Add new documentation for set_linestyle of patches, collection and li…

…nes.
matplotlib · tacaswell · May 14, 2015 · Jul 15, 2014 · Jul 29, 2014 · Nov 8, 2014
commit 8d1f0e090013e1346bd412e7a4f45c7a3f8113a2
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/collections.py b/lib/matplotlib/collections.py
@@ -482,8 +482,26 @@ def set_linestyle(self, ls):
         """
         Set the linestyle(s) for the collection.
 
-        ACCEPTS: ['solid' | 'dashed', 'dashdot', 'dotted' |
-        (offset, on-off-dash-seq) ]
+        ===========================   =================
+        linestyle                     description
+        ===========================   =================
+        ``'-'`` or ``'solid'``        solid line
+        ``'--'`` or  ``'dashed'``     dashed line
+        ``'-.'`` or  ``'dash_dot'``   dash-dotted line
+        ``':'`` or ``'dotted'``       dotted line
+        ===========================   =================
+
+        Alternatively a dash tuple of the following form can be provided::
+
+            (offset, onoffseq),
+
+        where ``onoffseq`` is an even length tuple of on and off ink
+        in points.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        ls : { '-',  '--', '-.', ':'} and more see description
+            The line style.
         """
         try:
             dashd = backend_bases.GraphicsContextBase.dashd

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
@@ -923,33 +923,41 @@ def set_linewidth(self, w):
 
     def set_linestyle(self, linestyle):
         """
-        Set the linestyle of the line (also accepts drawstyles)
-
-
-        ================    =================
-        linestyle           description
-        ================    =================
-        ``'-'``             solid
-        ``'--'``            dashed
-        ``'-.'``            dash_dot
-        ``':'``             dotted
-        ``'None'``          draw nothing
-        ``' '``             draw nothing
-        ``''``              draw nothing
-        ================    =================
+        Set the linestyle of the line (also accepts drawstyles,
+        e.g., ``'steps--'``)
+
+
+        ===========================   =================
+        linestyle                     description
+        ===========================   =================
+        ``'-'`` or ``'solid'``        solid line
+        ``'--'`` or  ``'dashed'``     dashed line
+        ``'-.'`` or  ``'dash_dot'``   dash-dotted line
+        ``':'`` or ``'dotted'``       dotted line
+        ``'None'``                    draw nothing
+        ``' '``                       draw nothing
+        ``''``                        draw nothing
+        ===========================   =================
 
         'steps' is equivalent to 'steps-pre' and is maintained for
         backward-compatibility.
 
+        Alternatively a dash tuple of the following form can be provided::
+
+            (offset, onoffseq),
+
+        where ``onoffseq`` is an even length tuple of on and off ink
+        in points.
+
         .. seealso::
 
             :meth:`set_drawstyle`
                To set the drawing style (stepping) of the plot.
 
-        ACCEPTS: [``'-'`` | ``'--'`` | ``'-.'`` | ``':'`` | ``'None'`` |
-                  ``' '`` | ``''``]
-
-        and any drawstyle in combination with a linestyle, e.g., ``'steps--'``.
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        ls : { '-',  '--', '-.', ':'} and more see description
+            The line style.
         """
         if not is_string_like(linestyle):
             if len(linestyle) != 2:

diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/patches.py b/lib/matplotlib/patches.py
@@ -344,7 +344,26 @@ def set_linestyle(self, ls):
         """
         Set the patch linestyle
 
-        ACCEPTS: ['solid' | 'dashed' | 'dashdot' | 'dotted']
+        ===========================   =================
+        linestyle                     description
+        ===========================   =================
+        ``'-'`` or ``'solid'``        solid line
+        ``'--'`` or  ``'dashed'``     dashed line
+        ``'-.'`` or  ``'dash_dot'``   dash-dotted line
+        ``':'`` or ``'dotted'``       dotted line
+        ===========================   =================
+
+        Alternatively a dash tuple of the following form can be provided::
+
+            (offset, onoffseq),
+
+        where ``onoffseq`` is an even length tuple of on and off ink
+        in points.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        ls : { '-',  '--', '-.', ':'} and more see description
+            The line style.
         """
         if ls is None:
             ls = "solid"