Plotly.js: Proposal: image layer above grid lines and below traces

[jonmmease]

Currently images and shapes support a layer property to control whether objects are rendered 'above' the traces in the figure of 'below'. As shows in the following example, the 'below' mode also places the images/shapes below the grid lines.

CodePen: https://codepen.io/jonmmease/pen/EqbLej

I find the the gridlines a bit distracting when placed on top of the image, and I would like to propose a third 'layer' option, 'between', that would place images/shapes above the gridlines and below the traces.

Do you think this would this require adding a new layer to the svg plot? or could the shapes/image be added to the layer the gird is currently drawn on?

[etpinard]

Yep, I like the idea of adding a third layer value (that's why we added this attribute as an enumerated as opposed to a boolean).

Now, I would prefer something more precise than 'between'. Maybe 'above grid' would be better? In other words, above means "above everything', below means "below everything" and upcoming layer values will be named as either "above something" or "below something"`. What do you think?

Do you think this would this require adding a new layer to the svg plot?

Yes, most likely we'll need that in order to get showgrid and images[i].visible relayout calls to work correctly.

[etpinard]

Come to think of it, maybe adding layer: 'below traces' would be even better for your use case?

[jonmmease]

Yeah, I like that naming approach. layer: 'below traces' is probably the best name/meaning for what I'm interested in.

[nicolaskruchten]

@jonmmease is this still relevant in an image trace-type world?

[jonmmease]

Nah, I don't think so.

[gemmavnash]

@jonmmease is this still relevant in an image trace-type world?

Hi. I don't understand the above and want to have my shapes between my grids and traces. How do I go about this? Thanks in advance.

[nicolaskruchten]

@gemmavnash if you can post at https://community.plotly.com/ describing what you're trying to do, we'll try to help you :)

[nicolaskruchten]

This is still relevant in the case of shapes, however, as pointed out in https://community.plotly.com/t/show-shapes-below-traces-and-above-grid/38629/3