.markerscale
+            legline.set_markersize(newsz)
+
+        legline.set_transform(trans)
+
+        return _Line2DHandleList(legline)
+
+
 class HandlerPatch(HandlerBase):
     """
     Handler for `.Patch` instances.
@@ -710,6 +787,8 @@ def create_artists(self, legend, orig_handle,
             _a_list = handler.create_artists(
                 legend, handle1,
                 next(xds_cycle), ydescent, width, height, fontsize, trans)
+            if isinstance(_a_list, _Line2DHandleList):
+                _a_list = [_a_list[0]]
             a_list.extend(_a_list)
 
         return a_list

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
@@ -1358,8 +1358,12 @@ def test_markevery():
     ax.legend()
 
 
-@image_comparison(['markevery_line'], remove_text=True)
+@image_comparison(['markevery_line'], remove_text=True, tol=0.005)
 def test_markevery_line():
+    # TODO: a slight change in rendering between Inkscape versions may explain
+    # why one had to introduce a small non-zero tolerance for the SVG test
+    # to pass. One may try to remove this hack once Travis' Inkscape version
+    # is modern enough. FWIW, no failure with 0.92.3 on my computer (#11358).
     x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
     y = np.sin(x) * np.sqrt(x/10 + 0.5)
 

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import matplotlib as mpl
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtransforms
 import matplotlib.collections as mcollections
+import matplotlib.lines as mlines
 from matplotlib.legend_handler import HandlerTuple
 import matplotlib.legend as mlegend
 from matplotlib import rc_context
@@ -861,3 +862,12 @@ def test_legend_text_axes():
 
     assert leg.axes is ax
     assert leg.get_texts()[0].axes is ax
+
+
+def test_handlerline2d():
+    # Test marker consistency for monolithic Line2D legend handler (#11357).
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    ax.scatter([0, 1], [0, 1], marker="v")
+    handles = [mlines.Line2D([0], [0], marker="v")]
+    leg = ax.legend(handles, ["Aardvark"], numpoints=1)
+    assert handles[0].get_marker() == leg.legendHandles[0].get_marker()