tools-only Figure Export Usage Guide
Overview
This guide covers exporting publication-ready figures with proper resolution, sizing, and formatting.
Prerequisites
# Python
pip install matplotlib seaborn
# R
install.packages(c('ggplot2', 'cowplot', 'patchwork'))
Quick Start
Tell your AI agent what you want to do:
- "Export my plot as a publication-ready PDF"
- "Save my figure at 300 DPI for journal submission"
- "Create a multi-panel figure with proper sizing"
- "Set up consistent styling for all my figures"
Example Prompts
Basic Export
"Save my matplotlib figure as PDF and PNG at 300 DPI"
"Export my ggplot as a 3.5 inch wide figure for a single-column journal"
Journal Requirements
"Format my figure for Nature submission (89mm single column width)"
"Export my figure as TIFF with LZW compression for print publication"
Styling
"Set up Arial font and 8pt text for all my figures"
"Create a consistent theme for my paper's figures"
Multi-panel
"Combine these 4 plots into a 2x2 figure with panel labels A, B, C, D"
"Create a complex figure layout with different panel sizes"
What the Agent Will Do
- Set up figure dimensions and resolution
- Configure fonts and styling
- Export in requested format(s)
- Add panel labels if multi-panel
- Ensure colorblind-friendly palettes if requested
Tips
- Vector formats (PDF, SVG) are preferred for line plots
- Use 300 DPI minimum for raster images
- Check journal guidelines for exact requirements
- Arial or Helvetica fonts are widely accepted
- Test figures at intended print size (not screen size)
- Use viridis or other colorblind-safe palettes