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Merge pull request #1129 from mkborregaard/fix-function-vector
2017-10-05 12:28:52 +02:00 · 2017-10-05 12:27:51 +02:00 · 2017-10-05 12:26:04 +02:00 · 2017-10-05 12:25:04 +02:00 · 2017-10-05 12:22:52 +02:00 · 2017-10-05 12:22:12 +02:00
30 changed files with 1209 additions and 426 deletions
@@ -3,22 +3,75 @@

 #### notes on release changes, ongoing development, and future planned work

- All new development should target 0.12!
+- All new development should target 0.13!
 - Minor version 0.11 is the last one to support Julia 0.5!!
 	- Critical bugfixes only
-    - `backports` branch is for Julia 0.4
+    - `backports` branch is for Julia 0.5

 ---
 ## (current master)

-## 0.12.2
+## 0.13.1
+
+- fix a bug when passing a vector of functions with no bounds (e.g. `plot([sin, cos])`)
+- export `pct` and `px` from Plots.PlotMeasures
+
+## 0.13.0
+
+- support `plotattributes` rather than `d` in recipes
+- no longer export `w`, `h` and names from Measures.jl; use `using Plots.PlotMeasures` to get these names back
+- `bar_width` now depends on the minimum distance between bars, not the mean
+- better automatic x axis limits for plotting Functions
+- `tick_direction` attribute now allows ticks to be on the inside of the plot border
+- removed a bug where `p1 = plot(randn(10)); plot(p1, p2)` made `display(p1)` impossible
+- allow `plot([])` to generate an empty plot
+- add `origin` framestyle
+- ensure finite bin number on histograms with only one unique value
+- better automatic histogram bins for 2d histograms
+- more informative error message on passing unsupported seriestype in a recipe
+- allow grouping in user recipes
+- GR now has `line_z` and `fill_z` attributes for determining the color of shapes and lines
+- change GR default view angle for 3D plots to match that of PyPlot
+- fix `clims` on GR
+- fix `marker_z` for plotly backend
+- implement `framestyle` for plotly
+- fix logscale bug error for values < 1e-16 on pyplot
+- fix an issue on pyplot where >1 colorbar would be shown if there was >1 series
+- fix `writemime` for eps
+
+## 0.12.4
+
+- added a new `framestyle` argument with choices: :box, :semi, :axes, :grid and :none
+- changed the default bar width to 0.8
+- added working ribbon to plotly backend
+- ensure that automatic ticks always generate 4 to 8 ticks
+- group now groups keyword arguments of the same length as the input
+- allow passing DateTime objects as ticks
+- allow specifying the number of ticks as an integre
+- fix bug on errorbars in gr
+- fixed some but not all world age issues
+- better margin with room for text
+- added a `match` option for linecolor
+- better error message un unsupported series types
+- add a 'stride' keyword for the pyplot backend
+
+## 0.12.3
+
+- new grid line style defaults
+- `grid` is now an axis attribute and a magic argument: it is now possible to modify the grid line style, alpha and line width
+- Enforce plot order in user recipes
+- import `plot!` from RecipesBase
+- GR no longer automatically handles _ and ^ in texts
+- fix GR colorbar for scatter plots
+
+#### 0.12.2

 - fix an issue with Juno/PlotlyJS compatibility on new installations
 - fix markers not showing up in seriesrecipes using :scatter
 - don't use pywrap in the pyplot backend
 - improve the bottom margin for the gr backend

-## 0.12.1
+#### 0.12.1

 - fix deprecation warnings
 - switch from FixedSizeArrays to StaticArrays.FixedSizeArrays
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Plots

 [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/JuliaPlots/Plots.jl.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/JuliaPlots/Plots.jl)
+[![Build status](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/github/tbreloff/plots.jl?branch=master&svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/tbreloff/plots-jl)
 [![Join the chat at https://gitter.im/tbreloff/Plots.jl](https://badges.gitter.im/tbreloff/Plots.jl.svg)](https://gitter.im/tbreloff/Plots.jl?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge)
 <!-- [![Plots](http://pkg.julialang.org/badges/Plots_0.3.svg)](http://pkg.julialang.org/?pkg=Plots&ver=0.3) -->
 <!-- [![Plots](http://pkg.julialang.org/badges/Plots_0.4.svg)](http://pkg.julialang.org/?pkg=Plots&ver=0.4) -->
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-julia 0.6-pre
+julia 0.6

-RecipesBase 0.2.0
+RecipesBase 0.2.3
 PlotUtils 0.4.1
 PlotThemes 0.1.3
 Reexport
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 environment:
  matrix:
-  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x86/0.5/julia-0.5-latest-win32.exe"
-  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x64/0.5/julia-0.5-latest-win64.exe"
+  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x86/0.6/julia-0.6-latest-win32.exe"
+  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x64/0.6/julia-0.6-latest-win64.exe"
+  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialangnightlies-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x86/julia-latest-win32.exe"
+  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialangnightlies-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x64/julia-latest-win64.exe"
+
+matrix:
+  allow_failures:
+  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialang-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x86/0.6/julia-0.6-latest-win32.exe" #check and address
  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialangnightlies-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x86/julia-latest-win32.exe"
  - JULIA_URL: "https://julialangnightlies-s3.julialang.org/bin/winnt/x64/julia-latest-win64.exe"

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import StaticArrays
 using StaticArrays.FixedSizeArrays

@reexport using RecipesBase
-import RecipesBase: plot, animate
+import RecipesBase: plot, plot!, animate
 using Base.Meta
@reexport using PlotUtils
@reexport using PlotThemes
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ export
    yflip!,
    xaxis!,
    yaxis!,
+    xgrid!,
+    ygrid!,

    xlims,
    ylims,
@@ -131,11 +133,20 @@ ignorenan_extrema(x) = Base.extrema(x)

 # ---------------------------------------------------------

+import Measures
+module PlotMeasures
 import Measures
 import Measures: Length, AbsoluteLength, Measure, BoundingBox, mm, cm, inch, pt, width, height, w, h
 const BBox = Measures.Absolute2DBox
-export BBox, BoundingBox, mm, cm, inch, pt, px, pct, w, h

+# allow pixels and percentages
+const px = AbsoluteLength(0.254)
+const pct = Length{:pct, Float64}(1.0)
+export BBox, BoundingBox, mm, cm, inch, px, pct, pt, w, h
+end
+
+using .PlotMeasures
+import .PlotMeasures: Length, AbsoluteLength, Measure, width, height
 # ---------------------------------------------------------

 include("types.jl")
@@ -186,33 +197,65 @@ include("output.jl")
@shorthands quiver
@shorthands curves

+"Plot a pie diagram"
 pie(args...; kw...)        = plot(args...; kw...,  seriestype = :pie, aspect_ratio = :equal, grid=false, xticks=nothing, yticks=nothing)
 pie!(args...; kw...)       = plot!(args...; kw..., seriestype = :pie, aspect_ratio = :equal, grid=false, xticks=nothing, yticks=nothing)
+
+"Plot with seriestype :path3d"
 plot3d(args...; kw...)     = plot(args...; kw...,  seriestype = :path3d)
 plot3d!(args...; kw...)    = plot!(args...; kw..., seriestype = :path3d)

-
+"Add title to an existing plot"
 title!(s::AbstractString; kw...)                 = plot!(; title = s, kw...)
+
+"Add xlabel to an existing plot"
 xlabel!(s::AbstractString; kw...)                = plot!(; xlabel = s, kw...)
+
+"Add ylabel to an existing plot"
 ylabel!(s::AbstractString; kw...)                = plot!(; ylabel = s, kw...)
+
+"Set xlims for an existing plot"
 xlims!{T<:Real,S<:Real}(lims::Tuple{T,S}; kw...) = plot!(; xlims = lims, kw...)
+
+"Set ylims for an existing plot"
 ylims!{T<:Real,S<:Real}(lims::Tuple{T,S}; kw...) = plot!(; ylims = lims, kw...)
+
+"Set zlims for an existing plot"
 zlims!{T<:Real,S<:Real}(lims::Tuple{T,S}; kw...) = plot!(; zlims = lims, kw...)
+
 xlims!(xmin::Real, xmax::Real; kw...)                     = plot!(; xlims = (xmin,xmax), kw...)
 ylims!(ymin::Real, ymax::Real; kw...)                     = plot!(; ylims = (ymin,ymax), kw...)
 zlims!(zmin::Real, zmax::Real; kw...)                     = plot!(; zlims = (zmin,zmax), kw...)
+
+
+"Set xticks for an existing plot"
 xticks!{T<:Real}(v::AVec{T}; kw...)                       = plot!(; xticks = v, kw...)
+
+"Set yticks for an existing plot"
 yticks!{T<:Real}(v::AVec{T}; kw...)                       = plot!(; yticks = v, kw...)
+
 xticks!{T<:Real,S<:AbstractString}(
              ticks::AVec{T}, labels::AVec{S}; kw...)     = plot!(; xticks = (ticks,labels), kw...)
 yticks!{T<:Real,S<:AbstractString}(
              ticks::AVec{T}, labels::AVec{S}; kw...)     = plot!(; yticks = (ticks,labels), kw...)
+
+"Add annotations to an existing plot"
 annotate!(anns...; kw...)                                 = plot!(; annotation = anns, kw...)
 annotate!{T<:Tuple}(anns::AVec{T}; kw...)                 = plot!(; annotation = anns, kw...)
+
+"Flip the current plots' x axis"
 xflip!(flip::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; xflip = flip, kw...)
+
+"Flip the current plots' y axis"
 yflip!(flip::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; yflip = flip, kw...)
+
+"Specify x axis attributes for an existing plot"
 xaxis!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; xaxis = args, kw...)
+
+"Specify x axis attributes for an existing plot"
 yaxis!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; yaxis = args, kw...)
+xgrid!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; xgrid = args, kw...)
+ygrid!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; ygrid = args, kw...)

 let PlotOrSubplot = Union{Plot, Subplot}
    title!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, s::AbstractString; kw...)                  = plot!(plt; title = s, kw...)
@@ -230,6 +273,8 @@ let PlotOrSubplot = Union{Plot, Subplot}
                              ticks::AVec{T}, labels::AVec{S}; kw...)     = plot!(plt; xticks = (ticks,labels), kw...)
    yticks!{T<:Real,S<:AbstractString}(plt::PlotOrSubplot,
                              ticks::AVec{T}, labels::AVec{S}; kw...)     = plot!(plt; yticks = (ticks,labels), kw...)
+    xgrid!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, args...; kw...)                  = plot!(plt; xgrid = args, kw...)
+    ygrid!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, args...; kw...)                  = plot!(plt; ygrid = args, kw...)
    annotate!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, anns...; kw...)                         = plot!(plt; annotation = anns, kw...)
    annotate!{T<:Tuple}(plt::PlotOrSubplot, anns::AVec{T}; kw...)         = plot!(plt; annotation = anns, kw...)
    xflip!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, flip::Bool = true; kw...)                  = plot!(plt; xflip = flip, kw...)
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+"Represents an animation object"
 immutable Animation
    dir::String
    frames::Vector{String}
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ function Animation()
    Animation(tmpdir, String[])
 end

+"""
+    frame(animation[, plot])
+
+Add a plot (the current plot if not specified) to an existing animation
+"""
 function frame{P<:AbstractPlot}(anim::Animation, plt::P=current())
    i = length(anim.frames) + 1
    filename = @sprintf("%06d.png", i)
@@ -81,7 +86,7 @@ function buildanimation(animdir::AbstractString, fn::AbstractString;
    catch err
        warn("""Tried to create gif using convert (ImageMagick), but got error: $err
            ImageMagick can be installed by executing `Pkg.add("ImageMagick")`.
-            You may also need to install the imagemagick c++ library through your operating system. 
+            You may also need to install the imagemagick c++ library through your operating system.
            Will try ffmpeg, but it's lower quality...)""")

        # low quality
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :markerstrokewidth 	=> "Number. Width of the marker stroke (border. in pixels)",
 :markerstrokecolor 	=> "Color Type. Color of the marker stroke (border).  `:match` will take the value from `:foreground_color_subplot`.",
 :markerstrokealpha 	=> "Number in [0,1]. The alpha/opacity override for the marker stroke (border).  `nothing` (the default) means it will take the alpha value of markerstrokecolor.",
-:bins              	=> "Integer, NTuple{2,Integer}, AbstractVector or Symbol. Default is :auto. For histogram-types, defines the approximate number of bins to aim for, or the auto-binning algorithm to use (:sturges, :sqrt, :rice, :scott or :fd). For fine-grained control pass a Vector of break values, e.g. `linspace(extrema(x)..., 25)`",
+:bins              	=> "Integer, NTuple{2,Integer}, AbstractVector or Symbol. Default is :auto (the Freedman-Diaconis rule). For histogram-types, defines the approximate number of bins to aim for, or the auto-binning algorithm to use (:sturges, :sqrt, :rice, :scott or :fd). For fine-grained control pass a Vector of break values, e.g. `linspace(extrema(x)..., 25)`",
 :smooth            	=> "Bool.  Add a regression line?",
 :group             	=> "AbstractVector. Data is split into a separate series, one for each unique value in `group`.",
 :x                 	=> "Various. Input data. First Dimension",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :ribbon            	=> "Number or AbstractVector.  Creates a fillrange around the data points.",
 :quiver            	=> "AbstractVector or 2-Tuple of vectors.  The directional vectors U,V which specify velocity/gradient vectors for a quiver plot.",
 :arrow             	=> "nothing (no arrows), Bool (if true, default arrows), Arrow object, or arg(s) that could be style or head length/widths.  Defines arrowheads that should be displayed at the end of path line segments (just before a NaN and the last non-NaN point).  Used in quiverplot, streamplot, or similar.",
-:normalize         	=> "Bool or Symbol. Histogram normalization mode. Possible values are: false/:none (no normalization, default), true/:pdf (normalize to a PDF with integral of 1) and :density (only normalize in respect to bin sizes).",
+:normalize         	=> "Bool or Symbol. Histogram normalization mode. Possible values are: false/:none (no normalization, default), true/:pdf (normalize to a discrete Probability Density Function, where the total area of the bins is 1), :probability (bin heights sum to 1) and :density (the area of each bin, rather than the height, is equal to the counts - useful for uneven bin sizes).",
 :weights           	=> "AbstractVector. Used in histogram types for weighted counts.",
 :contours          	=> "Bool. Add contours to the side-grids of 3D plots?  Used in surface/wireframe.",
 :match_dimensions  	=> "Bool. For heatmap types... should the first dimension of a matrix (rows) correspond to the first dimension of the plot (x-axis)?  The default is false, which matches the behavior of Matplotlib, Plotly, and others.  Note: when passing a function for z, the function should still map `(x,y) -> z`.",
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :background_color_inside  => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:background_color_subplot`).  Background color inside the plot area (under the grid).",
 :foreground_color_subplot => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color`).  Base foreground color of the subplot.",
 :foreground_color_legend  => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`).  Foreground color of the legend.",
-:foreground_color_grid    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of grid lines.",
 :foreground_color_title   => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of subplot title.",
 :color_palette            => "Vector of colors (cycle through) or color gradient (generate list from gradient) or `:auto` (generate a color list using `Colors.distiguishable_colors` and custom seed colors chosen to contrast with the background).  The color palette is a color list from which series colors are automatically chosen.",
 :legend                   => "Bool (show the legend?) or Symbol (legend position).  Symbol values: `:none`, `:best`, `:right`, `:left`, `:top`, `:bottom`, `:inside`, `:legend`, `:topright`, `:topleft`, `:bottomleft`, `:bottomright` (note: only some may be supported in each backend)",
@@ -84,7 +83,6 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :colorbar                 => "Bool (show the colorbar?) or Symbol (colorbar position).  Symbol values: `:none`, `:best`, `:right`, `:left`, `:top`, `:bottom`, `:legend` (matches legend value) (note: only some may be supported in each backend)",
 :clims 					  => "`:auto` or NTuple{2,Number}.  Fixes the limits of the colorbar.",
 :legendfont               => "Font. Font of legend items.",
-:grid                     => "Bool. Show the grid lines?",
 :annotations              => "(x,y,text) tuple(s).  Can be a single tuple or a list of them.  Text can be String or PlotText (created with `text(args...)`)  Add one-off text annotations at the x,y coordinates.",
 :projection               => "Symbol or String.  '3d' or 'polar'",
 :aspect_ratio             => "Symbol (:equal) or Number. Plot area is resized so that 1 y-unit is the same size as `apect_ratio` x-units.",
@@ -95,6 +93,7 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :bottom_margin            => "Measure (multiply by `mm`, `px`, etc) or `:match` (matches `:margin`).  Specifies the extra padding on the bottom of the subplot.",
 :subplot_index            => "Integer.  Internal (not set by user).  Specifies the index of this subplot in the Plot's `plt.subplot` list.",
 :colorbar_title           => "String.  Title of colorbar.",
+:framestyle               => "Symbol.  Style of the axes frame. Choose from $(_allFramestyles)",

