ENH: Add option for axis-straddling 'inout' tics.

Author: zpincus

lib/matplotlib/axis.py

@@ -330,6 +330,9 @@ def apply_tickdir(self, tickdir):
         if self._tickdir == 'in':
             self._tickmarkers = (mlines.TICKUP, mlines.TICKDOWN)
             self._pad = self._base_pad
+        elif self._tickdir == 'inout':
+            self._tickmarkers = ('|', '|')
+            self._pad = self._base_pad + self._size/2.
         else:
             self._tickmarkers = (mlines.TICKDOWN, mlines.TICKUP)
             self._pad = self._base_pad + self._size
@@ -469,6 +472,9 @@ def apply_tickdir(self, tickdir):
         if self._tickdir == 'in':
             self._tickmarkers = (mlines.TICKRIGHT, mlines.TICKLEFT)
             self._pad = self._base_pad
+        elif self._tickdir == 'inout':
+            self._tickmarkers = ('_', '_')
+            self._pad = self._base_pad + self._size/2.
         else:
             self._tickmarkers = (mlines.TICKLEFT, mlines.TICKRIGHT)
             self._pad = self._base_pad + self._size

matplotlibrc.template

@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ text.hinting_factor : 8 # Specifies the amount of softness for hinting in the
 #xtick.minor.pad      : 4      # distance to the minor tick label in points
 #xtick.color          : k      # color of the tick labels
 #xtick.labelsize      : medium # fontsize of the tick labels
-#xtick.direction      : in     # direction: in or out
+#xtick.direction      : in     # direction: in, out, or inout
 
 #ytick.major.size     : 4      # major tick size in points
 #ytick.minor.size     : 2      # minor tick size in points
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ text.hinting_factor : 8 # Specifies the amount of softness for hinting in the
 #ytick.minor.pad      : 4      # distance to the minor tick label in points
 #ytick.color          : k      # color of the tick labels
 #ytick.labelsize      : medium # fontsize of the tick labels
-#ytick.direction      : in     # direction: in or out
+#ytick.direction      : in     # direction: in, out, or inout
 
 
 ### GRIDS