Stop matplotlib repeating labels in legend

Question

Here is a very simplified example:

xvalues = [2,3,4,6]

for x in xvalues:
    plt.axvline(x,color=\'b\',label=\'xvalues\')

plt.legend()

Th

Answer 1

Problem - 3D Array

Questions: Nov 2012, Oct 2013

import numpy as np
a = np.random.random((2, 100, 4))
b = np.random.random((2, 100, 4))
c = np.random.random((2, 100, 4))

Solution - dict uniqueness

For my case _nolegend_ (bli and DSM) would not work, nor would label if i==0. ecatmur's answer uses get_legend_handles_labels and reduces the legend down with collections.OrderedDict. Fons demonstrates this is possible without an import.

Inline with these answers, I suggest using dict for unique labels.

# Step-by-step
ax = plt.gca()                      # Get the axes you need
a = ax.get_legend_handles_labels()  # a = [(h1 ... h2) (l1 ... l2)]  non unique
b = {l:h for h,l in zip(*a)}        # b = {l1:h1, l2:h2}             unique
c = [*zip(*b.items())]              # c = [(l1 l2) (h1 h2)]
d = c[::-1]                         # d = [(h1 h2) (l1 l2)]
plt.legend(*d)

Or

plt.legend(*[*zip(*{l:h for h,l in zip(*ax.get_legend_handles_labels())}.items())][::-1])

Maybe less legible and memorable than Matthew Bourque's solution. Code golf welcome.

Example

import numpy as np
a = np.random.random((2, 100, 4))
b = np.random.random((2, 100, 4))

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig, ax = plt.subplots(1)
ax.plot(*a, 'C0', label='a')
ax.plot(*b, 'C1', label='b')

ax.legend(*[*zip(*{l:h for h,l in zip(*ax.get_legend_handles_labels())}.items())][::-1])
# ax.legend()   # Old,  ^ New

plt.show()