 # axis args
 :guide     				  => "String. Axis guide (label).",
@@ -111,5 +110,10 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :foreground_color_text    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of tick labels.",
 :foreground_color_guide   => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of axis guides (axis labels).",
 :mirror                   => "Bool.  Switch the side of the tick labels (right or top).",
-
+:grid                     => "Bool, Symbol, String or `nothing`. Show the grid lines? `:x`, `:y`, `:z`, `:xy`, ..., `:all`, `:none`, `:off`",
+:foreground_color_grid    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of grid lines.",
+:gridalpha                => "Number in [0,1]. The alpha/opacity override for the grid lines.",
+:gridstyle                => "Symbol. Style of the grid lines. Choose from $(_allStyles)",
+:gridlinewidth            => "Number. Width of the grid lines (in pixels)",
+:tick_direction         => "Symbol. Direction of the ticks. `:in` or `:out`"
 )
@@ -80,9 +80,13 @@ const _typeAliases = Dict{Symbol,Symbol}(

 add_non_underscore_aliases!(_typeAliases)

-like_histogram(seriestype::Symbol) = seriestype in (:histogram, :barhist, :barbins)
-like_line(seriestype::Symbol)      = seriestype in (:line, :path, :steppre, :steppost)
-like_surface(seriestype::Symbol)   = seriestype in (:contour, :contourf, :contour3d, :heatmap, :surface, :wireframe, :image)
+const _histogram_like = [:histogram, :barhist, :barbins]
+const _line_like = [:line, :path, :steppre, :steppost]
+const _surface_like = [:contour, :contourf, :contour3d, :heatmap, :surface, :wireframe, :image]
+
+like_histogram(seriestype::Symbol) = seriestype in _histogram_like
+like_line(seriestype::Symbol)      = seriestype in _line_like
+like_surface(seriestype::Symbol)   = seriestype in _surface_like

 is3d(seriestype::Symbol) = seriestype in _3dTypes
 is3d(series::Series) = is3d(series.d)
@@ -163,6 +167,34 @@ const _scaleAliases = Dict{Symbol,Symbol}(
    :log  => :log10,
 )

+const _allGridSyms = [:x, :y, :z,
+                    :xy, :xz, :yx, :yz, :zx, :zy,
+                    :xyz, :xzy, :yxz, :yzx, :zxy, :zyx,
+                    :all, :both, :on,
+                    :none, :off,]
+const _allGridArgs = [_allGridSyms; string.(_allGridSyms); nothing]
+hasgrid(arg::Void, letter) = false
+hasgrid(arg::Bool, letter) = arg
+function hasgrid(arg::Symbol, letter)
+    if arg in _allGridSyms
+        arg in (:all, :both, :on) || contains(string(arg), string(letter))
+    else
+        warn("Unknown grid argument $arg; $(Symbol(letter, :grid)) was set to `true` instead.")
+        true
+    end
+end
+hasgrid(arg::AbstractString, letter) = hasgrid(Symbol(arg), letter)
+
+const _allFramestyles = [:box, :semi, :axes, :origin, :zerolines, :grid, :none]
+const _framestyleAliases = Dict{Symbol, Symbol}(
+    :frame              => :box,
+    :border             => :box,
+    :on                 => :box,
+    :transparent        => :semi,
+    :semitransparent    => :semi,
+)
+
+const _bar_width = 0.8
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 const _series_defaults = KW(
@@ -172,7 +204,7 @@ const _series_defaults = KW(
    :seriestype        => :path,
    :linestyle         => :solid,
    :linewidth         => :auto,
-    :linecolor         => :match,
+    :linecolor         => :auto,
    :linealpha         => nothing,
    :fillrange         => nothing,   # ribbons, areas, etc
    :fillcolor         => :match,
@@ -214,6 +246,7 @@ const _series_defaults = KW(
    :primary            => true,     # when true, this "counts" as a series for color selection, etc.  the main use is to allow
                                     #     one logical series to be broken up (path and markers, for example)
    :hover              => nothing,  # text to display when hovering over the data points
+    :stride             => (1,1),    # array stride for wireframe/surface, the first element is the row stride and the second is the column stride.
 )


@@ -247,7 +280,6 @@ const _subplot_defaults = KW(
    :background_color_inside  => :match,            # background inside grid
    :foreground_color_subplot => :match,            # default for other fg colors... match takes plot default
    :foreground_color_legend  => :match,            # foreground of legend
-    :foreground_color_grid    => :match,            # grid color
    :foreground_color_title   => :match,            # title color
    :color_palette            => :auto,
    :legend                   => :best,
@@ -255,7 +287,6 @@ const _subplot_defaults = KW(
    :colorbar                 => :legend,
    :clims                    => :auto,
    :legendfont               => font(8),
-    :grid                     => true,
    :annotations              => [],                # annotation tuples... list of (x,y,annotation)
    :projection               => :none,             # can also be :polar or :3d
    :aspect_ratio             => :none,             # choose from :none or :equal
@@ -266,6 +297,7 @@ const _subplot_defaults = KW(
    :bottom_margin            => :match,
    :subplot_index            => -1,
    :colorbar_title           => "",
+    :framestyle               => :axes,
 )

 const _axis_defaults = KW(
@@ -285,6 +317,12 @@ const _axis_defaults = KW(
    :discrete_values => [],
    :formatter => :auto,
    :mirror => false,
+    :grid                     => true,
+    :foreground_color_grid    => :match,            # grid color
+    :gridalpha                => 0.1,
+    :gridstyle                => :solid,
+    :gridlinewidth            => 0.5,
+    :tick_direction          => :in,
 )

 const _suppress_warnings = Set{Symbol}([
@@ -402,7 +440,7 @@ add_aliases(:foreground_color_title, :fg_title, :fgtitle, :fgcolor_title, :fg_co
 add_aliases(:foreground_color_axis, :fg_axis, :fgaxis, :fgcolor_axis, :fg_color_axis, :foreground_axis,
                            :foreground_colour_axis, :fgcolour_axis, :fg_colour_axis, :axiscolor)
 add_aliases(:foreground_color_border, :fg_border, :fgborder, :fgcolor_border, :fg_color_border, :foreground_border,
-                            :foreground_colour_border, :fgcolour_border, :fg_colour_border, :bordercolor, :border)
+                            :foreground_colour_border, :fgcolour_border, :fg_colour_border, :bordercolor)
 add_aliases(:foreground_color_text, :fg_text, :fgtext, :fgcolor_text, :fg_color_text, :foreground_text,
                            :foreground_colour_text, :fgcolour_text, :fg_colour_text, :textcolor)
 add_aliases(:foreground_color_guide, :fg_guide, :fgguide, :fgcolor_guide, :fg_color_guide, :foreground_guide,
@@ -414,6 +452,7 @@ add_aliases(:linealpha, :la, :lalpha, :lα, :lineopacity, :lopacity)
 add_aliases(:markeralpha, :ma, :malpha, :mα, :markeropacity, :mopacity)
 add_aliases(:markerstrokealpha, :msa, :msalpha, :msα, :markerstrokeopacity, :msopacity)
 add_aliases(:fillalpha, :fa, :falpha, :fα, :fillopacity, :fopacity)
+add_aliases(:gridalpha, :ga, :galpha, :gα, :gridopacity, :gopacity)

 # series attributes
 add_aliases(:seriestype, :st, :t, :typ, :linetype, :lt)
@@ -469,7 +508,11 @@ add_aliases(:series_annotations, :series_ann, :seriesann, :series_anns, :seriesa
 add_aliases(:html_output_format, :format, :fmt, :html_format)
 add_aliases(:orientation, :direction, :dir)
 add_aliases(:inset_subplots, :inset, :floating)
-
+add_aliases(:stride, :wirefame_stride, :surface_stride, :surf_str, :str)
+add_aliases(:gridlinewidth, :gridwidth, :grid_linewidth, :grid_width, :gridlw, :grid_lw)
+add_aliases(:gridstyle, :grid_style, :gridlinestyle, :grid_linestyle, :grid_ls, :gridls)
+add_aliases(:framestyle, :frame_style, :frame, :axesstyle, :axes_style, :boxstyle, :box_style, :box, :borderstyle, :border_style, :border)
+add_aliases(:tick_direction, :tickdirection, :tick_dir, :tickdir, :tick_orientation, :tickorientation, :tick_or, :tickor)

 # add all pluralized forms to the _keyAliases dict
 for arg in keys(_series_defaults)
@@ -488,7 +531,6 @@ end
 `default(; kw...)` will set the current default value for each key/value pair
 `default(d, key)` returns the key from d if it exists, otherwise `default(key)`
 """
-
 function default(k::Symbol)
    k = get(_keyAliases, k, k)
    for defaults in _all_defaults
@@ -645,6 +687,36 @@ function processFillArg(d::KW, arg)
    return
 end

+
+function processGridArg!(d::KW, arg, letter)
+    if arg in _allGridArgs || isa(arg, Bool)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :grid)] = hasgrid(arg, letter)
+
+    elseif allStyles(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridstyle)] = arg
+
+    elseif typeof(arg) <: Stroke
+        arg.width == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridlinewidth)] = arg.width)
+        arg.color == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :foreground_color_grid)] = arg.color in (:auto, :match) ? :match : plot_color(arg.color))
+        arg.alpha == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridalpha)] = arg.alpha)
+        arg.style == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridstyle)] = arg.style)
+
+    # linealpha
+    elseif allAlphas(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridalpha)] = arg
+
+    # linewidth
+    elseif allReals(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridlinewidth)] = arg
+
+    # color
+elseif !handleColors!(d, arg, Symbol(letter, :foreground_color_grid))
+        warn("Skipped grid arg $arg.")
+
+    end
+end
+
+
 _replace_markershape(shape::Symbol) = get(_markerAliases, shape, shape)
 _replace_markershape(shapes::AVec) = map(_replace_markershape, shapes)
 _replace_markershape(shape) = shape
@@ -666,6 +738,7 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
    if haskey(d, :axis) && d[:axis] in (:none, nothing, false)
        d[:ticks] = nothing
        d[:foreground_color_border] = RGBA(0,0,0,0)
+        d[:foreground_color_axis] = RGBA(0,0,0,0)
        d[:grid] = false
        delete!(d, :axis)
    end
@@ -688,6 +761,22 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
        end
    end

+    # handle grid args common to all axes
+    args = pop!(d, :grid, ())
+    for arg in wraptuple(args)
+        for letter in (:x, :y, :z)
+            processGridArg!(d, arg, letter)
+        end
+    end
+    # handle individual axes grid args
+    for letter in (:x, :y, :z)
+        gridsym = Symbol(letter, :grid)
+        args = pop!(d, gridsym, ())
+        for arg in wraptuple(args)
+            processGridArg!(d, arg, letter)
+        end
+    end
+
    # handle line args
    for arg in wraptuple(pop!(d, :line, ()))
        processLineArg(d, arg)
@@ -752,6 +841,11 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
        d[:colorbar] = convertLegendValue(d[:colorbar])
    end

+    # framestyle
+    if haskey(d, :framestyle) && haskey(_framestyleAliases, d[:framestyle])
+        d[:framestyle] = _framestyleAliases[d[:framestyle]]
+    end
+
    # warnings for moved recipes
    st = get(d, :seriestype, :path)
    if st in (:boxplot, :violin, :density) && !isdefined(Main, :StatPlots)
@@ -771,21 +865,29 @@ end


 # this is when given a vector-type of values to group by
-function extractGroupArgs(v::AVec, args...)
+function extractGroupArgs(v::AVec, args...; legendEntry = string)
    groupLabels = sort(collect(unique(v)))
    n = length(groupLabels)
    if n > 100
        warn("You created n=$n groups... Is that intended?")
    end
    groupIds = Vector{Int}[filter(i -> v[i] == glab, 1:length(v)) for glab in groupLabels]
-    GroupBy(map(string, groupLabels), groupIds)
+    GroupBy(map(legendEntry, groupLabels), groupIds)
 end

+legendEntryFromTuple(ns::Tuple) = string(("$n " for n in ns)...)
+
+# this is when given a tuple of vectors of values to group by
+function extractGroupArgs(vs::Tuple, args...)
+    (vs == ()) && return GroupBy([""], [1:size(args[1],1)])
+    v = collect(zip(vs...))
+    extractGroupArgs(v, args...; legendEntry = legendEntryFromTuple)
+end

 # expecting a mapping of "group label" to "group indices"
 function extractGroupArgs{T, V<:AVec{Int}}(idxmap::Dict{T,V}, args...)
    groupLabels = sortedkeys(idxmap)
-    groupIds = VecI[collect(idxmap[k]) for k in groupLabels]
+    groupIds = Vector{Int}[collect(idxmap[k]) for k in groupLabels]
    GroupBy(groupLabels, groupIds)
 end

@@ -943,7 +1045,6 @@ const _match_map = KW(
    :background_color_legend  => :background_color_subplot,
    :background_color_inside  => :background_color_subplot,
    :foreground_color_legend  => :foreground_color_subplot,
-    :foreground_color_grid    => :foreground_color_subplot,
    :foreground_color_title   => :foreground_color_subplot,
    :left_margin   => :margin,
    :top_margin    => :margin,
@@ -957,6 +1058,7 @@ const _match_map2 = KW(
    :foreground_color_subplot => :foreground_color,
    :foreground_color_axis    => :foreground_color_subplot,
    :foreground_color_border  => :foreground_color_subplot,
+    :foreground_color_grid    => :foreground_color_subplot,
    :foreground_color_guide   => :foreground_color_subplot,
    :foreground_color_text    => :foreground_color_subplot,
 )
@@ -1091,7 +1193,6 @@ function _update_subplot_colors(sp::Subplot)
    # foreground colors
    color_or_nothing!(sp.attr, :foreground_color_subplot)
    color_or_nothing!(sp.attr, :foreground_color_legend)
-    color_or_nothing!(sp.attr, :foreground_color_grid)
    color_or_nothing!(sp.attr, :foreground_color_title)
    return
 end
@@ -1143,6 +1244,7 @@ function _update_axis_colors(axis::Axis)
    color_or_nothing!(axis.d, :foreground_color_border)
    color_or_nothing!(axis.d, :foreground_color_guide)
    color_or_nothing!(axis.d, :foreground_color_text)
+    color_or_nothing!(axis.d, :foreground_color_grid)
    return
 end

@@ -1179,6 +1281,8 @@ end

 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

+has_black_border_for_default(st) = error("The seriestype attribute only accepts Symbols, you passed the $(typeof(st)) $st.")
+has_black_border_for_default(st::Function) = error("The seriestype attribute only accepts Symbols, you passed the function $st.")
 function has_black_border_for_default(st::Symbol)
    like_histogram(st) || st in (:hexbin, :bar, :shape)
 end
@@ -1248,12 +1352,14 @@ function _add_defaults!(d::KW, plt::Plot, sp::Subplot, commandIndex::Int)
    # update other colors
    for s in (:line, :marker, :fill)
        csym, asym = Symbol(s,:color), Symbol(s,:alpha)
-        d[csym] = if d[csym] == :match
+        d[csym] = if d[csym] == :auto
            plot_color(if has_black_border_for_default(d[:seriestype]) && s == :line
                sp[:foreground_color_subplot]
            else
                d[:seriescolor]
            end, d[asym])
+        elseif d[csym] == :match
+            plot_color(d[:seriescolor], d[asym])
        else
            getSeriesRGBColor(d[csym], d[asym], sp, plotIndex)
        end
@@ -1266,13 +1372,16 @@ function _add_defaults!(d::KW, plt::Plot, sp::Subplot, commandIndex::Int)
        getSeriesRGBColor(d[:markerstrokecolor], d[:markerstrokealpha], sp, plotIndex)
    end

