Of course! The term "python pdf ltfigure" is likely a search query related to creating figures (like plots, charts, or images) and placing them in a PDF document using Python.

Let's break this down. "ltfigure" isn't a standard Python library, but it strongly suggests LaTeX, which is the industry standard for typesetting high-quality scientific documents. The combination of Python and LaTeX for PDF generation is extremely powerful.

Here’s a comprehensive guide covering the most common ways to achieve this, from simple to advanced.

The Core Concept: Python + LaTeX

The general workflow is:

1. Generate a figure using a Python library like matplotlib.
2. Save the figure to a file (e.g., a .png, .jpg, or .pdf).
3. Write a LaTeX source (.tex) file using Python. This file will include the figure using LaTeX's \includegraphics command.
4. Compile the LaTeX file using a command-line tool like pdflatex or a Python wrapper like pylatex to produce the final PDF.

Method 1: The Standard Approach (Manual Steps)

This method is great for understanding the underlying process. You'll write the Python script and the LaTeX file separately.

Step 1: Generate a Figure with Python (using Matplotlib)

Let's create a simple plot and save it as a PDF. Saving as PDF is often best because it's a vector format, which scales perfectly for LaTeX.

# generate_plot.py
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np
# Create some data
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.sin(x)
# Create the plot
plt.figure(figsize=(6, 4)) # Set a figure size
plt.plot(x, y, label='sin(x)')"A Simple Sine Wave")
plt.xlabel("X-axis")
plt.ylabel("Y-axis")
plt.legend()
plt.grid(True)
# Save the figure as a PDF file
plt.savefig('sine_wave.pdf', bbox_inches='tight')
print("Plot saved as sine_wave.pdf")

Step 2: Write the LaTeX Document

Now, create a file named report.tex in the same directory. We'll use the graphicx package to include our figure.

% report.tex
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx} % Required to insert images
\usepackage{amsmath}  % For some math symbols
My Report with a Figure}
\author{Your Name}
\date{\today}
\begin{document}
\section{Introduction}
This is a simple report demonstrating how to include a Python-generated figure in a LaTeX document.
\section{The Figure}
Here is the sine wave plot generated by a Python script.
% The \includegraphics command inserts the figure
% [width=0.8\textwidth] makes the figure 80% of the text width
\begin{figure}[h!] % 'h!' tries to place the figure 'here'
    \centering % Centers the figure on the page
    \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{sine_wave.pdf}
    \caption{A plot of the sine function generated with Matplotlib.}
    \label{fig:sine_wave} % A label for cross-referencing
\end{figure}
As you can see in Figure \ref{fig:sine_wave}, the sine function oscillates between -1 and 1.
\section{Conclusion}
This concludes the report.
\end{document}

Step 3: Compile the LaTeX File

You need a LaTeX distribution installed (like MiKTeX for Windows, MacTeX for macOS, or TeX Live for Linux). Open your terminal or command prompt, navigate to the directory where you saved the files, and run:

pdflatex report.tex

This will generate report.pdf, which will contain your formatted text and the included figure.

Method 2: The Automated Approach (using pylatex)

Doing this manually is tedious. The pylatex library allows you to generate the LaTeX .tex file programmatically from Python. This is much more efficient for automation.

First, install the library:

pip install pylatex matplotlib numpy

Now, let's combine the figure generation and LaTeX document creation into a single Python script.

# automated_report.py
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
from pylatex import Document, Figure, Center
# --- 1. Generate the figure ---
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.sin(x)
plt.figure(figsize=(6, 4))
plt.plot(x, y, label='sin(x)')"A Simple Sine Wave")
plt.xlabel("X-axis")
plt.ylabel("Y-axis")
plt.legend()
plt.grid(True)
# Save the figure to a temporary file or a specific location
# pylatex can also handle this, but saving first is straightforward.
plot_filename = 'sine_wave_for_pylatex.pdf'
plt.savefig(plot_filename, bbox_inches='tight')
plt.close() # Close the plot to free memory
# --- 2. Create the LaTeX document with pylatex ---
# Create a Document object
doc = Document('report_generated_by_pylatex')
# Add content to the document
doc.append("My Report with a Figure (Generated by pylatex)")
doc.append("\\newline\\newline") # Add some space
# Create a Figure object
with doc.create(Center()):
    with doc.create(Figure(position='h!')) as figure:
        # Add the image to the figure
        figure.add_image(plot_filename, width='0.8\\textwidth')
        # Add a caption
        figure.add_caption("A plot of the sine function generated with Matplotlib.")
        # Add a label for cross-referencing
        figure.add_label("fig:sine_wave_pylatex")
doc.append("As you can see in Figure \\ref{fig:sine_wave_pylatex}, the sine function is plotted.")
# --- 3. Generate the PDF ---
# The .generate_pdf() method compiles the .tex file and creates the PDF
# It will automatically run pdflatex multiple times to resolve references
doc.generate_pdf(clean_tex=False) # Set to True to delete .tex, .aux, .log files
print(f"PDF report_generated_by_pylatex.pdf has been generated.")

When you run this script, it will:

1. Generate sine_wave_for_pylatex.pdf.
2. Create a report_generated_by_pylatex.tex file.
3. Run pdflatex in the background to compile the .tex file into report_generated_by_pylatex.pdf.

Method 3: The Direct Approach (using matplotlib's LaTeX backend)

For pure plotting needs, you can have matplotlib itself render text elements (like titles, labels, and legends) using LaTeX. This gives you publication-quality fonts directly in your plot image, which you can then save and include in a document.

Note: This requires a full LaTeX installation (like TeX Live or MacTeX) on your system.

# direct_latex_plot.py
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
# --- Enable LaTeX in Matplotlib ---
# This tells matplotlib to use LaTeX for text rendering.
# It requires a LaTeX installation.
plt.rcParams.update({
    "text.usetex": True,
    "font.family": "serif",
    "font.serif": ["Computer Modern Roman"], # A common LaTeX font
    "axes.labelsize": 12,
    "font.size": 12
})
# --- Generate the plot ---
x = np.linspace(0, 10, 100)
y = np.sin(x)
plt.figure(figsize=(6, 4))
plt.plot(x, y, label=r'$\sin(x)$') # Use math mode for symbols"A Simple Sine Wave with LaTeX Text")
plt.xlabel(r"$x$-axis (in radians)")
plt.ylabel(r"$\sin(x)$")
plt.legend()
plt.grid(True)
# Save the plot. The text is now rendered by LaTeX.
plt.savefig('direct_latex_plot.pdf', bbox_inches='tight')
print("Plot with LaTeX text saved as direct_latex_plot.pdf")

When you run this, direct_latex_plot.pdf will be created. If you then include this PDF in a LaTeX document (as in Method 1), the text will be rendered twice. This method is best when you just need a high-quality plot image, not a full document.

Summary: Which Method to Choose?