Connecting two points in a 3D scatter plot in Python and matplotlib

Question

In the code below, how do I create lines connecting each pair of scatter plots (i.e. linking the green circle to the yellow arrowhead) created by the two lines of code towards the end just before the .show() instruction?

import matplotlib.pyplot
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

dates       = [20020514, 20020515, 20020516, 20020517, 20020520]
highs       = [1135, 1158, 1152, 1158, 1163]
lows        = [1257, 1253, 1259, 1264, 1252]
upperLimits = [1125.0, 1125.0, 1093.75, 1125.0, 1125.0]
lowerLimits = [1250.0, 1250.0, 1156.25, 1250.0, 1250.0]

zaxisvalues0= [0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
zaxisvalues1= [1, 1, 1, 1, 1]
zaxisvalues2= [2, 2, 2, 2, 2]

fig = matplotlib.pyplot.figure()
ax  = fig.add_subplot(111, projection = '3d')

ax.plot(dates, zaxisvalues1, lowerLimits, color = 'b')
ax.plot(dates, zaxisvalues2, upperLimits, color = 'r')

ax.scatter(dates, zaxisvalues0, highs, color = 'g', marker = "o")
ax.scatter(dates, zaxisvalues0, lows, color = 'y', marker = "^")

matplotlib.pyplot.show()

Solution

Draw a line segment between those points:

import matplotlib.pyplot
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

dates       = [20020514, 20020515, 20020516, 20020517, 20020520]
highs       = [1135, 1158, 1152, 1158, 1163]
lows        = [1257, 1253, 1259, 1264, 1252]
upperLimits = [1125.0, 1125.0, 1093.75, 1125.0, 1125.0]
lowerLimits = [1250.0, 1250.0, 1156.25, 1250.0, 1250.0]

zaxisvalues0= [0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
zaxisvalues1= [1, 1, 1, 1, 1]
zaxisvalues2= [2, 2, 2, 2, 2]

fig = matplotlib.pyplot.figure()
ax  = fig.add_subplot(111, projection = '3d')

ax.plot(dates, zaxisvalues1, lowerLimits, color = 'b')
ax.plot(dates, zaxisvalues2, upperLimits, color = 'r')

for i,j,k,h in zip(dates,zaxisvalues0,lows,highs):
    ax.plot([i,i],[j,j],[k,h],color = 'g')

ax.scatter(dates, zaxisvalues0, highs, color = 'g', marker = "o")
ax.scatter(dates, zaxisvalues0, lows, color = 'y', marker = "^")

matplotlib.pyplot.show()

Produces:

Comments

[Zambi]

Superb! Thanks, Mark. I never realized I can plot individual points at will (instead of a series of in an array or list). Now what if I wanted to draw a rectangle instead of a line? I tried changing "ax.plot" to "ax.bar" in your "for" loop but I got skewed lines instead. Is there a way to draw a rectangle? Thanks in advance.

[Hooked]

@Zambi Welcome to Stackoverflow! Rather than tack on extra questions, it makes more sense here to ask a new question.

[Mark]

Zambi, as @Hooked said, it's best to open a new question so the larger community can see it. A quick looks though, you have two options, draw the 4 sides of the rectangle with "plot" lines or look into using PolyCollection (matplotlib.sourceforge.net/examples/mplot3d/polys3d_demo.ht‌​ml)

[Zambi]

Hooked and Mark thanks. A new question has been posted. (stackoverflow.com/questions/10599942/…)