matplotlib · efiring · Sep 29, 2014 · Oct 19, 2014 · Nov 23, 2014 · Feb 8, 2015
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -201,6 +201,31 @@ def _forward_ilshift(self, other):
         'numpy %s or later is required; you have %s' % (
             __version__numpy__, numpy.__version__))
 
+import functools
+def _interactive(func):
+    """
+    Decorator for Figure and Axes methods that will be wrapped in pyplot.
+
+    Methods so decorated no longer need a call to `draw_if_interactive`
+    in their pyplot wrappers, and are interactive when invoked as
+    methods with a gui backend in interactive mode.
+
+    Figure and Axes must define the methods `check_interactive`,
+    `draw_if_interactive`, and `clear_interactive` used in this
+    decorator.
+    """
+    @functools.wraps(func)
+    def inner(self, *args, **kw):
+        outer = self.check_interactive()
+        drawn = True  # default in "finally" clause is to clear.
+        try:
+            ret = func(self, *args, **kw)
+            drawn = self.draw_if_interactive(outer)
+        finally:
+            self.clear_interactive(drawn)
+        return ret
+    return inner
+
 
 def _is_writable_dir(p):
     """

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 from matplotlib.container import BarContainer, ErrorbarContainer, StemContainer
 from matplotlib.axes._base import _AxesBase
 from matplotlib.axes._base import _process_plot_format
+from matplotlib import _interactive  # decorator
 
 rcParams = matplotlib.rcParams
 
@@ -1235,6 +1236,7 @@ def eventplot(self, positions, orientation='horizontal', lineoffsets=1,
         return colls
 
     #### Basic plotting
+    @_interactive
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
     def plot(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -2530,6 +2532,7 @@ def pie(self, x, explode=None, labels=None, colors=None,
         else:
             return slices, texts, autotexts
 
+    @_interactive
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
     def errorbar(self, x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None,
                  fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None, capsize=3,

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@
 import matplotlib.text as mtext
 import matplotlib.image as mimage
 from matplotlib.artist import allow_rasterization
-
-
 from matplotlib.cbook import iterable
+from matplotlib import is_interactive
 
 rcParams = matplotlib.rcParams
 
@@ -442,6 +441,7 @@ def __init__(self, fig, rect,
         self.set_cursor_props((1, 'k'))  # set the cursor properties for axes
 
         self._cachedRenderer = None
+        self._in_outer_method = False
         self.set_navigate(True)
         self.set_navigate_mode(None)
 
@@ -461,6 +461,40 @@ def __init__(self, fig, rect,
             self._ycid = self.yaxis.callbacks.connect('units finalize',
                                                       self.relim)
 
+
+    def draw_if_interactive(self, outer=False):
+        print("entering draw_if_interactive in axes/_base, outer = ", outer)
+        # Not sure whether this should be public or private...
+        if not outer or not is_interactive():
+            return False
+        # Leave out the following check for now; it probably
+        # has to be modified so that it does not require importing
+        # all the available interactive backends just to make
+        # the list of canvases.  Instead, the check could be based
+        # on the str() or (repr) of self.canvas.
+        #if not isinstance(self.canvas, interactive_canvases):
+        #    return
+        self.figure.canvas.draw()
+        print("drawing complete in axes/_base")
+        return True
+
+    def check_interactive(self):
+        """
+        Return True upon entering an outer method, and set the
+        flag; return False if already in an outer method.
+        """
+        if not self._in_outer_method:
+            self._in_outer_method = True
+            print("checking: toggled _in_outer_method to True")
+            return True
+        print("checking: already _in_outer_method; returning False")
+        return False
+
+    def clear_interactive(self, drawn):
+        if drawn:
+            self._in_outer_method = False
+
+
     def __setstate__(self, state):
         self.__dict__ = state
         # put the _remove_method back on all artists contained within the axes

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 from matplotlib import docstring
 from matplotlib import __version__ as _mpl_version
 
+from matplotlib import is_interactive
+from matplotlib import _interactive  # decorator
+
 import matplotlib.artist as martist
 from matplotlib.artist import Artist, allow_rasterization
 
@@ -233,7 +236,6 @@ def _update_this(self, s, val):
 
         setattr(self, s, val)
 
-
 class Figure(Artist):
 
     """
@@ -346,11 +348,44 @@ def __init__(self,
         self._axstack = AxesStack()  # track all figure axes and current axes
         self.clf()
         self._cachedRenderer = None
+        self._in_outer_method = False
 
     # TODO: I'd like to dynamically add the _repr_html_ method
     # to the figure in the right context, but then IPython doesn't
     # use it, for some reason.
 
