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matplotlibrc configuration files are used to customize all kinds of properties in matplotlib. One can change the rc settings to customize the default parameters e.g:

matplotlib.rcParams['font.family'] = 'times new roman'

... but what does "rc" stand for?

I can't find any explanation in the docs

iacob
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ztl
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    See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Configuration_file and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_commands. in mpl, `rcParams` are the parameters that can be set in the `.matplotlibrc` file – tmdavison Jun 09 '16 at 14:03
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    The **matplotlib.rc() ** command can be used to modify multiple settings in a single group at once – chamzz.dot Jun 27 '17 at 16:33
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    It stands for “[run commands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_commands)”. – Yas Oct 31 '18 at 05:05
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    "run commands" is close to the answer, but so obscure as to be obsolete. I prefer to call it "runtime configuration" parameters. From Wikipedia link above (which I repeat here for completeness) ... 'In the context of Unix-like systems, the term rc stands for the phrase "run commands". It is used for any file that contains startup information for a command.' I don't consider matplotlib to be a Unix-like system, hence applying '.rc' to matplotlib was perhaps out of habit by a Unix programmer. matplotlib.rcparams should be renamed to "runtime_config" or something more obvious. – Rich Lysakowski PhD Nov 26 '19 at 03:34
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    @RichLysakowski please don't edit noise into questions. – Andras Deak -- Слава Україні Dec 14 '19 at 12:14

1 Answers1

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It's common to end configuration files in 'rc' - e.g. '.xinitrc', '.vimrc' and '.bashrc'.

It stems from practice of having your configs executable - they are automatically Run at startup and they Configure your stuff.

This started long ago, even before Unix:

[Unix: from runcom files on the CTSS system 1962-63, via the startup script /etc/rc] Script file containing startup instructions for an application program (or an entire operating system), usually a text file containing commands of the sort that might have been invoked manually once the system was running but are to be executed automatically each time the system starts up.

Doryx
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Daerdemandt
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  • so it stands for `run config(s)`? – laylaylom May 23 '19 at 14:50
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    Not exactly "run config", but rather "runtime configuration". – Rich Lysakowski PhD Nov 26 '19 at 03:00
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    I am not sure why people insist on NOT answering the question directly. AND in the case of this particular PROGRAMMING question, why were the answers so eagerly closed off too early? matplotlib is an API and is definitely a programming technology. Correctly setting up its runtime configuration parameters is a crucial aspect of coding matplotlib applications. I will edit the question itself to fix the original poster's misunderstanding. – Rich Lysakowski PhD Nov 26 '19 at 03:07
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    It stands for "Run Commands" not "Run configure" according to the source provided above: "[Unix: from runcom files on the CTSS system 1962-63, via the startup script /etc/rc] Script file containing startup instructions for an application program (or an entire operating system), usually a text file containing commands of the sort that might have been invoked manually once the system was running but are to be executed automatically each time the system starts up. See also dot file, profile (sense 1)." – mruanova Jul 31 '20 at 13:55