In Matplotlib, is there a way to know the list of available output format

Question

According to Matplotlib documentation, matplotlib.figure.save_figtakes an optional argument format (see matplotlib.figure documentation).

T

Answer 1

The FigureCanvasBase class, located in each backends has a get_supported_filetypes method.

For backend_agg:

figure = matplotlib.figure.Figure()
fcb = matplotlib.backends.backend_agg.FigureCanvasBase(figure)
supported_file_types = fcb.get_supported_filetypes()

supported_file_types contains:

{'emf': 'Enhanced Metafile',
 'eps': 'Encapsulated Postscript',
 'pdf': 'Portable Document Format',
 'png': 'Portable Network Graphics',
 'ps': 'Postscript',
 'raw': 'Raw RGBA bitmap',
 'rgba': 'Raw RGBA bitmap',
 'svg': 'Scalable Vector Graphics',
 'svgz': 'Scalable Vector Graphics'}

One remaining question .... matplotlib.get_backend() returns "agg". Is there an easier way to directly point to the correct backend module?