+    def draw_if_interactive(self, outer=False):
+        # Not sure whether this should be public or private...
+        if not outer or not is_interactive():
+            return False
+        # Leave out the following check for now; it probably
+        # has to be modified so that it does not require importing
+        # all the available interactive backends just to make
+        # the list of canvases.  Instead, the check could be based
+        # on the str() or (repr) of self.canvas.
+        #if not isinstance(self.canvas, interactive_canvases):
+        #    return
+        self.canvas.draw()
+        # print("drawing complete")
+        return True
+
+    def check_interactive(self):
+        """
+        Return True upon entering an outer method, and set the
+        flag; return False if already in an outer method.
+        """
+        if not self._in_outer_method:
+            self._in_outer_method = True
+            print("checking: toggled _in_outer_method to True")
+            return True
+        print("checking: already _in_outer_method; returning False")
+        return False
+
+    def clear_interactive(self, drawn):
+        if drawn:
+            self._in_outer_method = False
+
+
     def _repr_html_(self):
         # We can't use "isinstance" here, because then we'd end up importing
         # webagg unconditiionally.
@@ -495,6 +530,7 @@ def get_window_extent(self, *args, **kwargs):
         'get the figure bounding box in display space; kwargs are void'
         return self.bbox
 
+    @_interactive
     def suptitle(self, t, **kwargs):
         """
         Add a centered title to the figure.
@@ -520,6 +556,7 @@ def suptitle(self, t, **kwargs):
 
           fig.suptitle('this is the figure title', fontsize=12)
         """
+        #outer = self.check_interactive()
         x = kwargs.pop('x', 0.5)
         y = kwargs.pop('y', 0.98)
 
@@ -541,6 +578,7 @@ def suptitle(self, t, **kwargs):
             sup.remove()
         else:
             self._suptitle = sup
+        #self.draw_if_interactive(outer)
         return self._suptitle
 
     def set_canvas(self, canvas):
@@ -1211,6 +1249,7 @@ def legend(self, handles, labels, *args, **kwargs):
         l._remove_method = lambda h: self.legends.remove(h)
         return l
 
+    @_interactive
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
     def text(self, x, y, s, *args, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -1228,14 +1267,15 @@ def text(self, x, y, s, *args, **kwargs):
 
         %(Text)s
         """
-
+        #outer = self.check_interactive()
         override = _process_text_args({}, *args, **kwargs)
         t = Text(x=x, y=y, text=s)
 
         t.update(override)
         self._set_artist_props(t)
         self.texts.append(t)
         t._remove_method = lambda h: self.texts.remove(h)
+        #self.draw_if_interactive(outer)
         return t
 
     def _set_artist_props(self, a):

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -611,14 +611,12 @@ def waitforbuttonpress(*args, **kwargs):
 def figtext(*args, **kwargs):
 
     ret =  gcf().text(*args, **kwargs)
-    draw_if_interactive()
     return ret
 
 
 @docstring.copy_dedent(Figure.suptitle)
 def suptitle(*args, **kwargs):
     ret =  gcf().suptitle(*args, **kwargs)
-    draw_if_interactive()
     return ret
 
 
@@ -2763,7 +2761,7 @@ def errorbar(x, y, yerr=None, xerr=None, fmt='', ecolor=None, elinewidth=None,
                           barsabove=barsabove, lolims=lolims, uplims=uplims,
                           xlolims=xlolims, xuplims=xuplims,
                           errorevery=errorevery, capthick=capthick, **kwargs)
-        draw_if_interactive()
+        #draw_if_interactive()
     finally:
         ax.hold(washold)
 
@@ -3097,7 +3095,7 @@ def plot(*args, **kwargs):
         ax.hold(hold)
     try:
         ret = ax.plot(*args, **kwargs)
-        draw_if_interactive()
+        #draw_if_interactive()
     finally:
         ax.hold(washold)