-    # if marker_z or line_z are set, ensure we have a gradient
+    # if marker_z, fill_z or line_z are set, ensure we have a gradient
    if d[:marker_z] != nothing
        ensure_gradient!(d, :markercolor, :markeralpha)
    end
    if d[:line_z] != nothing
        ensure_gradient!(d, :linecolor, :linealpha)
    end
+    if d[:fill_z] != nothing
+        ensure_gradient!(d, :fillcolor, :fillalpha)
+    end

    # scatter plots don't have a line, but must have a shape
    if d[:seriestype] in (:scatter, :scatterbins, :scatterhist, :scatter3d)
@@ -181,15 +181,27 @@ function optimal_ticks_and_labels(axis::Axis, ticks = nothing)
    end

    # get a list of well-laid-out ticks
-    scaled_ticks = if ticks == nothing
-        optimize_ticks(
+    if ticks == nothing
+        scaled_ticks = optimize_ticks(
            sf(amin),
            sf(amax);
-            k_min = 5, # minimum number of ticks
+            k_min = 4, # minimum number of ticks
            k_max = 8, # maximum number of ticks
        )[1]
+    elseif typeof(ticks) <: Int
+        scaled_ticks, viewmin, viewmax = optimize_ticks(
+            sf(amin),
+            sf(amax);
+            k_min = ticks, # minimum number of ticks
+            k_max = ticks, # maximum number of ticks
+            k_ideal = ticks,
+            # `strict_span = false` rewards cases where the span of the
+            # chosen  ticks is not too much bigger than amin - amax:
+            strict_span = false,
+        )
+        axis[:lims] = map(invscalefunc(scale), (viewmin, viewmax))
    else
-        map(sf, filter(t -> amin <= t <= amax, ticks))
+        scaled_ticks = map(sf, (filter(t -> amin <= t <= amax, ticks)))
    end
    unscaled_ticks = map(invscalefunc(scale), scaled_ticks)

@@ -216,7 +228,7 @@ end

 # return (continuous_values, discrete_values) for the ticks on this axis
 function get_ticks(axis::Axis)
-    ticks = axis[:ticks]
+    ticks = _transform_ticks(axis[:ticks])
    ticks in (nothing, false) && return nothing

    dvals = axis[:discrete_values]
@@ -226,7 +238,7 @@ function get_ticks(axis::Axis)
    elseif ticks == :auto
        # compute optimal ticks and labels
        optimal_ticks_and_labels(axis)
-    elseif typeof(ticks) <: AVec
+    elseif typeof(ticks) <: Union{AVec, Int}
        # override ticks, but get the labels
        optimal_ticks_and_labels(axis, ticks)
    elseif typeof(ticks) <: NTuple{2, Any}
@@ -246,6 +258,10 @@ function get_ticks(axis::Axis)
    end
 end

+_transform_ticks(ticks) = ticks
+_transform_ticks(ticks::AbstractArray{T}) where T <: Dates.TimeType = Dates.value.(ticks)
+_transform_ticks(ticks::NTuple{2, Any}) = (_transform_ticks(ticks[1]), ticks[2])
+
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------------


@@ -349,7 +365,7 @@ function expand_extrema!(sp::Subplot, d::KW)

        bw = d[:bar_width]
        if bw == nothing
-            bw = d[:bar_width] = ignorenan_mean(diff(data))
+            bw = d[:bar_width] = _bar_width * ignorenan_minimum(filter(x->x>0,diff(sort(data))))
        end
        axis = sp.attr[Symbol(dsym, :axis)]
        expand_extrema!(axis, ignorenan_maximum(data) + 0.5maximum(bw))
@@ -490,38 +506,78 @@ function axis_drawing_info(sp::Subplot)
    ymin, ymax = axis_limits(yaxis)
    xticks = get_ticks(xaxis)
    yticks = get_ticks(yaxis)
-    spine_segs = Segments(2)
-    grid_segs = Segments(2)
+    xaxis_segs = Segments(2)
+    yaxis_segs = Segments(2)
+    xtick_segs = Segments(2)
+    ytick_segs = Segments(2)
+    xgrid_segs = Segments(2)
+    ygrid_segs = Segments(2)
+    xborder_segs = Segments(2)
+    yborder_segs = Segments(2)

-    if !(xaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false))
-        f = scalefunc(yaxis[:scale])
-        invf = invscalefunc(yaxis[:scale])
-        t1 = invf(f(ymin) + 0.015*(f(ymax)-f(ymin)))
-        t2 = invf(f(ymax) - 0.015*(f(ymax)-f(ymin)))
+    if !(sp[:framestyle] == :none)
+        # xaxis
+        sp[:framestyle] in (:grid, :origin, :zerolines) || push!(xaxis_segs, (xmin,ymin), (xmax,ymin)) # bottom spine / xaxis
+        if sp[:framestyle] in (:origin, :zerolines)
+            push!(xaxis_segs, (xmin, 0.0), (xmax, 0.0))
+            # don't show the 0 tick label for the origin framestyle
+            if sp[:framestyle] == :origin && length(xticks) > 1
+                showticks = xticks[1] .!= 0
+                xticks = (xticks[1][showticks], xticks[2][showticks])
+            end
+        end
+        sp[:framestyle] in (:semi, :box) && push!(xborder_segs, (xmin,ymax), (xmax,ymax)) # top spine
+        if !(xaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false))
+            f = scalefunc(yaxis[:scale])
+            invf = invscalefunc(yaxis[:scale])
+            ticks_in = xaxis[:tick_direction] == :out ? -1 : 1
+            t1 = invf(f(ymin) + 0.015 * (f(ymax) - f(ymin)) * ticks_in)
+            t2 = invf(f(ymax) - 0.015 * (f(ymax) - f(ymin)) * ticks_in)
+            t3 = invf(f(0) + 0.015 * (f(ymax) - f(ymin)) * ticks_in)

-        push!(spine_segs, (xmin,ymin), (xmax,ymin)) # bottom spine
-        # push!(spine_segs, (xmin,ymax), (xmax,ymax)) # top spine
-        for xtick in xticks[1]
-            push!(spine_segs, (xtick, ymin), (xtick, t1)) # bottom tick
-            push!(grid_segs,  (xtick, t1),   (xtick, t2)) # vertical grid
-            # push!(spine_segs, (xtick, ymax), (xtick, t2)) # top tick
+            for xtick in xticks[1]
+                tick_start, tick_stop = if sp[:framestyle] == :origin
+                    (0, t3)
+                else
+                    xaxis[:mirror] ? (ymax, t2) : (ymin, t1)
+                end
+                push!(xtick_segs, (xtick, tick_start), (xtick, tick_stop)) # bottom tick
+                # sp[:draw_axes_border] && push!(xaxis_segs, (xtick, ymax), (xtick, t2)) # top tick
+                xaxis[:grid] && push!(xgrid_segs,  (xtick, t1),   (xtick, t2)) # vertical grid
+            end
+        end
+
+        # yaxis
+        sp[:framestyle] in (:grid, :origin, :zerolines) || push!(yaxis_segs, (xmin,ymin), (xmin,ymax)) # left spine / yaxis
+        if sp[:framestyle] in (:origin, :zerolines)
+            push!(yaxis_segs, (0.0, ymin), (0.0, ymax))
+            # don't show the 0 tick label for the origin framestyle
+            if sp[:framestyle] == :origin && length(yticks) > 1
+                showticks = yticks[1] .!= 0
+                yticks = (yticks[1][showticks], yticks[2][showticks])
+            end
+        end
+        sp[:framestyle] in (:semi, :box) && push!(yborder_segs, (xmax,ymin), (xmax,ymax)) # right spine
+        if !(yaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false))
+            f = scalefunc(xaxis[:scale])
+            invf = invscalefunc(xaxis[:scale])
+            ticks_in = yaxis[:tick_direction] == :out ? -1 : 1
+            t1 = invf(f(xmin) + 0.015 * (f(xmax) - f(xmin)) * ticks_in)
+            t2 = invf(f(xmax) - 0.015 * (f(xmax) - f(xmin)) * ticks_in)
+            t3 = invf(f(0) + 0.015 * (f(xmax) - f(xmin)) * ticks_in)
+
+            for ytick in yticks[1]
+                tick_start, tick_stop = if sp[:framestyle] == :origin
+                    (0, t3)
+                else
+                    yaxis[:mirror] ? (xmax, t2) : (xmin, t1)
+                end
+                push!(ytick_segs, (tick_start, ytick), (tick_stop, ytick)) # left tick
+                # sp[:draw_axes_border] && push!(yaxis_segs, (xmax, ytick), (t2, ytick)) # right tick
+                yaxis[:grid] && push!(ygrid_segs,  (t1, ytick),   (t2, ytick)) # horizontal grid
+            end
        end
    end

-    if !(yaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false))
-        f = scalefunc(xaxis[:scale])
-        invf = invscalefunc(xaxis[:scale])
-        t1 = invf(f(xmin) + 0.015*(f(xmax)-f(xmin)))
-        t2 = invf(f(xmax) - 0.015*(f(xmax)-f(xmin)))
-
-        push!(spine_segs, (xmin,ymin), (xmin,ymax)) # left spine
-        # push!(spine_segs, (xmax,ymin), (xmax,ymax)) # right spine
-        for ytick in yticks[1]
-            push!(spine_segs, (xmin, ytick), (t1, ytick)) # left tick
-            push!(grid_segs,  (t1, ytick),   (t2, ytick)) # horizontal grid
-            # push!(spine_segs, (xmax, ytick), (t2, ytick)) # right tick
-        end
-    end
-
-    xticks, yticks, spine_segs, grid_segs
+    xticks, yticks, xaxis_segs, yaxis_segs, xtick_segs, ytick_segs, xgrid_segs, ygrid_segs, xborder_segs, yborder_segs
 end
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ const _backendSymbol = Dict{DataType, Symbol}(NoBackend => :none)
 const _backends = Symbol[]
 const _initialized_backends = Set{Symbol}()

+"Returns a list of supported backends"
 backends() = _backends
+
+"Returns the name of the current backend"
 backend_name() = CURRENT_BACKEND.sym
 _backend_instance(sym::Symbol) = haskey(_backendType, sym) ? _backendType[sym]() : error("Unsupported backend $sym")

@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ const _glvisualize_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :window_title,
    :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
    :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :colorbar,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :colorbar,
    :marker_z,
    :line_z,
    :levels,
@@ -38,7 +39,9 @@ const _glvisualize_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :clims,
    :inset_subplots,
    :dpi,
-    :hover
+    :hover,
+    :framestyle,
+    :tick_direction,
 ])
 const _glvisualize_seriestype = [
    :path, :shape,
@@ -602,7 +605,7 @@ end
 pointsize(font) = font.pointsize * 2

 function draw_ticks(
-        axis, ticks, isx, lims, m, text = "",
+        axis, ticks, isx, isorigin, lims, m, text = "",
        positions = Point2f0[], offsets=Vec2f0[]
    )
    sz = pointsize(axis[:tickfont])
@@ -620,7 +623,11 @@ function draw_ticks(
    for (cv, dv) in zip(ticks...)

        x, y = cv, lims[1]
-        xy = isx ? (x, y) : (y, x)
+        xy = if isorigin
+            isx ? (x, 0) : (0, x)
+        else
+            isx ? (x, y) : (y, x)
+        end
        _pos = m * GeometryTypes.Vec4f0(xy[1], xy[2], 0, 1)
        startpos = Point2f0(_pos[1], _pos[2]) - axis_gap
        str = string(dv)
@@ -676,31 +683,62 @@ function text_model(font, pivot)
    end
 end
 function gl_draw_axes_2d(sp::Plots.Subplot{Plots.GLVisualizeBackend}, model, area)
-    xticks, yticks, spine_segs, grid_segs = Plots.axis_drawing_info(sp)
+    xticks, yticks, xspine_segs, yspine_segs, xtick_segs, ytick_segs, xgrid_segs, ygrid_segs, xborder_segs, yborder_segs = Plots.axis_drawing_info(sp)
    xaxis = sp[:xaxis]; yaxis = sp[:yaxis]

-    c = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(sp[:foreground_color_grid]))
+    xgc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(xaxis[:foreground_color_grid]))
+    ygc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(yaxis[:foreground_color_grid]))
    axis_vis = []
-    if sp[:grid]
-        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, grid_segs, 1f0, :dot, model, RGBA(c, 0.3f0))
+    if xaxis[:grid]
+        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, xgrid_segs, xaxis[:gridlinewidth], xaxis[:gridstyle], model, RGBA(xgc, xaxis[:gridalpha]))
        push!(axis_vis, grid)
    end
-    if alpha(xaxis[:foreground_color_border]) > 0
-        spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, spine_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(c, 1.0f0))
+    if yaxis[:grid]
+        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, ygrid_segs, yaxis[:gridlinewidth], yaxis[:gridstyle], model, RGBA(ygc, yaxis[:gridalpha]))
+        push!(axis_vis, grid)
+    end
+
+    xac = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(xaxis[:foreground_color_axis]))
+    yac = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(yaxis[:foreground_color_axis]))
+    if alpha(xaxis[:foreground_color_axis]) > 0
+        spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, xspine_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(xac, 1.0f0))
        push!(axis_vis, spine)
    end
+    if alpha(yaxis[:foreground_color_axis]) > 0
+        spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, yspine_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(yac, 1.0f0))
+        push!(axis_vis, spine)
+    end
+    if sp[:framestyle] in (:zerolines, :grid)
+        if alpha(xaxis[:foreground_color_grid]) > 0
+            spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, xtick_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(xgc, xaxis[:gridalpha]))
+            push!(axis_vis, spine)
+        end
+        if alpha(yaxis[:foreground_color_grid]) > 0
+            spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, ytick_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(ygc, yaxis[:gridalpha]))
+            push!(axis_vis, spine)
+        end
+    else
+        if alpha(xaxis[:foreground_color_axis]) > 0
+            spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, xtick_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(xac, 1.0f0))
+            push!(axis_vis, spine)
+        end
+        if alpha(yaxis[:foreground_color_axis]) > 0
+            spine = draw_grid_lines(sp, ytick_segs, 1f0, :solid, model, RGBA(yac, 1.0f0))
+            push!(axis_vis, spine)
+        end
+    end
    fcolor = Plots.gl_color(xaxis[:foreground_color_axis])

    xlim = Plots.axis_limits(xaxis)
    ylim = Plots.axis_limits(yaxis)

-    if !(xaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false, :none))
+    if !(xaxis[:ticks] in (nothing, false, :none)) && !(sp[:framestyle] == :none)
        ticklabels = map(model) do m
            mirror = xaxis[:mirror]
-            t, positions, offsets = draw_ticks(xaxis, xticks, true, ylim, m)
+            t, positions, offsets = draw_ticks(xaxis, xticks, true, sp[:framestyle] == :origin, ylim, m)
            mirror = xaxis[:mirror]
            t, positions, offsets = draw_ticks(
-                yaxis, yticks, false, xlim, m,
+                yaxis, yticks, false, sp[:framestyle] == :origin, xlim, m,
                t, positions, offsets
            )
        end
@@ -714,6 +752,15 @@ function gl_draw_axes_2d(sp::Plots.Subplot{Plots.GLVisualizeBackend}, model, are
        push!(axis_vis, visualize(map(first, ticklabels), Style(:default), kw_args))
    end

