Make output_format configurable, default to "show" for interactive display

Jammy2211 · claude · Jammy2211 · commit 926f55ba1ddf · 2026-04-03T14:43:24.000+01:00
Add output_format config option to visualize/general.yaml so users get
interactive matplotlib windows by default instead of silently saving PNGs.
Tests pass output_format="png" explicitly.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) &lt;noreply@anthropic.com&gt;
diff --git a/autoarray/config/visualize/general.yaml b/autoarray/config/visualize/general.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ general:
   log10_min_value: 1.0e-4               # If negative values are being plotted on a log10 scale, values below this value are rounded up to it (e.g. to remove negative values).
   log10_max_value: 1.0e99               # If positive values are being plotted on a log10 scale, values above this value are rounded down to it.
   zoom_around_mask: true                # If True, plots of data structures with a mask automatically zoom in the masked region.
+  output_format: show                   # Default output format: "show" displays the figure interactively via plt.show(), "png"/"pdf"/etc. saves to file.
 inversion:
   reconstruction_vmax_factor: 0.5
   total_mappings_pixels: 8              # The number of source pixels used when plotting the subplot_mappings of a pixelization.
diff --git a/autoarray/dataset/plot/imaging_plots.py b/autoarray/dataset/plot/imaging_plots.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ def subplot_imaging_dataset(
     dataset,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "dataset",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     grid=None,
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def subplot_imaging_dataset_list(
     dataset_list,
     output_path=None,
     output_filename: str = "dataset_combined",
-    output_format="png",
+    output_format=None,
 ):
     """
     n×3 subplot showing core components for each dataset in a list.
diff --git a/autoarray/dataset/plot/interferometer_plots.py b/autoarray/dataset/plot/interferometer_plots.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def subplot_interferometer_dataset(
     dataset,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "dataset",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
 ):
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def subplot_interferometer_dirty_images(
     dataset,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "dirty_images",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
 ):
diff --git a/autoarray/fit/plot/fit_imaging_plots.py b/autoarray/fit/plot/fit_imaging_plots.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def subplot_fit_imaging(
     fit,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "fit",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     residuals_symmetric_cmap: bool = True,
diff --git a/autoarray/fit/plot/fit_interferometer_plots.py b/autoarray/fit/plot/fit_interferometer_plots.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def subplot_fit_interferometer(
     fit,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "fit",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     residuals_symmetric_cmap: bool = True,
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def subplot_fit_interferometer_dirty_images(
     fit,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "fit_dirty_images",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     residuals_symmetric_cmap: bool = True,
diff --git a/autoarray/inversion/plot/inversion_plots.py b/autoarray/inversion/plot/inversion_plots.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def subplot_of_mapper(
     mapper_index: int = 0,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "inversion",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     mesh_grid=None,
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def subplot_mappings(
     pixelization_index: int = 0,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "mappings",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     mesh_grid=None,
diff --git a/autoarray/inversion/plot/mapper_plots.py b/autoarray/inversion/plot/mapper_plots.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def plot_mapper(
     solution_vector=None,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "mapper",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     vmin=None,
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def subplot_image_and_mapper(
     image,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "image_and_mapper",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
     colormap=None,
     use_log10: bool = False,
     mesh_grid=None,
diff --git a/autoarray/plot/array.py b/autoarray/plot/array.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def plot_array(
     figsize: Optional[Tuple[int, int]] = None,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "array",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
     Plot a 2D array (image) using ``plt.imshow``.
diff --git a/autoarray/plot/grid.py b/autoarray/plot/grid.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def plot_grid(
     figsize: Optional[Tuple[int, int]] = None,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "grid",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
     Plot a 2D grid of ``(y, x)`` coordinates as a scatter plot.
diff --git a/autoarray/plot/inversion.py b/autoarray/plot/inversion.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def plot_inversion_reconstruction(
     figsize: Optional[Tuple[int, int]] = None,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "reconstruction",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
     Plot an inversion reconstruction using the appropriate mapper type.
diff --git a/autoarray/plot/utils.py b/autoarray/plot/utils.py
@@ -298,14 +298,14 @@ def _output_mode_save(fig, filename):
     return True
 
 
-def subplot_save(fig, output_path, output_filename, output_format):
+def subplot_save(fig, output_path, output_filename, output_format=None):
     """Save a subplot figure to disk, or display it, then close it.
 
