Use a subdirectory of $XDG_CONFIG_HOME instead of ~/.matplotlibrc on Linux

doc/api/api_changes.rst

@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ For new features that were added to matplotlib, please see
 Changes in 1.3.x
 ================
 
+* On Linux, the user-specific `matplotlibrc` configuration file is now
+  located in `~/.config/matplotlib/matplotlibrc` to conform to the
+  `XDG Base Directory Specification
+  <http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html>`_.
+
 * The following items that were deprecated in version 1.2 or earlier
   have now been removed completely.
 

doc/faq/troubleshooting_faq.rst

@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ and printing the ``__file__`` attribute::
 :file:`.matplotlib` directory location
 ======================================
 
-Each user has a :file:`.matplotlib/` directory which may contain a
-:ref:`matplotlibrc <customizing-with-matplotlibrc-files>` file and various
-caches to improve matplotlib's performance. To locate your :file:`.matplotlib/`
-directory, use :func:`matplotlib.get_configdir`::
+Each user has a matplotlib configuration directory which may contain a
+:ref:`matplotlibrc <customizing-with-matplotlibrc-files>` file. To
+locate your :file:`.matplotlib/` directory, use
+:func:`matplotlib.get_configdir`::
 
     >>> import matplotlib as mpl
     >>> mpl.get_configdir()

doc/users/customizing.rst

@@ -18,21 +18,31 @@ locations, in the following order:
 
 1. :file:`matplotlibrc` in the current working directory, usually used for
    specific customizations that you do not want to apply elsewhere.
-2. :file:`.matplotlib/matplotlibrc`, for the user's default customizations. See
-   :ref:`locating-matplotlib-config-dir`.
-3. :file:`{INSTALL}/matplotlib/mpl-data/matplotlibrc`, where :file:`{INSTALL}`
-   is something like :file:`/usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages` on Linux, and
-   maybe :file:`C:\\Python25\\Lib\\site-packages` on Windows. Every time you
-   install matplotlib, this file will be overwritten, so if you want your
-   customizations to be saved, please move this file to your :file:`.matplotlib`
-   directory.
+
+2. It next looks in a user-specific place, depending on your platform:
+
+   - On Linux, it looks in :file:`.config/matplotlib/matplotlibrc` (or
+     `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/matplotlib/matplotlibrc` if you've customized
+     your environment.
+
+   - On other platforms, it looks in :file:`.matplotlib/matplotlibrc`.
+
+   See :ref:`locating-matplotlib-config-dir`.
+
+3. :file:`{INSTALL}/matplotlib/mpl-data/matplotlibrc`, where
+   :file:`{INSTALL}` is something like
+   :file:`/usr/lib/python2.5/site-packages` on Linux, and maybe
+   :file:`C:\\Python25\\Lib\\site-packages` on Windows. Every time you
+   install matplotlib, this file will be overwritten, so if you want
+   your customizations to be saved, please move this file to your
+   user-specific matplotlib directory.
 
 To display where the currently active :file:`matplotlibrc` file was
 loaded from, one can do the following::
 
   >>> import matplotlib
   >>> matplotlib.matplotlib_fname()
-  '/home/foo/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc'
+  '/home/foo/.config/matplotlib/matplotlibrc'
 
 See below for a sample :ref:`matplotlibrc file<matplotlibrc-sample>`.
 

doc/users/whats_new.rst

@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ animations as well as being fully interactive.
 Future versions of matplotlib will integrate this backend with the
 IPython notebook for a fully web browser based plotting frontend.
 
+XDG base directory support
+--------------------------
+On Linux, matplotlib now uses the `XDG base directory specification
+<http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html>`
+to find the `matplotlibrc` configuration file.  `matplotlibrc` should
+now be kept in `~/.config/matplotlib`, rather than `~/.matplotlib`.  If
+your configuration is found in the old location, it will still be used,
+but a warning will be displayed.
+
 Path effects on lines
 ---------------------
 Thanks to Jae-Joon Lee, path effects now also work on plot lines.

lib/matplotlib/__init__.py

@@ -146,19 +146,6 @@
     sys.argv = ['modpython']
 
 
-"""
-Manage user customizations through a rc file.
-
-The default file location is given in the following order
-
-  - environment variable MATPLOTLIBRC
-
-  - HOME/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc if HOME is defined
-
-  - PATH/matplotlibrc where PATH is the return value of
-    get_data_path()
-"""
-
 import sys, os, tempfile
 
 if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
@@ -525,50 +512,104 @@ def _create_tmp_config_dir():
 
 get_home = verbose.wrap('$HOME=%s', _get_home, always=False)
 