+    xbc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(xaxis[:foreground_color_border]))
+    ybc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(yaxis[:foreground_color_border]))
+    intensity = sp[:framestyle] == :semi ? 0.5f0 : 1.0f0
+    if sp[:framestyle] in (:box, :semi)
+        xborder = draw_grid_lines(sp, xborder_segs, intensity, :solid, model, RGBA(xbc, intensity))
+        yborder = draw_grid_lines(sp, yborder_segs, intensity, :solid, model, RGBA(ybc, intensity))
+        push!(axis_vis, xborder, yborder)
+    end
+
    area_w = GeometryTypes.widths(area)
    if sp[:title] != ""
        tf = sp[:titlefont]; color = gl_color(sp[:foreground_color_title])
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ const _gr_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :title, :window_title,
    :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip,
    :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
-    :marker_z, :levels,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
+    :fill_z, :line_z, :marker_z, :levels,
    :ribbon, :quiver,
    :orientation,
    :overwrite_figure,
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ const _gr_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :inset_subplots,
    :bar_width,
    :arrow,
+    :framestyle,
+    :tick_direction,
 ])
 const _gr_seriestype = [
    :path, :scatter,
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ gr_inqtext(x, y, s::Symbol) = gr_inqtext(x, y, string(s))
 function gr_inqtext(x, y, s)
    if length(s) >= 2 && s[1] == '$' && s[end] == '$'
        GR.inqtextext(x, y, s[2:end-1])
-    elseif search(s, '\\') != 0 || search(s, '_') != 0 || search(s, '^') != 0
+    elseif search(s, '\\') != 0
        GR.inqtextext(x, y, s)
    else
        GR.inqtext(x, y, s)
@@ -191,7 +194,7 @@ gr_text(x, y, s::Symbol) = gr_text(x, y, string(s))
 function gr_text(x, y, s)
    if length(s) >= 2 && s[1] == '$' && s[end] == '$'
        GR.mathtex(x, y, s[2:end-1])
-    elseif search(s, '\\') != 0 || search(s, '_') != 0 || search(s, '^') != 0
+    elseif search(s, '\\') != 0
        GR.textext(x, y, s)
    else
        GR.text(x, y, s)
@@ -262,17 +265,18 @@ function gr_fill_viewport(vp::AVec{Float64}, c)
 end


-normalize_zvals(zv::Void) = zv
-function normalize_zvals(zv::AVec)
+normalize_zvals(args...) = nothing
+function normalize_zvals(zv::AVec, clims::NTuple{2, <:Real})
    vmin, vmax = ignorenan_extrema(zv)
+    isfinite(clims[1]) && (vmin = clims[1])
+    isfinite(clims[2]) && (vmax = clims[2])
    if vmin == vmax
        zeros(length(zv))
    else
-        (zv - vmin) ./ (vmax - vmin)
+        clamp.((zv - vmin) ./ (vmax - vmin), 0, 1)
    end
 end

-
 gr_alpha(α::Void) = 1
 gr_alpha(α::Real) = α

@@ -325,18 +329,22 @@ function gr_draw_markers(series::Series, x, y, msize, mz)
                cfuncind(ci)
                GR.settransparency(_gr_gradient_alpha[ci-999])
            end
-            gr_draw_marker(x[i], y[i], msi, shape)
+            # don't draw filled area if marker shape is 1D
+            if !(shape in (:hline, :vline, :+, :x))
+                gr_draw_marker(x[i], y[i], msi, shape)
+            end
        end
    end
 end

-function gr_draw_markers(series::Series, x, y)
+function gr_draw_markers(series::Series, x, y, clims)
    isempty(x) && return
-    mz = normalize_zvals(series[:marker_z])
+    mz = normalize_zvals(series[:marker_z], clims)
    GR.setfillintstyle(GR.INTSTYLE_SOLID)
    gr_draw_markers(series, x, y, series[:markersize], mz)
-    if mz != nothing
-        gr_colorbar(series[:subplot])
+    if hascolorbar(series[:subplot])
+        GR.setscale(0)
+        gr_colorbar(series[:subplot], clims)
    end
 end

@@ -440,11 +448,21 @@ end

 # add the colorbar
 function gr_colorbar(sp::Subplot)
-    if sp[:colorbar] != :none
-        gr_set_viewport_cmap(sp)
-        GR.colorbar()
-        gr_set_viewport_plotarea()
-    end
+    gr_set_viewport_cmap(sp)
+    GR.colorbar()
+    gr_set_viewport_plotarea()
+end
+
+function gr_colorbar(sp::Subplot, clims)
+    xmin, xmax = gr_xy_axislims(sp)[1:2]
+    gr_set_viewport_cmap(sp)
+    l = zeros(Int32, 1, 256)
+    l[1,:] = Int[round(Int, _i) for _i in linspace(1000, 1255, 256)]
+    GR.setwindow(xmin, xmax, clims[1], clims[2])
+    GR.cellarray(xmin, xmax, clims[2], clims[1], 1, length(l), l)
+    ztick = 0.5 * GR.tick(clims[1], clims[2])
+    GR.axes(0, ztick, xmax, clims[1], 0, 1, 0.005)
+    gr_set_viewport_plotarea()
 end

 gr_view_xcenter() = 0.5 * (viewport_plotarea[1] + viewport_plotarea[2])
@@ -537,40 +555,91 @@ function gr_display(plt::Plot)
 end


+function gr_set_xticks_font(sp)
+    flip = sp[:yaxis][:flip]
+    mirror = sp[:xaxis][:mirror]
+    gr_set_font(sp[:xaxis][:tickfont],
+                halign = (:left, :hcenter, :right)[sign(sp[:xaxis][:rotation]) + 2],
+                valign = (mirror ? :bottom : :top),
+                color = sp[:xaxis][:foreground_color_axis],
+                rotation = sp[:xaxis][:rotation])
+    return flip, mirror
+end
+
+
+function gr_set_yticks_font(sp)
+    flip = sp[:xaxis][:flip]
+    mirror = sp[:yaxis][:mirror]
+    gr_set_font(sp[:yaxis][:tickfont],
+                halign = (mirror ? :left : :right),
+                valign = (:top, :vcenter, :bottom)[sign(sp[:yaxis][:rotation]) + 2],
+                color = sp[:yaxis][:foreground_color_axis],
+                rotation = sp[:yaxis][:rotation])
+    return flip, mirror
+end
+
+function gr_get_ticks_size(ticks, i)
+    GR.savestate()
+    GR.selntran(0)
+    l = 0.0
+    for (cv, dv) in zip(ticks...)
+        tb = gr_inqtext(0, 0, string(dv))[i]
+        tb_min, tb_max = extrema(tb)
+        l = max(l, tb_max - tb_min)
+    end
+    GR.restorestate()
+    return l
+end
+
 function _update_min_padding!(sp::Subplot{GRBackend})
-    leftpad   = 10mm
-    toppad    = 2mm
-    rightpad  = 2mm
-    bottompad = 6mm
+    if !haskey(ENV, "GKSwstype")
+        if isijulia() || (isdefined(Main, :Juno) && Juno.isactive())
+            ENV["GKSwstype"] = "svg"
+        end
+    end
+    # Add margin given by the user
+    leftpad   = 2mm  + sp[:left_margin]
+    toppad    = 2mm  + sp[:top_margin]
+    rightpad  = 4mm  + sp[:right_margin]
+    bottompad = 2mm  + sp[:bottom_margin]
+    # Add margin for title
    if sp[:title] != ""
        toppad += 5mm
    end
-    if sp[:xaxis][:guide] != ""
-        xticks = axis_drawing_info(sp)[1]
-        if !(xticks in (nothing, false))
-            gr_set_font(sp[:xaxis][:tickfont],
-                        halign = (:left, :hcenter, :right)[sign(sp[:xaxis][:rotation]) + 2],
-                        valign = :top,
-                        color = sp[:xaxis][:foreground_color_axis],
-                        rotation = sp[:xaxis][:rotation])
-            h = 0
-            for (cv, dv) in zip(xticks...)
-                tbx, tby = gr_inqtext(0, 0, string(dv))
-                h = max(h, tby[2] - tby[1])
-            end
-            bottompad += 1mm + gr_plot_size[2] * h * px
+    # Add margin for x and y ticks
+    xticks, yticks = axis_drawing_info(sp)[1:2]
+    if !(xticks in (nothing, false))
+        flip, mirror = gr_set_xticks_font(sp)
+        l = gr_get_ticks_size(xticks, 2)
+        if mirror
+            toppad += 1mm + gr_plot_size[2] * l * px
        else
-            bottompad += 4mm
+            bottompad += 1mm + gr_plot_size[2] * l * px
        end
    end
+    if !(yticks in (nothing, false))
+        flip, mirror = gr_set_yticks_font(sp)
+        l = gr_get_ticks_size(yticks, 1)
+        if mirror
+            rightpad += 1mm + gr_plot_size[1] * l * px
+        else
+            leftpad += 1mm + gr_plot_size[1] * l * px
+        end
+    end
+    # Add margin for x label
+    if sp[:xaxis][:guide] != ""
+        bottompad += 4mm
+    end
+    # Add margin for y label
    if sp[:yaxis][:guide] != ""
        leftpad += 4mm
    end
    sp.minpad = (leftpad, toppad, rightpad, bottompad)
 end

-
 function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
+    _update_min_padding!(sp)
+
    # the viewports for this subplot
    viewport_subplot = gr_viewport_from_bbox(sp, bbox(sp), w, h, viewport_canvas)
    viewport_plotarea[:] = gr_viewport_from_bbox(sp, plotarea(sp), w, h, viewport_canvas)
@@ -605,14 +674,11 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
    # reduced from before... set some flags based on the series in this subplot
    # TODO: can these be generic flags?
    outside_ticks = false
-    cmap = false
-    draw_axes = true
+    cmap = hascolorbar(sp)
+    draw_axes = sp[:framestyle] != :none
    # axes_2d = true
    for series in series_list(sp)
        st = series[:seriestype]
-        if st in (:contour, :surface, :heatmap) || series[:marker_z] != nothing
-            cmap = true
-        end
        if st == :pie
            draw_axes = false
        end
@@ -626,7 +692,7 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
        end
    end

-    if cmap && sp[:colorbar] != :none
+    if cmap
        # note: add extra midpadding on the right for the colorbar
        viewport_plotarea[2] -= 0.1
    end
@@ -684,17 +750,16 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            isfinite(clims[1]) && (zmin = clims[1])
            isfinite(clims[2]) && (zmax = clims[2])
        end
-        GR.setspace(zmin, zmax, 40, 70)
+        GR.setspace(zmin, zmax, 35, 60)
        xtick = GR.tick(xmin, xmax) / 2
        ytick = GR.tick(ymin, ymax) / 2
        ztick = GR.tick(zmin, zmax) / 2
        ticksize = 0.01 * (viewport_plotarea[2] - viewport_plotarea[1])

        # GR.setlinetype(GR.LINETYPE_DOTTED)
-        if sp[:grid]
-            GR.grid3d(xtick, 0, ztick, xmin, ymax, zmin, 2, 0, 2)
-            GR.grid3d(0, ytick, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 2, 0)
-        end
+        xaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(xtick, 0, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 2, 0, 0)
+        yaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(0, ytick, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 2, 0)
+        zaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(0, 0, ztick, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 0, 2)
        GR.axes3d(xtick, 0, ztick, xmin, ymin, zmin, 2, 0, 2, -ticksize)
        GR.axes3d(0, ytick, 0, xmax, ymin, zmin, 0, 2, 0, ticksize)

@@ -709,58 +774,85 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            GR.setwindow(xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax)
        end

-        xticks, yticks, spine_segs, grid_segs = axis_drawing_info(sp)
+        xticks, yticks, xspine_segs, yspine_segs, xtick_segs, ytick_segs, xgrid_segs, ygrid_segs, xborder_segs, yborder_segs = axis_drawing_info(sp)
        # @show xticks yticks #spine_segs grid_segs

        # draw the grid lines
-        if sp[:grid]
+        if xaxis[:grid]
            # gr_set_linecolor(sp[:foreground_color_grid])
            # GR.grid(xtick, ytick, 0, 0, majorx, majory)
-            gr_set_line(1, :dot, sp[:foreground_color_grid])
-            GR.settransparency(0.5)
-            gr_polyline(coords(grid_segs)...)
+            gr_set_line(xaxis[:gridlinewidth], xaxis[:gridstyle], xaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(xaxis[:gridalpha])
+            gr_polyline(coords(xgrid_segs)...)
+        end
+        if yaxis[:grid]
+            gr_set_line(yaxis[:gridlinewidth], yaxis[:gridstyle], yaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(yaxis[:gridalpha])
+            gr_polyline(coords(ygrid_segs)...)
        end
        GR.settransparency(1.0)

-        # spine (border) and tick marks
-        gr_set_line(1, :solid, sp[:xaxis][:foreground_color_axis])
+        # axis lines
+        gr_set_line(1, :solid, xaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
        GR.setclip(0)
-        gr_polyline(coords(spine_segs)...)
+        gr_polyline(coords(xspine_segs)...)
+        gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+        GR.setclip(0)
+        gr_polyline(coords(yspine_segs)...)
        GR.setclip(1)

-        if !(xticks in (nothing, false))
+        # axis ticks
+        if sp[:framestyle] in (:zerolines, :grid)
+            gr_set_line(1, :solid, xaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(xaxis[:gridalpha])
+        else
+            gr_set_line(1, :solid, xaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+        end
+        GR.setclip(0)
+        gr_polyline(coords(xtick_segs)...)
+        if sp[:framestyle] in (:zerolines, :grid)
+            gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(yaxis[:gridalpha])
+        else
+            gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+        end
+        GR.setclip(0)
+        gr_polyline(coords(ytick_segs)...)
+        GR.setclip(1)
+
+        # tick marks
+        if !(xticks in (:none, nothing, false))
            # x labels
-            flip = sp[:yaxis][:flip]
-            mirror = sp[:xaxis][:mirror]
-            gr_set_font(sp[:xaxis][:tickfont],
-                        halign = (:left, :hcenter, :right)[sign(sp[:xaxis][:rotation]) + 2],
-                        valign = (mirror ? :bottom : :top),
-                        color = sp[:xaxis][:foreground_color_axis],
-                        rotation = sp[:xaxis][:rotation])
+            flip, mirror = gr_set_xticks_font(sp)
            for (cv, dv) in zip(xticks...)
                # use xor ($) to get the right y coords
-                xi, yi = GR.wctondc(cv, xor(flip, mirror) ? ymax : ymin)
+                xi, yi = GR.wctondc(cv, sp[:framestyle] == :origin ? 0 : xor(flip, mirror) ? ymax : ymin)
                # @show cv dv ymin xi yi flip mirror (flip $ mirror)
-                gr_text(xi, yi + (mirror ? 1 : -1) * 5e-3, string(dv))
+                gr_text(xi, yi + (mirror ? 1 : -1) * 5e-3 * (xaxis[:tick_direction] == :out ? 1.5 : 1.0), string(dv))
            end
        end

-        if !(yticks in (nothing, false))
+        if !(yticks in (:none, nothing, false))
            # y labels
-            flip = sp[:xaxis][:flip]
-            mirror = sp[:yaxis][:mirror]
-            gr_set_font(sp[:yaxis][:tickfont],
-                        halign = (mirror ? :left : :right),
-                        valign = (:top, :vcenter, :bottom)[sign(sp[:yaxis][:rotation]) + 2],
-                        color = sp[:yaxis][:foreground_color_axis],
-                        rotation = sp[:yaxis][:rotation])
+            flip, mirror = gr_set_yticks_font(sp)
            for (cv, dv) in zip(yticks...)
                # use xor ($) to get the right y coords
-                xi, yi = GR.wctondc(xor(flip, mirror) ? xmax : xmin, cv)
+                xi, yi = GR.wctondc(sp[:framestyle] == :origin ? 0 : xor(flip, mirror) ? xmax : xmin, cv)
                # @show cv dv xmin xi yi
-                gr_text(xi + (mirror ? 1 : -1) * 1e-2, yi, string(dv))
+                gr_text(xi + (mirror ? 1 : -1) * 1e-2 * (yaxis[:tick_direction] == :out ? 1.5 : 1.0), yi, string(dv))
            end
        end
+
+        # border
+        intensity = sp[:framestyle] == :semi ? 0.5 : 1.0
+        if sp[:framestyle] in (:box, :semi)
+            gr_set_line(intensity, :solid, xaxis[:foreground_color_border])
+            GR.settransparency(intensity)
+            gr_polyline(coords(xborder_segs)...)
+            gr_set_line(intensity, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_border])
+            GR.settransparency(intensity)
+            gr_polyline(coords(yborder_segs)...)
+        end
    end
    # end

