Modify matplotlib TextBox value without triggering callback

Question

For example, I have a Slider with a callback set via on_changed(). I have the option of modifying the Slider value with set_val() without triggering the callback by setting eventson to False before setting the value.

However, if I set eventson to False for the TextBox, then update the value with set_val(), the callback on_submit() still gets triggered.

The source code for my version of Matplotlib verifies this:

For TextBox:

def set_val(self, val):
    newval = str(val)
    if self.text == newval:
        return
    self.text = newval
    self.text_disp.remove()
    self.text_disp = self._make_text_disp(self.text)
    self._rendercursor()
    self._notify_change_observers()
    self._notify_submit_observers()

For Slider:

def set_val(self, val):
    """
    Set slider value to *val*

    Parameters
    ----------
    val : float
    """
    xy = self.poly.xy
    xy[2] = val, 1
    xy[3] = val, 0
    self.poly.xy = xy
    self.valtext.set_text(self.valfmt % val)
    if self.drawon:
        self.ax.figure.canvas.draw_idle()
    self.val = val
    if not self.eventson:
        return
    for cid, func in self.observers.items():
        func(val)

Is there a preferred way to do this?

Answer 1

It's a dirty solution, but you could "monkey patch" the class TextBox to call your own set_val() instead. Unfortunately, I don't know whether this could have unintended consequences.

from matplotlib.widgets import TextBox

def set_val(self, val):
    newval = str(val)
    if self.text == newval:
        return
    self.text = newval
    self.text_disp.remove()
    self.text_disp = self._make_text_disp(self.text)
    self._rendercursor()
    if self.eventson:
        self._notify_change_observers()
        self._notify_submit_observers()

TextBox.set_val = set_val

(...)

tbox1 = TextBox(tax1, 'Text Box 1')
tbox1.on_submit(...)

tbox1.eventson = False
tbox1.set_val('test')
tbox1.eventson = True

plt.show()

Alternatively, for a better, long term solution, you could raise an issue, or do a pull request at matplotlib's tracker Nevermind, I see you already raised an issue.