-def _get_configdir():
+def _get_xdg_config_dir():
     """
-    Return the string representing the configuration directory.
+    Returns the XDG configuration directory, according to the `XDG
+    base directory spec
+    <http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html>`_.
+    """
+    return os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME', os.path.join(get_home(), '.config'))
 
-    The directory is chosen as follows:
 
-    1. If the MPLCONFIGDIR environment variable is supplied, choose that. Else,
-       choose the '.matplotlib' subdirectory of the user's home directory (and
-       create it if necessary).
-    2. If the chosen directory exists and is writable, use that as the
-       configuration directory.
-    3. If possible, create a temporary directory, and use it as the
-       configuration directory.
-    4. A writable directory could not be found or created; return None.
+def _get_xdg_cache_dir():
+    """
+    Returns the XDG cache directory, according to the `XDG
+    base directory spec
+    <http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html>`_.
     """
+    return os.environ.get('XDG_CACHE_HOME', os.path.join(get_home(), '.cache'))
+
+
+def _get_config_or_cache_dir(xdg_base):
     from matplotlib.cbook import mkdirs
 
     configdir = os.environ.get('MPLCONFIGDIR')
     if configdir is not None:
         if not os.path.exists(configdir):
             from matplotlib.cbook import mkdirs
             mkdirs(configdir)
+
         if not _is_writable_dir(configdir):
             return _create_tmp_config_dir()
         return configdir
 
     h = get_home()
-    if h is not None:
-        p = os.path.join(h, '.matplotlib')
+    if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
+        xdg_path = os.path.join(xdg_base, 'matplotlib')
 
+        p = os.path.join(h, '.matplotlib')
         if os.path.exists(p):
-            if not _is_writable_dir(p):
-                return _create_tmp_config_dir()
+            warnings.warn(
+                "Found matplotlib configuration in ~/.matplotlib. "
+                "To conform with the XDG base directory standard, "
+                "this configuration directory has been deprecated "
+                "on Linux, and the new location is now %r.  Please "
+                "move your configuration there to ensure that "
+                "matplotlib will continue to find it in the future." %
+                xdg_path)
         else:
-            if not _is_writable_dir(h):
-                return _create_tmp_config_dir()
-            mkdirs(p)
+            p = xdg_path
+    else:
+        p = os.path.join(h, '.matplotlib')
+
+    if os.path.exists(p):
+        if not _is_writable_dir(p):
+            return _create_tmp_config_dir()
+    else:
+        if not _is_writable_dir(h):
+            return _create_tmp_config_dir()
+        mkdirs(p)
+
+    return p
+
+
+def _get_configdir():
+    """
+    Return the string representing the configuration directory.
+
+    The directory is chosen as follows:
 
-        return p
+    1. If the MPLCONFIGDIR environment variable is supplied, choose that.
+
+    2a. On Linux, if `$HOME/.matplotlib` exists, choose that, but warn that
+        that is the old location.  Barring that, follow the XDG specification
+        and look first in `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`, if defined, or `$HOME/.config`.
+
+    2b. On other platforms, choose `$HOME/.matplotlib`.
+
+    3. If the chosen directory exists and is writable, use that as the
+       configuration directory.
+    4. If possible, create a temporary directory, and use it as the
+       configuration directory.
+    5. A writable directory could not be found or created; return None.
+    """
+    return _get_config_or_cache_dir(_get_xdg_config_dir())
 
-    return _create_tmp_config_dir()
 get_configdir = verbose.wrap('CONFIGDIR=%s', _get_configdir, always=False)
 
 
+def _get_cachedir():
+    """
+    Return the location of the cache directory.
+
+    The procedure used to find the directory is the same as for
+    _get_config_dir, except using `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`/`~/.cache` instead.
+    """
+    return _get_config_or_cache_dir(_get_xdg_cache_dir())
+
+get_cachedir = verbose.wrap('CACHEDIR=%s', _get_cachedir, always=False)
+
+
 def _get_data_path():
     'get the path to matplotlib data'
 
@@ -643,50 +684,36 @@ def get_py2exe_datafiles():
 
 def matplotlib_fname():
     """
-    Return the path to the rc file used by matplotlib.
+    Get the location of the config file.
 