@@ -794,6 +886,9 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
    # this needs to be here to point the colormap to the right indices
    GR.setcolormap(1000 + GR.COLORMAP_COOLWARM)

+    # calculate the colorbar limits once for a subplot
+    clims = get_clims(sp)
+
    for (idx, series) in enumerate(series_list(sp))
        st = series[:seriestype]

@@ -802,6 +897,10 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            gr_set_gradient(series[:fillcolor]) #, series[:fillalpha])
        elseif series[:marker_z] != nothing
            series[:markercolor] = gr_set_gradient(series[:markercolor])
+        elseif series[:line_z] !=  nothing
+            series[:linecolor] = gr_set_gradient(series[:linecolor])
+        elseif series[:fill_z] != nothing
+            series[:fillcolor] = gr_set_gradient(series[:fillcolor])
        end

        GR.savestate()
@@ -840,36 +939,42 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
                if frng != nothing
                    GR.setfillintstyle(GR.INTSTYLE_SOLID)
                    fr_from, fr_to = (is_2tuple(frng) ? frng : (y, frng))
-                    for (i,rng) in enumerate(iter_segments(series[:x], series[:y]))
-                        if length(rng) > 1
-                            gr_set_fillcolor(_cycle(series[:fillcolor], i))
-                            fx = _cycle(x, vcat(rng, reverse(rng)))
-                            fy = vcat(_cycle(fr_from,rng), _cycle(fr_to,reverse(rng)))
-                            # @show i rng fx fy
-                            GR.fillarea(fx, fy)
-                        end
+                    for i in 1:length(x) - 1
+                        gr_set_fillcolor(get_fillcolor(sp, series, i))
+                        xseg = _cycle(x, [i, i+1, i+1, i])
+                        yseg = [_cycle(fr_from, [i, i+1]); _cycle(fr_to, [i+1, i])]
+                        series[:fillalpha] != nothing && GR.settransparency(series[:fillalpha])
+                        GR.fillarea(xseg, yseg)
                    end
+                    gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+                    GR.settransparency(1)
+                    cmap && gr_colorbar(sp, clims)
                end

                # draw the line(s)
                if st == :path
-                    gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], series[:linecolor]) #, series[:linealpha])
-                    arrowside = isa(series[:arrow], Arrow) ? series[:arrow].side : :none
-                    gr_polyline(x, y; arrowside = arrowside)
+                    for i in 1:length(x) - 1
+                        xseg = x[i:(i + 1)]
+                        yseg = y[i:(i + 1)]
+                        gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], get_linecolor(sp, series, i)) #, series[:linealpha])
+                        arrowside = (i == length(y) - 1) && isa(series[:arrow], Arrow) ? series[:arrow].side : :none
+                        gr_polyline(xseg, yseg; arrowside = arrowside)
+                    end
+                    gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+                    cmap && gr_colorbar(sp, clims)
                end
            end

            if series[:markershape] != :none
-                gr_draw_markers(series, x, y)
+                if series[:marker_z] != nothing
+                    zmin, zmax = extrema(series[:marker_z])
+                    GR.setspace(zmin, zmax, 0, 90)
+                end
+                gr_draw_markers(series, x, y, clims)
            end

        elseif st == :contour
-            zmin, zmax = gr_lims(zaxis, false)
-            clims = sp[:clims]
-            if is_2tuple(clims)
-                isfinite(clims[1]) && (zmin = clims[1])
-                isfinite(clims[2]) && (zmax = clims[2])
-            end
+            zmin, zmax = clims
            GR.setspace(zmin, zmax, 0, 90)
            if typeof(series[:levels]) <: Array
                h = series[:levels]
@@ -883,7 +988,7 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            end

            # create the colorbar of contour levels
-            if sp[:colorbar] != :none
+            if cmap
                gr_set_viewport_cmap(sp)
                l = round.(Int32, 1000 + (h - ignorenan_minimum(h)) / (ignorenan_maximum(h) - ignorenan_minimum(h)) * 255)
                GR.setwindow(xmin, xmax, zmin, zmax)
@@ -908,12 +1013,7 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)

        elseif st == :heatmap
            xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax = xy_lims
-            zmin, zmax = gr_lims(zaxis, true)
-            clims = sp[:clims]
-            if is_2tuple(clims)
-                isfinite(clims[1]) && (zmin = clims[1])
-                isfinite(clims[2]) && (zmax = clims[2])
-            end
+            zmin, zmax = clims
            GR.setspace(zmin, zmax, 0, 90)
            grad = isa(series[:fillcolor], ColorGradient) ? series[:fillcolor] : cgrad()
            colors = [grad[clamp((zi-zmin) / (zmax-zmin), 0, 1)] for zi=z]
@@ -923,21 +1023,26 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
                                    round(Int,   red(c) * 255) ), colors)
            w, h = length(x), length(y)
            GR.drawimage(xmin, xmax, ymax, ymin, w, h, rgba)
-            cmap && gr_colorbar(sp)
+            cmap && gr_colorbar(sp, clims)

        elseif st in (:path3d, :scatter3d)
            # draw path
            if st == :path3d
-                if length(x) > 1
-                    gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], series[:linecolor]) #, series[:linealpha])
-                    GR.polyline3d(x, y, z)
+                for i in 1:length(x) - 1
+                    xseg = x[i:(i + 1)]
+                    yseg = y[i:(i + 1)]
+                    zseg = z[i:(i + 1)]
+                    gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], get_linecolor(sp, series, i)) #, series[:linealpha])
+                    GR.polyline3d(xseg, yseg, zseg)
                end
+                gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+                cmap && gr_colorbar(sp, clims)
            end

            # draw markers
            if st == :scatter3d || series[:markershape] != :none
                x2, y2 = unzip(map(GR.wc3towc, x, y, z))
-                gr_draw_markers(series, x2, y2)
+                gr_draw_markers(series, x2, y2, clims)
            end

        # TODO: replace with pie recipe
@@ -989,23 +1094,25 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            GR.selntran(1)

        elseif st == :shape
-            for (i,rng) in enumerate(iter_segments(series[:x], series[:y]))
+            for (i,rng) in enumerate(iter_segments(x, y))
                if length(rng) > 1
                    # connect to the beginning
                    rng = vcat(rng, rng[1])

                    # get the segments
-                    x, y = series[:x][rng], series[:y][rng]
+                    xseg, yseg = x[rng], y[rng]

                    # draw the interior
-                    gr_set_fill(_cycle(series[:fillcolor], i))
-                    GR.fillarea(x, y)
+                    gr_set_fill(get_fillcolor(sp, series, i))
+                    GR.fillarea(xseg, yseg)

                    # draw the shapes
-                    gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], :solid, _cycle(series[:linecolor], i))
-                    GR.polyline(x, y)
+                    gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], :solid, get_linecolor(sp, series, i))
+                    GR.polyline(xseg, yseg)
                end
            end
+            gr_set_line(1, :solid, yaxis[:foreground_color_axis])
+            cmap && gr_colorbar(sp, clims)


        elseif st == :image
@@ -1081,10 +1188,10 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
            for series in series_list(sp)
                should_add_to_legend(series) || continue
                st = series[:seriestype]
-                gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], series[:linecolor]) #, series[:linealpha])
+                gr_set_line(series[:linewidth], series[:linestyle], get_linecolor(sp, series)) #, series[:linealpha])

-                if st == :shape || series[:fillrange] != nothing
-                    gr_set_fill(series[:fillcolor]) #, series[:fillalpha])
+                if (st == :shape || series[:fillrange] != nothing) && series[:ribbon] == nothing
+                    gr_set_fill(get_fillcolor(sp, series)) #, series[:fillalpha])
                    l, r = xpos-0.07, xpos-0.01
                    b, t = ypos-0.4dy, ypos+0.4dy
                    x = [l, r, r, l, l]
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ Add in functionality to Plots.jl:
 const _inspectdr_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :annotations,
    :background_color_legend, :background_color_inside, :background_color_outside,
-    :foreground_color_grid, :foreground_color_legend, :foreground_color_title,
+    # :foreground_color_grid,
+    :foreground_color_legend, :foreground_color_title,
    :foreground_color_axis, :foreground_color_border, :foreground_color_guide, :foreground_color_text,
    :label,
    :linecolor, :linestyle, :linewidth, :linealpha,
@@ -334,15 +335,18 @@ end
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 function _inspectdr_setupsubplot(sp::Subplot{InspectDRBackend})
-    const gridon = InspectDR.GridRect(vmajor=true, hmajor=true)
-    const gridoff = InspectDR.GridRect()
    const plot = sp.o
    const strip = plot.strips[1] #Only 1 strip supported with Plots.jl

-	#No independent control of grid???
-	strip.grid = sp[:grid]? gridon: gridoff
-
    xaxis = sp[:xaxis]; yaxis = sp[:yaxis]
+    xgrid_show = xaxis[:grid]
+    ygrid_show = yaxis[:grid]
+
+    strip.grid = InspectDR.GridRect(
+    	vmajor=xgrid_show, # vminor=xgrid_show,
+    	hmajor=ygrid_show, # hminor=ygrid_show,
+    )
+
        plot.xscale = _inspectdr_getscale(xaxis[:scale], false)
        strip.yscale = _inspectdr_getscale(yaxis[:scale], true)
        xmin, xmax  = axis_limits(xaxis)
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const _pgfplots_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    # :normalize, :weights, :contours,
    :aspect_ratio,
    # :match_dimensions,
+    :tick_direction,
  ])
 const _pgfplots_seriestype = [:path, :path3d, :scatter, :steppre, :stepmid, :steppost, :histogram2d, :ysticks, :xsticks, :contour, :shape]
 const _pgfplots_style = [:auto, :solid, :dash, :dot, :dashdot, :dashdotdot]
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ const _pgf_series_extrastyle = KW(
    :xsticks => "xcomb",
 )

-# PGFPlots uses the anchors to define orientations for example to align left 
+# PGFPlots uses the anchors to define orientations for example to align left
 # one needs to use the right edge as anchor
 const _pgf_annotation_halign = KW(
    :center => "",
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ function pgf_color(grad::ColorGradient)
 end

 # Generates a colormap for pgfplots based on a ColorGradient
-function pgf_colormap(grad::ColorGradient) 
+function pgf_colormap(grad::ColorGradient)
    join(map(grad.colors) do c
        @sprintf("rgb=(%.8f,%.8f,%.8f)", red(c), green(c),blue(c))
    end,", ")
@@ -266,6 +267,11 @@ function pgf_axis(sp::Subplot, letter)
        push!(style, "$(letter)majorticks=false")
    end

+    # grid on or off
+    if axis[:grid]
+        push!(style, "$(letter)majorgrids = true")
+    end
+
    # limits
    # TODO: support zlims
    if letter != :z
@@ -274,10 +280,11 @@ function pgf_axis(sp::Subplot, letter)
        kw[Symbol(letter,:max)] = lims[2]
    end

-    if !(axis[:ticks] in (nothing, false, :none, :auto))
+    if !(axis[:ticks] in (nothing, false, :none))
        ticks = get_ticks(axis)
        push!(style, string(letter, "tick = {", join(ticks[1],","), "}"))
        push!(style, string(letter, "ticklabels = {", join(ticks[2],","), "}"))
+        push!(style, string(letter, "tick align = ", (axis[:tick_direction] == :out ? "outside" : "inside")))
    end

    # return the style list and KW args
@@ -324,7 +331,6 @@ function _update_plot_object(plt::Plot{PGFPlotsBackend})
            kw[:title] = "$(sp[:title])"
        end

-        sp[:grid] && push!(style, "grid = major")
        if sp[:aspect_ratio] in (1, :equal)
            kw[:axisEqual] = "true"
        end
@@ -360,7 +366,7 @@ function _update_plot_object(plt::Plot{PGFPlotsBackend})
                        kw[:colorbar] = "true"
                    end
                    # goto is needed to break out of col and series for
-                    @goto colorbar_end 
+                    @goto colorbar_end
                end
            end
        end
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const _plotly_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :annotations,
    :background_color_legend, :background_color_inside, :background_color_outside,
    :foreground_color_legend, :foreground_color_guide,
-    # :foreground_color_grid, :foreground_color_axis,
+    :foreground_color_grid, :foreground_color_axis,
    :foreground_color_text, :foreground_color_border,
    :foreground_color_title,
    :label,
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ const _plotly_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :window_title,
    :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
    :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :colorbar, :colorbar_title,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :colorbar, :colorbar_title,
    :marker_z, :fill_z, :levels,
    :ribbon, :quiver,
    :orientation,
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ const _plotly_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :inset_subplots,
    :bar_width,
    :clims,
+    :framestyle,
+    :tick_direction,
  ])

 const _plotly_seriestype = [
@@ -46,6 +49,17 @@ const _plotly_marker = [
 const _plotly_scale = [:identity, :log10]
 is_subplot_supported(::PlotlyBackend) = true
 # is_string_supported(::PlotlyBackend) = true
+const _plotly_framestyles = [:box, :axes, :zerolines, :grid, :none]
+const _plotly_framestyle_defaults = Dict(:semi => :box, :origin => :zerolines)
+function _plotly_framestyle(style::Symbol)
+    if style in _plotly_framestyles
+        return style
+    else
+        default_style = get(_plotly_framestyle_defaults, style, :axes)
+        warn("Framestyle :$style is not supported by Plotly and PlotlyJS. :$default_style was cosen instead.")
+        default_style
+    end
+end


 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -211,11 +225,19 @@ end

 function plotly_axis(axis::Axis, sp::Subplot)
    letter = axis[:letter]
+    framestyle = sp[:framestyle]
    ax = KW(
+        :visible    => framestyle != :none,
        :title      => axis[:guide],
-        :showgrid   => sp[:grid],
-        :zeroline   => false,
-        :ticks      => "inside",
+        :showgrid   => axis[:grid],
+        :gridcolor  => rgba_string(plot_color(axis[:foreground_color_grid], axis[:gridalpha])),
+        :gridwidth  => axis[:gridlinewidth],
+        :zeroline   => framestyle == :zerolines,
+        :zerolinecolor => rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_axis]),
+        :showline   => framestyle in (:box, :axes),
+        :linecolor  => rgba_string(plot_color(axis[:foreground_color_axis])),
+        :ticks      => axis[:tick_direction] == :out ? "outside" : "inside",
+        :mirror     => framestyle == :box,
    )

    if letter in (:x,:y)
@@ -229,8 +251,8 @@ function plotly_axis(axis::Axis, sp::Subplot)
        ax[:titlefont] = plotly_font(axis[:guidefont], axis[:foreground_color_guide])
        ax[:type] = plotly_scale(axis[:scale])
        ax[:tickfont] = plotly_font(axis[:tickfont], axis[:foreground_color_text])
-        ax[:tickcolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_border])
-        ax[:linecolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_border])
+        ax[:tickcolor] = framestyle in (:zerolines, :grid) ? rgba_string(invisible()) : rgb_string(axis[:foreground_color_axis])
+        ax[:linecolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_axis])

        # lims
        lims = axis[:lims]
@@ -296,6 +318,9 @@ function plotly_layout(plt::Plot)

        d_out[:plot_bgcolor] = rgba_string(sp[:background_color_inside])

+        # set to supported framestyle
+        sp[:framestyle] = _plotly_framestyle(sp[:framestyle])
+
        # if any(is3d, seriesargs)
        if is3d(sp)
            d_out[:scene] = KW(
@@ -435,7 +460,8 @@ function plotly_series(plt::Plot, series::Series)
    isscatter = st in (:scatter, :scatter3d, :scattergl)
    hasmarker = isscatter || series[:markershape] != :none
    hasline = st in (:path, :path3d)
-    hasfillrange = st in (:path, :scatter, :scattergl) && isa(series[:fillrange], AbstractVector)
+    hasfillrange = st in (:path, :scatter, :scattergl) &&
+        (isa(series[:fillrange], AbstractVector) || isa(series[:fillrange], Tuple))

