Returning Matplotlib image as string

Question

I am using matplotlib in a django app and would like to directly return the rendered image. So far I can go plt.savefig(...), then return the location of the im

Answer 1

Employ ducktyping and pass a object of your own, in disguise of file object

class MyFile(object):
    def __init__(self):
        self._data = ""
    def write(self, data):
        self._data += data

myfile = MyFile()
fig.savefig(myfile)
print myfile._data

you can use myfile = StringIO.StringIO() instead in real code and return data in reponse e.g.

output = StringIO.StringIO()
fig.savefig(output)
contents = output.getvalue()
return HttpResponse(contents , mimetype="image/png")