TikZ tokens

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Arrow tips, fill patterns, plot marks, node shapes, path decorations and styles are short TikZ strings such as -stealth or crosshatch. tikzfigure gives each kind a small type, all built on TikzToken: named constants for the common values, a function for any other, and the same behavior for all of them. Plain strings keep working everywhere a token is accepted.

from tikzfigure import TikzFigure, arrows, decorations, marks, patterns, shapes, styles
from tikzfigure.core.tikz_token import TikzToken

The kinds of tokens

Module	Type	Examples	Used as
arrows	TikzArrow	forward, stealth, latex_both	arrows=
patterns	TikzPattern	crosshatch, dots, north_east_lines	pattern=
marks	TikzMark	circle, square_filled, x	mark= of a plot
shapes	TikzShape	diamond, ellipse, star	shape= of a node
decorations	TikzDecoration	snake, zigzag, brace	decoration=
styles	TikzStyle	dashed, decorate, line_width(1.2)	options=[...]

for token in (
    arrows.stealth,
    patterns.crosshatch,
    marks.square_filled,
    shapes.diamond,
    decorations.snake,
    styles.dashed,
):
    print(
        f"{type(token).__name__:15} {token.spec!r:18} a TikzToken: {isinstance(token, TikzToken)}"
    )

TikzArrow       '-stealth'         a TikzToken: True
TikzPattern     'crosshatch'       a TikzToken: True
TikzMark        'square*'          a TikzToken: True
TikzShape       'diamond'          a TikzToken: True
TikzDecoration  'snake'            a TikzToken: True
TikzStyle       'dashed'           a TikzToken: True

In a figure

Some tokens need a TikZ library: shape= beyond circles and rectangles needs shapes.geometric, patterns patterns, and decorations the matching decorations.* library.

fig = TikzFigure()
fig.usetikzlibrary("shapes.geometric", "patterns", "decorations.pathmorphing")

a = fig.add_node(
    0, 0, label="a", content="A", shape=shapes.diamond, draw="black", fill="blue!20"
)
b = fig.add_node(4, 0, label="b", content="B", shape=shapes.ellipse, draw="black")
edge = fig.draw([a, b], arrows=arrows.stealth, options=[styles.line_width(1.2)])

box = fig.filldraw(
    [(0, -1), (4, -1), (4, -2), (0, -2)], cycle=True, pattern=patterns.crosshatch
)
wave = fig.draw(
    [(0, -3), (4, -3)], options=[styles.decorate], decoration=decorations.snake
)
corner = fig.draw(
    [(0, -4), (2, -4), (2, -5)], options=[styles.dashed, styles.rounded_corners(4)]
)
fig.show()

/home/runner/work/tikzfigure/tikzfigure/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/fitz/__init__.py:17: FutureWarning: The `fitz` API is deprecated and will be removed in future. Use `import pymupdf` instead.
  warnings.warn(

print(fig)

% --------------------------------------------- %
% Tikzfigure generated by tikzfigure v0.5.0     %
% https://github.com/max-models/tikzfigure      %
% --------------------------------------------- %
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \node[shape=diamond, fill=blue!20, draw=black] (a) at ({0}, {0}) {A};
    \node[shape=ellipse, draw=black] (b) at ({4}, {0}) {B};
    \draw[line width=1.2pt, -stealth] (a) to (b);
    \filldraw[pattern=crosshatch] (0, -1)
        to
        (4, -1)
        to
        (4, -2)
        to
        (0, -2) -- cycle;
    \draw[decorate, decoration=snake] (0, -3) to (4, -3);
    \draw[dashed, rounded corners=4pt] (0, -4) to (2, -4) to (2, -5);
\end{tikzpicture}

Your own values

Each module has a function for any other value: arrows.tip, patterns.pattern, marks.mark, shapes.shape, decorations.decoration and styles.style. The styles module also builds measured options: line_width, rounded_corners, dash_pattern, bend_left and bend_right.

big_tip = arrows.tip("-{Latex[length=3mm]}")
print(big_tip)
print(styles.line_width(0.8), styles.dash_pattern(on=3, off=2), styles.bend_left(30))

-{Latex[length=3mm]}
line width=0.8pt dash pattern=on 3pt off 2pt bend left=30

Comparing and reusing

Two tokens of the same kind are equal when their specs are, and they hash the same, so they work as dictionary keys or in sets, for a palette of styles shared between figures. str(token) and token.to_tikz() give the raw string.

print(arrows.forward == arrows.tip("->"))
print(styles.dashed == styles.style("dashed"))
print(arrows.forward == styles.style("->"))  # different kinds are never equal

line_styles = {"measured": styles.solid, "fit": styles.dashed, "theory": styles.dotted}
print({name: str(style) for name, style in line_styles.items()})

True
True
False
{'measured': 'solid', 'fit': 'dashed', 'theory': 'dotted'}