    # for surface types, set the data
    if st in (:heatmap, :contour, :surface, :wireframe)
@@ -459,7 +485,7 @@ function plotly_series(plt::Plot, series::Series)
        else
            hasline ? "lines" : "none"
        end
-        if series[:fillrange] == true || series[:fillrange] == 0
+        if series[:fillrange] == true || series[:fillrange] == 0 || isa(series[:fillrange], Tuple)
            d_out[:fill] = "tozeroy"
            d_out[:fillcolor] = rgba_string(series[:fillcolor])
        elseif isa(series[:fillrange], AbstractVector)
@@ -550,14 +576,18 @@ function plotly_series(plt::Plot, series::Series)
        )

        # gotta hack this (for now?) since plotly can't handle rgba values inside the gradient
-        d_out[:marker][:color] = if series[:marker_z] == nothing
-            rgba_string(series[:markercolor])
+        if series[:marker_z] == nothing
+            d_out[:marker][:color] = rgba_string(series[:markercolor])
        else
            # grad = ColorGradient(series[:markercolor], alpha=series[:markeralpha])
-            grad = as_gradient(series[:markercolor], series[:markeralpha])
-            zmin, zmax = ignorenan_extrema(series[:marker_z])
-            zrange = zmax == zmin ? 1 : zmax - zmin # if all marker_z values are the same, plot all markers same color (avoids division by zero in next line)
-            [rgba_string(grad[(zi - zmin) / zrange]) for zi in series[:marker_z]]
+            # grad = as_gradient(series[:markercolor], series[:markeralpha])
+            cmin, cmax = get_clims(sp)
+            # zrange = zmax == zmin ? 1 : zmax - zmin # if all marker_z values are the same, plot all markers same color (avoids division by zero in next line)
+            d_out[:marker][:color] = [clamp(zi, cmin, cmax) for zi in series[:marker_z]]
+            d_out[:marker][:cmin] = cmin
+            d_out[:marker][:cmax] = cmax
+            d_out[:marker][:colorscale] = plotly_colorscale(series[:markercolor], series[:markeralpha])
+            d_out[:marker][:showscale] = hascolorbar(sp)
        end
    end

@@ -584,11 +614,21 @@ function plotly_series(plt::Plot, series::Series)
    if hasfillrange
        # if hasfillrange is true, return two dictionaries (one for original
        # series, one for series being filled to) instead of one
-        d_out_fillrange = copy(d_out)
-        d_out_fillrange[:y] = series[:fillrange]
+        d_out_fillrange = deepcopy(d_out)
        d_out_fillrange[:showlegend] = false
-        delete!(d_out_fillrange, :fill)
-        delete!(d_out_fillrange, :fillcolor)
+        if isa(series[:fillrange], AbstractVector)
+            d_out_fillrange[:y] = series[:fillrange]
+            delete!(d_out_fillrange, :fill)
+            delete!(d_out_fillrange, :fillcolor)
+        else
+            # if fillrange is a tuple with upper and lower limit, d_out_fillrange
+            # is the series that will do the filling
+            d_out_fillrange[:x], d_out_fillrange[:y] =
+                concatenate_fillrange(series[:x], series[:fillrange])
+            d_out_fillrange[:line][:width] = 0
+            delete!(d_out, :fill)
+            delete!(d_out, :fillcolor)
+        end

        return [d_out_fillrange, d_out]
    else
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ const _pyplot_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :window_title,
    :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
    :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
    :marker_z, :line_z, :fill_z,
    :levels,
    :ribbon, :quiver, :arrow,
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ const _pyplot_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
    :inset_subplots,
    :dpi,
    :colorbar_title,
+    :stride,
+    :framestyle,
+    :tick_direction,
  ])
 const _pyplot_seriestype = [
        :path, :steppre, :steppost, :shape,
@@ -441,11 +445,16 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
    xyargs = (st in _3dTypes ? (x,y,z) : (x,y))

    # handle zcolor and get c/cmap
-    extrakw = KW()
+    needs_colorbar = hascolorbar(sp)
+    extrakw = if needs_colorbar || is_2tuple(sp[:clims])
+        vmin, vmax = get_clims(sp)
+        KW(:vmin => vmin, :vmax => vmax)
+    else
+        KW()
+    end

    # holds references to any python object representing the matplotlib series
    handles = []
-    needs_colorbar = false
    discrete_colorbar_values = nothing


@@ -492,11 +501,7 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
                    :linewidth => py_dpi_scale(plt, series[:linewidth]),
                    :linestyle => py_linestyle(st, series[:linestyle])
                )
-                clims = sp[:clims]
-                if is_2tuple(clims)
-                    extrakw = KW()
-                    isfinite(clims[1]) && (extrakw[:vmin] = clims[1])
-                    isfinite(clims[2]) && (extrakw[:vmax] = clims[2])
+                if needs_colorbar
                    kw[:norm] = pycolors["Normalize"](; extrakw...)
                end
                lz = collect(series[:line_z])
@@ -526,7 +531,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
                    lc
                end
                push!(handles, handle)
-                needs_colorbar = true
            end

            a = series[:arrow]
@@ -560,18 +564,11 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
    if series[:markershape] != :none && st in (:path, :scatter, :path3d,
                                          :scatter3d, :steppre, :steppost,
                                          :bar)
-        extrakw = KW()
        if series[:marker_z] == nothing
            extrakw[:c] = py_color_fix(py_markercolor(series), x)
        else
            extrakw[:c] = convert(Vector{Float64}, series[:marker_z])
            extrakw[:cmap] = py_markercolormap(series)
-            clims = sp[:clims]
-            if is_2tuple(clims)
-                isfinite(clims[1]) && (extrakw[:vmin] = clims[1])
-                isfinite(clims[2]) && (extrakw[:vmax] = clims[2])
-            end
-            needs_colorbar = true
        end
        xyargs = if st == :bar && !isvertical(series)
            (y, x)
@@ -621,11 +618,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
    end

    if st == :hexbin
-        clims = sp[:clims]
-        if is_2tuple(clims)
-            isfinite(clims[1]) && (extrakw[:vmin] = clims[1])
-            isfinite(clims[2]) && (extrakw[:vmax] = clims[2])
-        end
        handle = ax[:hexbin](x, y;
            label = series[:label],
            zorder = series[:series_plotindex],
@@ -636,18 +628,10 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
            extrakw...
        )
        push!(handles, handle)
-        needs_colorbar = true
    end

    if st in (:contour, :contour3d)
        z = transpose_z(series, z.surf)
-        needs_colorbar = true
-
-        clims = sp[:clims]
-        if is_2tuple(clims)
-            isfinite(clims[1]) && (extrakw[:vmin] = clims[1])
-            isfinite(clims[2]) && (extrakw[:vmax] = clims[2])
-        end

        if st == :contour3d
            extrakw[:extend3d] = true
@@ -685,11 +669,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
            end
            z = transpose_z(series, z)
            if st == :surface
-                clims = sp[:clims]
-                if is_2tuple(clims)
-                    isfinite(clims[1]) && (extrakw[:vmin] = clims[1])
-                    isfinite(clims[2]) && (extrakw[:vmax] = clims[2])
-                end
                if series[:fill_z] != nothing
                    # the surface colors are different than z-value
                    extrakw[:facecolors] = py_shading(series[:fillcolor], transpose_z(series, series[:fill_z].surf))
@@ -697,13 +676,12 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
                else
                    extrakw[:cmap] = py_fillcolormap(series)
                end
-                needs_colorbar = true
            end
            handle = ax[st == :surface ? :plot_surface : :plot_wireframe](x, y, z;
                label = series[:label],
                zorder = series[:series_plotindex],
-                rstride = 1,
-                cstride = 1,
+                rstride = series[:stride][1],
+                cstride = series[:stride][2],
                linewidth = py_dpi_scale(plt, series[:linewidth]),
                edgecolor = py_linecolor(series),
                extrakw...
@@ -720,14 +698,9 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
                        offset = (zdir == "y" ? ignorenan_maximum : ignorenan_minimum)(mat)  # where to draw the contour plane
                    )
                    push!(handles, handle)
-                    needs_colorbar = true
                end
            end

-            # no colorbar if we are creating a surface LightSource
-            if haskey(extrakw, :facecolors)
-                needs_colorbar = false
-            end

        elseif typeof(z) <: AbstractVector
            # tri-surface plot (http://matplotlib.org/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/tutorial.html#tri-surface-plots)
@@ -745,7 +718,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
                extrakw...
            )
            push!(handles, handle)
-            needs_colorbar = true
        else
            error("Unsupported z type $(typeof(z)) for seriestype=$st")
        end
@@ -785,11 +757,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
            discrete_colorbar_values = dvals
        end

-        clims = sp[:clims]
-        zmin, zmax = ignorenan_extrema(z)
-        extrakw[:vmin] = (is_2tuple(clims) && isfinite(clims[1])) ? clims[1] : zmin
-        extrakw[:vmax] = (is_2tuple(clims) && isfinite(clims[2])) ? clims[2] : zmax
-
        handle = ax[:pcolormesh](x, y, py_mask_nans(z);
            label = series[:label],
            zorder = series[:series_plotindex],
@@ -798,7 +765,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
            extrakw...
        )
        push!(handles, handle)
-        needs_colorbar = true
    end

    if st == :shape
@@ -841,30 +807,6 @@ function py_add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
    # # smoothing
    # handleSmooth(plt, ax, series, series[:smooth])

-    # add the colorbar legend
-    if needs_colorbar && sp[:colorbar] != :none
-        # add keyword args for a discrete colorbar
-        handle = handles[end]
-        kw = KW()
-        if discrete_colorbar_values != nothing
-            locator, formatter = get_locator_and_formatter(discrete_colorbar_values)
-            # kw[:values] = 1:length(discrete_colorbar_values)
-            kw[:values] = sp[:zaxis][:continuous_values]
-            kw[:ticks] = locator
-            kw[:format] = formatter
-            kw[:boundaries] = vcat(0, kw[:values] + 0.5)
-        end
-
-        # create and store the colorbar object (handle) and the axis that it is drawn on.
-        # note: the colorbar axis is positioned independently from the subplot axis
-        fig = plt.o
-        cbax = fig[:add_axes]([0.8,0.1,0.03,0.8], label = string(gensym()))
-        cb = fig[:colorbar](handle; cax = cbax, kw...)
-        cb[:set_label](sp[:colorbar_title])
-        sp.attr[:cbar_handle] = cb
-        sp.attr[:cbar_ax] = cbax
-    end
-
    # handle area filling
    fillrange = series[:fillrange]
    if fillrange != nothing && st != :contour
@@ -962,21 +904,22 @@ function py_set_scale(ax, axis::Axis)
        elseif scale == :log10
            10
        end
-        kw[Symbol(:linthresh,letter)] = NaNMath.max(1e-16, py_compute_axis_minval(axis))
+        kw[Symbol(:linthresh,letter)] = NaNMath.min(1e-16, py_compute_axis_minval(axis))
        "symlog"
    end
    func(arg; kw...)
 end


-function py_set_axis_colors(ax, a::Axis)
+function py_set_axis_colors(sp, ax, a::Axis)
    for (loc, spine) in ax[:spines]
        spine[:set_color](py_color(a[:foreground_color_border]))
    end
    axissym = Symbol(a[:letter], :axis)
    if haskey(ax, axissym)
+        tickcolor = sp[:framestyle] == :zerolines ? py_color(plot_color(a[:foreground_color_grid], a[:gridalpha])) : py_color(a[:foreground_color_axis])
        ax[:tick_params](axis=string(a[:letter]), which="both",
-                         colors=py_color(a[:foreground_color_axis]),
+                         colors=tickcolor,
                         labelcolor=py_color(a[:foreground_color_text]))
        ax[axissym][:label][:set_color](py_color(a[:foreground_color_guide]))
    end
@@ -1038,6 +981,58 @@ function _before_layout_calcs(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})
            # ax[:set_title](sp[:title], loc = loc)
        end

+        # add the colorbar legend
+        if hascolorbar(sp)
+            # add keyword args for a discrete colorbar
+            slist = series_list(sp)
+            colorbar_series = slist[findfirst(hascolorbar.(slist))]
+            handle = colorbar_series[:serieshandle][end]
+            kw = KW()
+            if !isempty(sp[:zaxis][:discrete_values]) && colorbar_series[:seriestype] == :heatmap
+                locator, formatter = get_locator_and_formatter(sp[:zaxis][:discrete_values])
+                # kw[:values] = 1:length(sp[:zaxis][:discrete_values])
+                kw[:values] = sp[:zaxis][:continuous_values]
+                kw[:ticks] = locator
+                kw[:format] = formatter
+                kw[:boundaries] = vcat(0, kw[:values] + 0.5)
+            end
+
+            # create and store the colorbar object (handle) and the axis that it is drawn on.
+            # note: the colorbar axis is positioned independently from the subplot axis
+            fig = plt.o
+            cbax = fig[:add_axes]([0.8,0.1,0.03,0.8], label = string(gensym()))
+            cb = fig[:colorbar](handle; cax = cbax, kw...)
+            cb[:set_label](sp[:colorbar_title])
+            sp.attr[:cbar_handle] = cb
+            sp.attr[:cbar_ax] = cbax
+        end
+
+        # framestyle
+        if !ispolar(sp) && !is3d(sp)
+            if sp[:framestyle] == :semi
+                intensity = 0.5
+                ax[:spines]["right"][:set_alpha](intensity)
+                ax[:spines]["top"][:set_alpha](intensity)
+                ax[:spines]["right"][:set_linewidth](intensity)
+                ax[:spines]["top"][:set_linewidth](intensity)
+            elseif sp[:framestyle] in (:axes, :origin)
+                ax[:spines]["right"][:set_visible](false)
+                ax[:spines]["top"][:set_visible](false)
+                if sp[:framestyle] == :origin
+                    ax[:spines]["bottom"][:set_position]("zero")
+                    ax[:spines]["left"][:set_position]("zero")
+                end
+            elseif sp[:framestyle] in (:grid, :none, :zerolines)
+                for (loc, spine) in ax[:spines]
+                    spine[:set_visible](false)
+                end
+                if sp[:framestyle] == :zerolines
+                    ax[:axhline](y = 0, color = py_color(sp[:xaxis][:foreground_color_axis]), lw = 0.75)
+                    ax[:axvline](x = 0, color = py_color(sp[:yaxis][:foreground_color_axis]), lw = 0.75)
+                end
+            end
+        end
+
        # axis attributes
        for letter in (:x, :y, :z)
            axissym = Symbol(letter, :axis)
@@ -1052,7 +1047,13 @@ function _before_layout_calcs(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})
            end
            py_set_scale(ax, axis)
            py_set_lims(ax, axis)
-            py_set_ticks(ax, get_ticks(axis), letter)
+            ticks = sp[:framestyle] == :none ? nothing : get_ticks(axis)
+            # don't show the 0 tick label for the origin framestyle
+            if sp[:framestyle] == :origin && length(ticks) > 1
+                ticks[2][ticks[1] .== 0] = ""
+            end
+            py_set_ticks(ax, ticks, letter)
+            pyaxis[:set_tick_params](direction = axis[:tick_direction] == :out ? "out" : "in")
            ax[Symbol("set_", letter, "label")](axis[:guide])
            if get(axis.d, :flip, false)
                ax[Symbol("invert_", letter, "axis")]()
@@ -1064,12 +1065,16 @@ function _before_layout_calcs(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})
                lab[:set_family](axis[:tickfont].family)
                lab[:set_rotation](axis[:rotation])
            end
-            if sp[:grid]
-                fgcolor = py_color(sp[:foreground_color_grid])
-                pyaxis[:grid](true, color = fgcolor, linestyle = ":")
+            if axis[:grid] && !(ticks in (:none, nothing, false))
+                fgcolor = py_color(axis[:foreground_color_grid])
+                pyaxis[:grid](true,
+                    color = fgcolor,
+                    linestyle = py_linestyle(:line, axis[:gridstyle]),
+                    linewidth = axis[:gridlinewidth],
+                    alpha = axis[:gridalpha])
                ax[:set_axisbelow](true)
            end
-            py_set_axis_colors(ax, axis)
+            py_set_axis_colors(sp, ax, axis)
        end

        # aspect ratio
@@ -1083,6 +1088,7 @@ function _before_layout_calcs(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})