     All ``subplot_*`` functions call this as their final step.  When
-    *output_path* is non-empty the figure is written to
-    ``<output_path>/<output_filename>.<output_format>``; otherwise
-    ``plt.show()`` is called.  ``plt.close(fig)`` is always called to
-    release memory.
+    *output_format* is ``"show"`` (the config default) or *output_path*
+    is empty, ``plt.show()`` is called; otherwise the figure is written to
+    ``<output_path>/<output_filename>.<output_format>``.
+    ``plt.close(fig)`` is always called to release memory.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -317,12 +317,18 @@ def subplot_save(fig, output_path, output_filename, output_format):
     output_filename
         Base file name without extension.
     output_format
-        File format string, e.g. ``"png"`` or ``"pdf"``.
+        File format string, e.g. ``"png"`` or ``"pdf"``.  ``"show"``
+        displays the figure interactively.  ``None`` reads from config.
     """
+    if output_format is None:
+        output_format = _conf_output_format()
+
     if _output_mode_save(fig, output_filename):
         return
 
-    if output_path:
+    if output_format == "show" or not output_path:
+        plt.show()
+    else:
         os.makedirs(output_path, exist_ok=True)
         try:
             fig.savefig(
@@ -334,8 +340,6 @@ def subplot_save(fig, output_path, output_filename, output_format):
             logger.warning(
                 f"subplot_save: could not save {output_filename}.{output_format}: {exc}"
             )
-    else:
-        plt.show()
     plt.close(fig)
 
 
@@ -454,13 +458,14 @@ def save_figure(
     fig: plt.Figure,
     path: str,
     filename: str,
-    format: str = "png",
+    format: str = None,
     dpi: Optional[int] = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
     Save *fig* to ``<path>/<filename>.<format>`` then close it.
 
-    If *path* is an empty string or ``None``, ``plt.show()`` is called instead.
+    If *format* is ``"show"`` (the config default) or *path* is empty/``None``,
+    ``plt.show()`` is called instead of saving.
     After either action ``plt.close(fig)`` is always called to free memory.
 
     For FITS output use ``fits_array`` (in ``autogalaxy.plot``) instead.
@@ -476,21 +481,30 @@ def save_figure(
     format
         File format(s) passed to ``fig.savefig``.  Either a single string
         (e.g. ``"png"``) or a list/tuple of strings (e.g. ``["png", "pdf"]``)
-        to save in multiple formats in one call.
+        to save in multiple formats in one call.  ``"show"`` displays the
+        figure interactively.  ``None`` reads the default from config.
     dpi
         Resolution in dots per inch.
     """
+    if format is None:
+        format = _conf_output_format()
+
     if dpi is None:
         from autoconf import conf
         dpi = int(conf.instance["visualize"]["general"]["general"]["dpi"])
 
     if _output_mode_save(fig, filename):
         return
 
-    if path:
+    formats = format if isinstance(format, (list, tuple)) else [format]
+
+    if all(f == "show" for f in formats) or not path:
+        plt.show()
+    else:
         os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
-        formats = format if isinstance(format, (list, tuple)) else [format]
         for fmt in formats:
+            if fmt == "show":
+                continue
             try:
                 fig.savefig(
                     os.path.join(path, f"{filename}.{fmt}"),
@@ -502,8 +516,6 @@ def save_figure(
                 logger.warning(
                     f"save_figure: could not save {filename}.{fmt}: {exc}"
                 )
-    else:
-        plt.show()
 
     plt.close(fig)
 
@@ -787,6 +799,15 @@ def _conf_imshow_origin() -> str:
         return "upper"
 
 
+def _conf_output_format() -> str:
+    """Return the default output_format from config (``"show"``, ``"png"``, etc.)."""
+    try:
+        from autoconf import conf
+        return conf.instance["visualize"]["general"]["general"]["output_format"]
+    except Exception:
+        return "show"
+
+
 def _conf_ticks(key: str, default: float) -> float:
     try:
         from autoconf import conf
diff --git a/autoarray/plot/yx.py b/autoarray/plot/yx.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def plot_yx(
     figsize: Optional[Tuple[int, int]] = None,
     output_path: Optional[str] = None,
     output_filename: str = "yx",
-    output_format: str = "png",
+    output_format: str = None,
 ) -> None:
     """
     Plot 1D y versus x data.
