How to check that pylab backend of matplotlib runs inline?

Question

I am modifying a python module that plots some special graphs using matplotlib. Right now, this module just saves all figures as files. I would like to make it possible to import the module while working in ipython notebook and see the results "inline", on the other hand I would like to keep the default functionality of saving the figures as files when the module is imported in all other cases. So I need somehow to check if the module is imported in ipython notebook and the pylab is operating inline or not. How can I check this?

Accepted Answer

You can check the matplotlib backend with:

```
import matplotlib
matplotlib.get_backend()
```

To check for inline matplotlib in particular:

```
mpl_is_inline = 'inline' in matplotlib.get_backend()
```

Note that with the IPython notebook, you can always display inline figures, regardless of the active matplotlib backend, with:

```
display(fig)
```

How to check that pylab backend of matplotlib runs inline?

Solution

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