        # this sets the bg color inside the grid
        ax[set_facecolor_sym](py_color(sp[:background_color_inside]))
+
    end
    py_drawfig(fig)
 end
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ immutable Shape
    #     end
    # end
 end
+
+"""
+    Shape(x, y)
+    Shape(vertices)
+
+Construct a polygon to be plotted
+"""
 Shape(verts::AVec) = Shape(unzip(verts)...)
 Shape(s::Shape) = deepcopy(s)

@@ -32,6 +39,7 @@ vertices(shape::Shape) = collect(zip(shape.x, shape.y))
 #deprecated
@deprecate shape_coords coords

+"return the vertex points from a Shape or Segments object"
 function coords(shape::Shape)
    shape.x, shape.y
 end
@@ -156,6 +164,7 @@ Shape(k::Symbol) = deepcopy(_shapes[k])


 # uses the centroid calculation from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centroid#Centroid_of_polygon
+"return the centroid of a Shape"
 function center(shape::Shape)
    x, y = coords(shape)
    n = length(x)
@@ -189,6 +198,7 @@ function scale(shape::Shape, x::Real, y::Real = x, c = center(shape))
    scale!(shapecopy, x, y, c)
 end

+"translate a Shape in space"
 function translate!(shape::Shape, x::Real, y::Real = x)
    sx, sy = coords(shape)
    for i=1:length(sx)
@@ -227,6 +237,7 @@ function rotate!(shape::Shape, Θ::Real, c = center(shape))
    shape
 end

+"rotate an object in space"
 function rotate(shape::Shape, Θ::Real, c = center(shape))
    shapecopy = deepcopy(shape)
    rotate!(shapecopy, Θ, c)
@@ -331,6 +342,11 @@ immutable PlotText
 end
 PlotText(str) = PlotText(string(str), font())

+"""
+    text(string, args...)
+
+Create a PlotText object wrapping a string with font info, for plot annotations
+"""
 text(t::PlotText) = t
 text(str::AbstractString, f::Font) = PlotText(str, f)
 function text(str, args...)
@@ -350,6 +366,11 @@ immutable Stroke
  style
 end

+"""
+    stroke(args...; alpha = nothing)
+
+Define the properties of the stroke used in plotting lines
+"""
 function stroke(args...; alpha = nothing)
  width = 1
  color = :black
@@ -597,6 +618,12 @@ immutable Arrow
    headwidth::Float64
 end

+"""
+    arrow(args...)
+
+Define arrowheads to apply to lines - args are `style` (`:open` or `:closed`),
+`side` (`:head`, `:tail` or `:both`), `headlength` and `headwidth`
+"""
 function arrow(args...)
    style = :simple
    side = :head
@@ -652,7 +679,7 @@ immutable Formatted{T}
 end

 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
+"create a BezierCurve for plotting"
 type BezierCurve{T <: FixedSizeArrays.Vec}
    control_points::Vector{T}
 end
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ PlotExample("Subplots",
    """,
    [:(begin
        l = @layout([a{0.1h}; b [c;d e]])
-        plot(randn(100,5), layout=l, t=[:line :histogram :scatter :steppre :bar], leg=false, ticks=nothing, border=false)
+        plot(randn(100,5), layout=l, t=[:line :histogram :scatter :steppre :bar], leg=false, ticks=nothing, border=:none)
    end)]
 ),

@@ -288,9 +288,10 @@ PlotExample("Heatmap, categorical axes, and aspect_ratio",
 PlotExample("Layouts, margins, label rotation, title location",
    "",
    [:(begin
+        using Plots.PlotMeasures # for Measures, e.g. mm and px
        plot(rand(100,6),layout=@layout([a b; c]),title=["A" "B" "C"],
                        title_location=:left, left_margin=[20mm 0mm],
-                        bottom_margin=50px, xrotation=60)
+                        bottom_margin=10px, xrotation=60)
    end)]
 ),

@@ -321,7 +322,7 @@ PlotExample("Animation with subplots",
 ),

 PlotExample("Spy",
-    "For a matrix `mat` with unique nonzeros `spy(mat)` returns a colorless plot. If `mat` has various different nonzero values, a colorbar is added. The colorbar can be disabled with `legend = nothing`. As always, the marker shape and size can be changed with `spy(mat, markersize = 3, markershape = :star)`",
+    "For a matrix `mat` with unique nonzeros `spy(mat)` returns a colorless plot. If `mat` has various different nonzero values, a colorbar is added. The colorbar can be disabled with `legend = nothing`. As always, the marker shape and size can be changed with `spy(mat, markersize = 3, markershape = :star)`.",
    [:(begin
    a = spdiagm((ones(50), ones(49), ones(49), ones(40), ones(40)),(0, 1, -1, 10, -10))
    b = spdiagm((1:50, 1:49, 1:49, 1:40, 1:40),(0, 1, -1, 10, -10))
@@ -329,6 +330,26 @@ PlotExample("Spy",
    end)]
 ),

+PlotExample("Magic grid argument",
+    "The grid lines can be modified individually for each axis with the magic `grid` argument.",
+    [:(begin
+    x = rand(10)
+    p1 = plot(x, title = "Default looks")
+    p2 = plot(x, grid = (:y, :olivedrab, :dot, 1, 0.9), title = "Modified y grid")
+    p3 = plot(deepcopy(p2), title = "Add x grid")
+    xgrid!(p3, :on, :cadetblue, 2, :dashdot, 0.4)
+    plot(p1, p2, p3, layout = (1, 3), label = "", fillrange = 0, fillalpha = 0.3)
+    end)]
+),
+
+PlotExample("Framestyle",
+    "The style of the frame/axes of a (sub)plot can be changed with the `framestyle` attribute. The default framestyle is `:axes`.",
+    [:(begin
+    histogram(fill(randn(1000), 5), framestyle = [:box :semi :axes :grid :none],
+        title = [":box" ":semi" ":axes" ":grid" ":none"], color = RowVector(1:5), layout = 5, label = "")
+    end)]
+),
+
 ]

 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -348,6 +369,13 @@ function test_examples(pkgname::Symbol, idx::Int; debug = false, disp = true)
 end

 # generate all plots and create a dict mapping idx --> plt
+"""
+test_examples(pkgname[, idx]; debug = false, disp = true, sleep = nothing,
+                                        skip = [], only = nothing
+
+Run the `idx` test example for a given backend, or all examples if `idx`
+is not specified.
+"""
 function test_examples(pkgname::Symbol; debug = false, disp = true, sleep = nothing,
                                        skip = [], only = nothing)
  Plots._debugMode.on = debug
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@

 # NOTE: (0,0) is the top-left !!!

-# allow pixels and percentages
-const px = AbsoluteLength(0.254)
-const pct = Length{:pct, Float64}(1.0)
-
 to_pixels(m::AbsoluteLength) = m.value / 0.254

 const _cbar_width = 5mm
@@ -133,7 +129,12 @@ make_measure_hor(m::Measure) = m
 make_measure_vert(n::Number) = n * h
 make_measure_vert(m::Measure) = m

+"""
+    bbox(x, y, w, h [,originargs...])
+    bbox(layout)

+Create a bounding box for plotting
+"""
 function bbox(x, y, w, h, oarg1::Symbol, originargs::Symbol...)
    oargs = vcat(oarg1, originargs...)
    orighor = :left
@@ -253,6 +254,13 @@ type GridLayout <: AbstractLayout
    attr::KW
 end

+"""
+    grid(args...; kw...)
+
+Create a grid layout for subplots. `args` specify the dimensions, e.g.
+`grid(3,2, widths = (0.6,04))` creates a grid with three rows and two
+columns of different width.
+"""
 grid(args...; kw...) = GridLayout(args...; kw...)

 function GridLayout(dims...;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ ps(fn::AbstractString) = ps(current(), fn)
 function eps(plt::Plot, fn::AbstractString)
  fn = addExtension(fn, "eps")
  io = open(fn, "w")
-  writemime(io, MIME("image/eps"), plt)
+  show(io, MIME("image/eps"), plt)
  close(io)
 end
 eps(fn::AbstractString) = eps(current(), fn)
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ function addExtension(fn::AbstractString, ext::AbstractString)
  end
 end

+"""
+    savefig([plot,] filename)
+
+Save a Plot (the current plot if `plot` is not passed) to file. The file
+type is inferred from the file extension. All backends support png and pdf
+file types, some also support svg, ps, eps, html and tex.
+"""
 function savefig(plt::Plot, fn::AbstractString)

  # get the extension
@@ -119,7 +126,11 @@ savefig(fn::AbstractString) = savefig(current(), fn)


 # ---------------------------------------------------------
+"""
+    gui([plot])

+Display a plot using the backends' gui window
+"""
 gui(plt::Plot = current()) = display(PlotsDisplay(), plt)

 # IJulia only... inline display
@@ -198,6 +209,7 @@ for mime in keys(_mimeformats)
    end
 end

+"Close all open gui windows of the current backend"
 closeall() = closeall(backend())


@@ -266,6 +278,7 @@ using Requires
            show(io, MIME("text/html"), plt)
        end

+        ENV["MPLBACKEND"] = "Agg"
        set_ijulia_output("text/html")
    end
 end
@@ -60,29 +60,26 @@ function _process_userrecipes(plt::Plot, d::KW, args)
    args = _preprocess_args(d, args, still_to_process)

    # for plotting recipes, swap out the args and update the parameter dictionary
-    # we are keeping a queue of series that still need to be processed.
+    # we are keeping a stack of series that still need to be processed.
    # each pass through the loop, we pop one off and apply the recipe.
    # the recipe will return a list a Series objects... the ones that are
-    # finished (no more args) get added to the kw_list, and the rest go into the queue
-    # for processing.
+    # finished (no more args) get added to the kw_list, the ones that are not
+    # are placed on top of the stack and are then processed further.
    kw_list = KW[]
    while !isempty(still_to_process)
-        # grab the first in line to be processed and pass it through apply_recipe
-        # to generate a list of RecipeData objects (data + attributes)
+        # grab the first in line to be processed and either add it to the kw_list or
+        # pass it through apply_recipe to generate a list of RecipeData objects (data + attributes)
+        # for further processing.
        next_series = shift!(still_to_process)
-        rd_list = RecipesBase.apply_recipe(next_series.d, next_series.args...)
-        for recipedata in rd_list
-            # recipedata should be of type RecipeData.  if it's not then the inputs must not have been fully processed by recipes
-            if !(typeof(recipedata) <: RecipeData)
-                error("Inputs couldn't be processed... expected RecipeData but got: $recipedata")
-            end
-
-            if isempty(recipedata.args)
-                _process_userrecipe(plt, kw_list, recipedata)
-            else
-                # args are non-empty, so there's still processing to do... add it back to the queue
-                push!(still_to_process, recipedata)
-            end
+        # recipedata should be of type RecipeData.  if it's not then the inputs must not have been fully processed by recipes
+        if !(typeof(next_series) <: RecipeData)
+            error("Inputs couldn't be processed... expected RecipeData but got: $next_series")
+        end
+        if isempty(next_series.args)
+            _process_userrecipe(plt, kw_list, next_series)
+        else
+            rd_list = RecipesBase.apply_recipe(next_series.d, next_series.args...)
+            prepend!(still_to_process,rd_list)
        end
    end

@@ -213,7 +210,7 @@ function _plot_setup(plt::Plot, d::KW, kw_list::Vector{KW})
    # TODO: init subplots here
    _update_plot_args(plt, d)
    if !plt.init
-        plt.o = _create_backend_figure(plt)
+        plt.o = Base.invokelatest(_create_backend_figure, plt)

        # create the layout and subplots from the inputs
        plt.layout, plt.subplots, plt.spmap = build_layout(plt.attr)
@@ -367,6 +364,11 @@ function _expand_subplot_extrema(sp::Subplot, d::KW, st::Symbol)
    elseif !(st in (:pie, :histogram, :bins2d, :histogram2d))
        expand_extrema!(sp, d)
    end
+    # expand for zerolines (axes through origin)
+    if sp[:framestyle] in (:origin, :zerolines)
+        expand_extrema!(sp[:xaxis], 0.0)
+        expand_extrema!(sp[:yaxis], 0.0)
+    end
 end

 function _add_the_series(plt, sp, d)
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ const CURRENT_PLOT = CurrentPlot(Nullable{AbstractPlot}())

 isplotnull() = isnull(CURRENT_PLOT.nullableplot)

+"""
+    current()
+Returns the Plot object for the current plot
+"""
 function current()
    if isplotnull()
        error("No current plot/subplot")
@@ -80,7 +84,7 @@ function plot(plt1::Plot, plts_tail::Plot...; kw...)
    # TODO: replace this with proper processing from a merged user_attr KW
    # update plot args, first with existing plots, then override with d
    for p in plts
-        _update_plot_args(plt, p.attr)
+        _update_plot_args(plt, copy(p.attr))
        plt.n += p.n
    end
    _update_plot_args(plt, d)
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ function lookup_aliases(attrtype, attribute)
    error("There is no attribute named $attribute in $attrtype")
 end

+"""
+    plotattr([attr])
+
+Look up the properties of a Plots attribute, or specify an attribute type. Call `plotattr()` for options.
+The information is the same as that given on https://juliaplots.github.io/attributes/.
+"""
 function plotattr()
    println("Specify an attribute type to get a list of supported attributes. Options are $(attrtypes())")
 end
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function hvline_limits(axis::Axis)
 end

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:hline}}, x, y, z)
-    xmin, xmax = hvline_limits(d[:subplot][:xaxis])
+    xmin, xmax = hvline_limits(plotattributes[:subplot][:xaxis])
    n = length(y)
    newx = repmat(Float64[xmin, xmax, NaN], n)
    newy = vec(Float64[yi for i=1:3,yi=y])
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ end
@deps hline path

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:vline}}, x, y, z)
-    ymin, ymax = hvline_limits(d[:subplot][:yaxis])
+    ymin, ymax = hvline_limits(plotattributes[:subplot][:yaxis])
    n = length(y)
    newx = vec(Float64[yi for i=1:3,yi=y])
    newy = repmat(Float64[ymin, ymax, NaN], n)
@@ -123,11 +123,11 @@ end

 # create a path from steps
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:steppre}}, x, y, z)
-    d[:x], d[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppre)
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppre)
    seriestype := :path

    # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
        @series begin
            seriestype := :scatter
            x := x
@@ -144,11 +144,11 @@ end

 # create a path from steps
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:steppost}}, x, y, z)
-    d[:x], d[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppost)
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = make_steps(x, y, :steppost)
    seriestype := :path

    # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
        @series begin
            seriestype := :scatter
            x := x
@@ -170,9 +170,9 @@ end
 # create vertical line segments from fill
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:sticks}}, x, y, z)
    n = length(x)
-    fr = d[:fillrange]
+    fr = plotattributes[:fillrange]
    if fr == nothing
-        yaxis = d[:subplot][:yaxis]
+        yaxis = plotattributes[:subplot][:yaxis]
        fr = if yaxis[:scale] == :identity
            0.0
        else
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ end
    seriestype := :path

    # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
        @series begin
            seriestype := :scatter
            x := x
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ end
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:curves}}, x, y, z; npoints = 30)
    args = z != nothing ? (x,y,z) : (x,y)
    newx, newy = zeros(0), zeros(0)
-    fr = d[:fillrange]
+    fr = plotattributes[:fillrange]
    newfr = fr != nothing ? zeros(0) : nothing
    newz = z != nothing ? zeros(0) : nothing
    # lz = d[:line_z]
@@ -274,9 +274,9 @@ end

 # create a bar plot as a filled step function
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:bar}}, x, y, z)
-    procx, procy, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_barlike(d, x, y)
+    procx, procy, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_barlike(plotattributes, x, y)
    nx, ny = length(procx), length(procy)
-    axis = d[:subplot][isvertical(d) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
+    axis = plotattributes[:subplot][isvertical(plotattributes) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
    cv = [discrete_value!(axis, xi)[1] for xi=procx]
    procx = if nx == ny
        cv
@@ -287,15 +287,15 @@ end
    end

    # compute half-width of bars
-    bw = d[:bar_width]
+    bw = plotattributes[:bar_width]
    hw = if bw == nothing
-        0.5ignorenan_mean(diff(procx))
+        0.5*_bar_width*ignorenan_minimum(filter(x->x>0, diff(procx)))
    else
        Float64[0.5_cycle(bw,i) for i=1:length(procx)]
    end

    # make fillto a vector... default fills to 0
-    fillto = d[:fillrange]
+    fillto = plotattributes[:fillrange]
    if fillto == nothing
        fillto = 0
    end
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ end
    expand_extrema!(axis, widen(ignorenan_extrema(xseg.pts)...))

