Expanded documentation of Axis.set_ticks as per discussion in issue matplotlib#22262 (matplotlib#22270)

* Expanded documentation of Axis.set_ticks()

* Fix flake8 W293 (blank line contains whitespace) warnings

* Expanded the documentation even more based on discussion in issue matplotlib#22262

* Update lib/matplotlib/axis.py - @jklymak rewording

Co-authored-by: Jody Klymak <[email protected]>

* Reduced verbosity of doc by @jklymak 's suggestion.

* On second thought, the previous wording could be seen as very ambiguous.

* Update set_ticks docstring by @timhoffm compromise suggestion

Co-authored-by: Tim Hoffmann <[email protected]>

* Removed extra sentence as per @timhoffm review

* Blank line whitespace issue crept up again

* Update lib/matplotlib/axis.py as per correction by @timhoffm

Co-authored-by: Tim Hoffmann <[email protected]>

Co-authored-by: unknown <>
Co-authored-by: Jody Klymak <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Tim Hoffmann <[email protected]>

Author: 3 people

lib/matplotlib/axis.py

@@ -1823,9 +1823,17 @@ def set_ticks(self, ticks, labels=None, *, minor=False, **kwargs):
         Parameters
         ----------
         ticks : list of floats
-            List of tick locations.
+            List of tick locations.  The axis `.Locator` is replaced by a
+            `~.ticker.FixedLocator`.
+
+            Some tick formatters will not label arbitrary tick positions;
+            e.g. log formatters only label decade ticks by default. In
+            such a case you can set a formatter explicitly on the axis
+            using `.Axis.set_major_formatter` or provide formatted
+            *labels* yourself.
         labels : list of str, optional
-            List of tick labels. If not set, the labels show the data value.
+            List of tick labels. If not set, the labels are generated with
+            the axis tick `.Formatter`.
         minor : bool, default: False
             If ``False``, set the major ticks; if ``True``, the minor ticks.
         **kwargs