-    Search order:
+    The file location is determined in the following order
 
-     * current working dir
-     * environ var MATPLOTLIBRC
-     * HOME/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc
-     * MATPLOTLIBDATA/matplotlibrc
+    - `$PWD/matplotlibrc`
 
-    """
-    oldname = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), '.matplotlibrc')
-    if os.path.exists(oldname):
-        try:
-            shutil.move('.matplotlibrc', 'matplotlibrc')
-        except IOError as e:
-            warnings.warn('File could not be renamed: %s' % e)
-        else:
-            warnings.warn("""\
-Old rc filename ".matplotlibrc" found in working dir and and renamed to new
-    default rc file name "matplotlibrc" (no leading ".").""")
-
-    home = get_home()
-    configdir = get_configdir()
-    if home:
-        oldname = os.path.join(home, '.matplotlibrc')
-        if os.path.exists(oldname):
-            if configdir is not None:
-                newname = os.path.join(configdir, 'matplotlibrc')
-
-                try:
-                    shutil.move(oldname, newname)
-                except IOError as e:
-                    warnings.warn('File could not be renamed: %s' % e)
-                else:
-                    warnings.warn("""\
-Old rc filename "%s" found and renamed to new default rc file name "%s"."""
-                              % (oldname, newname))
-            else:
-                warnings.warn("""\
-Could not rename old rc file "%s": a suitable configuration directory could not
-    be found.""" % oldname)
+    - environment variable `MATPLOTLIBRC`
+
+    - `$MPLCONFIGDIR/matplotlib`
+
+    - On Linux,
 
+          - `$HOME/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc`, if it exists
+
+          - or `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/matplotlib/matplotlibrc` (if
+            $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is defined)
+
+          - or `$HOME/.config/matplotlib/matplotlibrc` (if
+            $XDG_CONFIG_HOME is not defined)
+
+    - On other platforms,
+
+         - `$HOME/.matplotlib/matplotlibrc` if `$HOME` is defined.
+
+    - Lastly, it looks in `$MATPLOTLIBDATA/matplotlibrc` for a
+      system-defined copy.
+    """
     fname = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'matplotlibrc')
-    if os.path.exists(fname): return fname
+    if os.path.exists(fname):
+        return fname
 
     if 'MATPLOTLIBRC' in os.environ:
         path =  os.environ['MATPLOTLIBRC']
@@ -695,15 +722,17 @@ def matplotlib_fname():
             if os.path.exists(fname):
                 return fname
 
+    configdir = _get_configdir()
     if configdir is not None:
         fname = os.path.join(configdir, 'matplotlibrc')
         if os.path.exists(fname):
             return fname
 
-    path =  get_data_path() # guaranteed to exist or raise
+    path = get_data_path()  # guaranteed to exist or raise
     fname = os.path.join(path, 'matplotlibrc')
     if not os.path.exists(fname):
         warnings.warn('Could not find matplotlibrc; using defaults')
+
     return fname
 
 

lib/matplotlib/finance.py

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import numpy as np
 
-from matplotlib import verbose, get_configdir
+from matplotlib import verbose, get_cachedir
 from matplotlib.dates import date2num
 from matplotlib.cbook import iterable, mkdirs
 from matplotlib.collections import LineCollection, PolyCollection
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@
 from matplotlib.transforms import Affine2D
 
 
-configdir = get_configdir()
+cachedir = get_cachedir()
 # cachedir will be None if there is no writable directory.
-if configdir is not None:
-    cachedir = os.path.join(configdir, 'finance.cache')
+if cachedir is not None:
+    cachedir = os.path.join(cachedir, 'finance.cache')
 else:
     # Should only happen in a restricted environment (such as Google App
     # Engine). Deal with this gracefully by not caching finance data.
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def fetch_historical_yahoo(ticker, date1, date2, cachename=None,dividends=False)
     cachename is the name of the local file cache.  If None, will
     default to the md5 hash or the url (which incorporates the ticker
     and date range)
-    
+
     set dividends=True to return dividends instead of price data.  With
     this option set, parse functions will not work
 

lib/matplotlib/font_manager.py

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 import matplotlib
 from matplotlib import afm
 from matplotlib import ft2font
-from matplotlib import rcParams, get_configdir
+from matplotlib import rcParams, get_cachedir
 from matplotlib.cbook import is_string_like
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 from matplotlib.compat import subprocess
@@ -1323,12 +1323,12 @@ def findfont(prop, fontext='ttf'):
         return result
 
 else:
-    configdir = get_configdir()
-    if configdir is not None:
+    cachedir = get_cachedir()
+    if cachedir is not None:
         if sys.version_info[0] >= 3:
-            _fmcache = os.path.join(configdir, 'fontList.py3k.cache')
+            _fmcache = os.path.join(cachedir, 'fontList.py3k.cache')
         else:
-            _fmcache = os.path.join(configdir, 'fontList.cache')
+            _fmcache = os.path.join(cachedir, 'fontList.cache')
     else:
         # Should only happen in a restricted environment (such as Google App
         # Engine). Deal with this gracefully by not caching fonts.