    # switch back
-    if !isvertical(d)
+    if !isvertical(plotattributes)
        xseg, yseg = yseg, xseg
    end

@@ -389,8 +389,8 @@ end


@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:barbins}}, x, y, z)
-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
-    if (d[:bar_width] == nothing)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)
+    if (plotattributes[:bar_width] == nothing)
        bar_width := diff(edge)
    end
    x := _bin_centers(edge)
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ end


@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatterbins}}, x, y, z)
-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)
    xerror := diff(edge)/2
    x := _bin_centers(edge)
    y := weights
@@ -465,17 +465,17 @@ end


@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:stepbins}}, x, y, z)
-    axis = d[:subplot][Plots.isvertical(d) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]
+    axis = plotattributes[:subplot][Plots.isvertical(plotattributes) ? :xaxis : :yaxis]

-    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, x, y)
+    edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, x, y)

    xpts, ypts = _stepbins_path(edge, weights, baseline, xscale, yscale)
-    if !isvertical(d)
+    if !isvertical(plotattributes)
        xpts, ypts = ypts, xpts
    end

    # create a secondary series for the markers
-    if d[:markershape] != :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] != :none
        @series begin
            seriestype := :scatter
            x := _bin_centers(edge)
@@ -497,33 +497,40 @@ end
 end
 Plots.@deps stepbins path

+wand_edges(x...) = (warn("Load the StatPlots package in order to use :wand bins. Defaulting to :auto", once = true); :auto)

 function _auto_binning_nbins{N}(vs::NTuple{N,AbstractVector}, dim::Integer; mode::Symbol = :auto)
    _cl(x) = ceil(Int, NaNMath.max(x, one(x)))
-    _iqr(v) = quantile(v, 0.75) - quantile(v, 0.25)
+    _iqr(v) = (q = quantile(v, 0.75) - quantile(v, 0.25); q > 0 ? q : oftype(q, 1))
    _span(v) = ignorenan_maximum(v) - ignorenan_minimum(v)

    n_samples = length(linearindices(first(vs)))
-    # Estimator for number of samples in one row/column of bins along each axis:
-    n = max(1, n_samples^(1/N))
+
+    # The nd estimator is the key to most automatic binning methods, and is modified for twodimensional histograms to include correlation
+    nd = n_samples^(1/(2+N))
+    nd = N == 2 ? nd / (1-cor(first(vs), last(vs))^2)^(3//8) : nd # the >2-dimensional case does not have a nice solution to correlations

    v = vs[dim]

    if mode == :auto
-        30
-    elseif mode == :sqrt  # Square-root choice
-        _cl(sqrt(n))
+        mode = :fd
+    end
+
+    if mode == :sqrt  # Square-root choice
+        _cl(sqrt(n_samples))
    elseif mode == :sturges  # Sturges' formula
-        _cl(log2(n)) + 1
+        _cl(log2(n_samples) + 1)
    elseif mode == :rice  # Rice Rule
-        _cl(2 * n^(1/3))
+        _cl(2 * nd)
    elseif mode == :scott  # Scott's normal reference rule
-        _cl(_span(v) / (3.5 * std(v) / n^(1/3)))
+        _cl(_span(v) / (3.5 * std(v) / nd))
    elseif mode == :fd  # Freedman–Diaconis rule
-        _cl(_span(v) / (2 * _iqr(v) / n^(1/3)))
+        _cl(_span(v) / (2 * _iqr(v) / nd))
+    elseif mode == :wand
+        wand_edges(v)  # this makes this function not type stable, but the type instability does not propagate
    else
        error("Unknown auto-binning mode $mode")
-    end::Int
+    end
 end

 _hist_edge{N}(vs::NTuple{N,AbstractVector}, dim::Integer, binning::Integer) = StatsBase.histrange(vs[dim], binning, :left)
@@ -550,13 +557,13 @@ end


@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:histogram}}, x, y, z)
-    seriestype := :barhist
+    seriestype := length(y) > 1e6 ? :stephist : :barhist
    ()
 end
@deps histogram barhist

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:barhist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
    x := h.edges[1]
    y := h.weights
    seriestype := :barbins
@@ -565,7 +572,7 @@ end
@deps barhist barbins

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:stephist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
    x := h.edges[1]
    y := h.weights
    seriestype := :stepbins
@@ -574,7 +581,7 @@ end
@deps stephist stepbins

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatterhist}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((y,), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((y,), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
    x := h.edges[1]
    y := h.weights
    seriestype := :scatterbins
@@ -590,11 +597,11 @@ end
        :bar => :barbins, :scatter => :scatterbins, :step => :stepbins,
        :steppost => :stepbins # :step can be mapped to :steppost in pre-processing
    )
-    seriestype := get(st_map, d[:seriestype], d[:seriestype])
+    seriestype := get(st_map, plotattributes[:seriestype], plotattributes[:seriestype])

-    if d[:seriestype] == :scatterbins
+    if plotattributes[:seriestype] == :scatterbins
        # Workaround, error bars currently not set correctly by scatterbins
-        edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(d, h.edges[1], h.weights)
+        edge, weights, xscale, yscale, baseline = _preprocess_binlike(plotattributes, h.edges[1], h.weights)
        xerror --> diff(h.edges[1])/2
        seriestype := :scatter
        (Plots._bin_centers(edge), weights)
@@ -641,7 +648,7 @@ Plots.@deps bins2d heatmap


@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:histogram2d}}, x, y, z)
-    h = _make_hist((x, y), d[:bins], normed = d[:normalize], weights = d[:weights])
+    h = _make_hist((x, y), plotattributes[:bins], normed = plotattributes[:normalize], weights = plotattributes[:weights])
    x := h.edges[1]
    y := h.edges[2]
    z := Surface(h.weights)
@@ -662,7 +669,7 @@ end

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:scatter3d}}, x, y, z)
    seriestype := :path3d
-    if d[:markershape] == :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] == :none
        markershape := :circle
    end
    linewidth := 0
@@ -725,17 +732,17 @@ end
 # we will create a series of path segments, where each point represents one
 # side of an errorbar
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:yerror}}, x, y, z)
-    error_style!(d)
+    error_style!(plotattributes)
    markershape := :hline
-    d[:x], d[:y] = error_coords(d[:x], d[:y], error_zipit(d[:yerror]))
+    plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y] = error_coords(plotattributes[:x], plotattributes[:y], error_zipit(plotattributes[:yerror]))
    ()
 end
@deps yerror path

@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:xerror}}, x, y, z)
-    error_style!(d)
+    error_style!(plotattributes)
    markershape := :vline
-    d[:y], d[:x] = error_coords(d[:y], d[:x], error_zipit(d[:xerror]))
+    plotattributes[:y], plotattributes[:x] = error_coords(plotattributes[:y], plotattributes[:x], error_zipit(plotattributes[:xerror]))
    ()
 end
@deps xerror path
@@ -834,9 +841,9 @@ end
 # function apply_series_recipe(d::KW, ::Type{Val{:quiver}})
@recipe function f(::Type{Val{:quiver}}, x, y, z)
    if :arrow in supported_attrs()
-        quiver_using_arrows(d)
+        quiver_using_arrows(plotattributes)
    else
-        quiver_using_hack(d)
+        quiver_using_hack(plotattributes)
    end
    ()
 end
@@ -847,6 +854,7 @@ end

 # TODO: move OHLC to PlotRecipes finance.jl

+"Represent Open High Low Close data (used in finance)"
 type OHLC{T<:Real}
  open::T
  high::T
@@ -940,10 +948,10 @@ end
    rs, cs, zs = findnz(z.surf)
    xlim := ignorenan_extrema(cs)
    ylim := ignorenan_extrema(rs)
-    if d[:markershape] == :none
+    if plotattributes[:markershape] == :none
        markershape := :circle
    end
-    if d[:markersize] == default(:markersize)
+    if plotattributes[:markersize] == default(:markersize)
        markersize := 1
    end
    markerstrokewidth := 0
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ const FuncOrFuncs{F} = Union{F, Vector{F}, Matrix{F}}

 all3D(d::KW) = trueOrAllTrue(st -> st in (:contour, :contourf, :heatmap, :surface, :wireframe, :contour3d, :image), get(d, :seriestype, :none))

+# unknown
+convertToAnyVector(x, d::KW) = error("No user recipe defined for $(typeof(x))")
+
 # missing
 convertToAnyVector(v::Void, d::KW) = Any[nothing], nothing

@@ -125,15 +128,15 @@ immutable SliceIt end
        z = z.data
    end

-    xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, d)
-    ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, d)
-    zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, d)
+    xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, plotattributes)
+    ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, plotattributes)
+    zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, plotattributes)

-    fr = pop!(d, :fillrange, nothing)
+    fr = pop!(plotattributes, :fillrange, nothing)
    fillranges, _ = if typeof(fr) <: Number
        ([fr],nothing)
    else
-        convertToAnyVector(fr, d)
+        convertToAnyVector(fr, plotattributes)
    end
    mf = length(fillranges)

@@ -145,7 +148,7 @@ immutable SliceIt end
    if mx > 0 && my > 0 && mz > 0
        for i in 1:max(mx, my, mz)
            # add a new series
-            di = copy(d)
+            di = copy(plotattributes)
            xi, yi, zi = xs[mod1(i,mx)], ys[mod1(i,my)], zs[mod1(i,mz)]
            di[:x], di[:y], di[:z] = compute_xyz(xi, yi, zi)

@@ -171,6 +174,7 @@ _apply_type_recipe(d, v) = RecipesBase.apply_recipe(d, typeof(v), v)[1].args[1]
 # This sort of recipe should return a pair of functions... one to convert to number,
 # and one to format tick values.
 function _apply_type_recipe(d, v::AbstractArray)
+    isempty(v) && return Float64[]
    args = RecipesBase.apply_recipe(d, typeof(v[1]), v[1])[1].args
    if length(args) == 2 && typeof(args[1]) <: Function && typeof(args[2]) <: Function
        numfunc, formatter = args
@@ -202,11 +206,11 @@ _apply_type_recipe{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(d, v::AbstractArray{T}) = v
 # handle "type recipes" by converting inputs, and then either re-calling or slicing
@recipe function f(x, y, z)
    did_replace = false
-    newx = _apply_type_recipe(d, x)
+    newx = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, x)
    x === newx || (did_replace = true)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
    y === newy || (did_replace = true)
-    newz = _apply_type_recipe(d, z)
+    newz = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, z)
    z === newz || (did_replace = true)
    if did_replace
        newx, newy, newz
@@ -216,9 +220,9 @@ _apply_type_recipe{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(d, v::AbstractArray{T}) = v
 end
@recipe function f(x, y)
    did_replace = false
-    newx = _apply_type_recipe(d, x)
+    newx = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, x)
    x === newx || (did_replace = true)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
    y === newy || (did_replace = true)
    if did_replace
        newx, newy
@@ -227,7 +231,7 @@ end
    end
 end
@recipe function f(y)
-    newy = _apply_type_recipe(d, y)
+    newy = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, y)
    if y !== newy
        newy
    else
@@ -240,7 +244,7 @@ end
@recipe function f(v1, v2, v3, v4, vrest...)
    did_replace = false
    newargs = map(v -> begin
-        newv = _apply_type_recipe(d, v)
+        newv = _apply_type_recipe(plotattributes, v)
        if newv !== v
            did_replace = true
        end
@@ -267,13 +271,13 @@ function wrap_surfaces(d::KW)
    end
 end

-@recipe f(n::Integer) = is3d(get(d,:seriestype,:path)) ? (SliceIt, n, n, n) : (SliceIt, n, n, nothing)
+@recipe f(n::Integer) = is3d(get(plotattributes,:seriestype,:path)) ? (SliceIt, n, n, n) : (SliceIt, n, n, nothing)

 # return a surface if this is a 3d plot, otherwise let it be sliced up
@recipe function f{T<:Union{Integer,AbstractFloat}}(mat::AMat{T})
-    if all3D(d)
+    if all3D(plotattributes)
        n,m = size(mat)
-        wrap_surfaces(d)
+        wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
        SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Surface(mat)
    else
        SliceIt, nothing, mat, nothing
@@ -282,10 +286,10 @@ end

 # if a matrix is wrapped by Formatted, do similar logic, but wrap data with Surface
@recipe function f{T<:AbstractMatrix}(fmt::Formatted{T})
-    if all3D(d)
+    if all3D(plotattributes)
        mat = fmt.data
        n,m = size(mat)
-        wrap_surfaces(d)
+        wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
        SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Formatted(Surface(mat), fmt.formatter)
    else
        SliceIt, nothing, fmt, nothing
@@ -325,7 +329,7 @@ end
    else
        seriestype := :heatmap
        yflip --> true
-        z, d[:fillcolor] = replace_image_with_heatmap(mat)
+        z, plotattributes[:fillcolor] = replace_image_with_heatmap(mat)
        SliceIt, 1:m, 1:n, Surface(z)
    end
 end
@@ -355,15 +359,35 @@ end
 # function without range... use the current range of the x-axis

@recipe function f{F<:Function}(f::FuncOrFuncs{F})
-    plt = d[:plot_object]
+    plt = plotattributes[:plot_object]
    xmin, xmax = try
        axis_limits(plt[1][:xaxis])
    catch
-        -5, 5
+        xm = tryrange(f, [-5,-1,0,0.01])
+        xm, tryrange(f, filter(x->x>xm, [5,1,0.99, 0, -0.01]))
    end
+
    f, xmin, xmax
 end

+# try some intervals over which the function may be defined
+function tryrange(F::AbstractArray, vec) 
+    rets = [tryrange(f, vec) for f in F] # get the preferred for each
+    maxind = maximum(indexin(rets, vec)) # get the last attempt that succeeded (most likely to fit all)
+    rets .= [tryrange(f, vec[maxind:maxind]) for f in F] # ensure that all functions compute there
+    rets[1]
+end
+
+function tryrange(F, vec)
+    for v in vec
+        try
+            tmp = F(v)
+            return v
+        catch
+        end
+    end
+    error("$F is not a Function, or is not defined at any of the values $vec")
+end
 #
 # # --------------------------------------------------------------------
 # # 2 arguments
@@ -404,7 +428,7 @@ end
    #         seriestype := :path3d
    #     end
    # end
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
    SliceIt, x, y, z
 end

@@ -414,7 +438,7 @@ end
@recipe function f(x::AVec, y::AVec, zf::Function)
    # x = X <: Number ? sort(x) : x
    # y = Y <: Number ? sort(y) : y
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
    SliceIt, x, y, Surface(zf, x, y)  # TODO: replace with SurfaceFunction when supported
 end

@@ -422,10 +446,10 @@ end
 # # surface-like... matrix grid

@recipe function f(x::AVec, y::AVec, z::AMat)
-    if !like_surface(get(d, :seriestype, :none))
-        d[:seriestype] = :contour
+    if !like_surface(get(plotattributes, :seriestype, :none))
+        plotattributes[:seriestype] = :contour
    end
-    wrap_surfaces(d)
+    wrap_surfaces(plotattributes)
    SliceIt, x, y, Surface(z)
 end

@@ -477,7 +501,7 @@ end
@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number}(xyz::Tuple{R1,R2,R3})       = [xyz[1]], [xyz[2]], [xyz[3]]

 # these might be points+velocity, or OHLC or something else
-@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4}}) = get(d,:seriestype,:path)==:ohlc ? OHLC[OHLC(t...) for t in xyuv] : unzip(xyuv)
+@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::AVec{Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4}}) = get(plotattributes,:seriestype,:path)==:ohlc ? OHLC[OHLC(t...) for t in xyuv] : unzip(xyuv)
@recipe f{R1<:Number,R2<:Number,R3<:Number,R4<:Number}(xyuv::Tuple{R1,R2,R3,R4})       = [xyuv[1]], [xyuv[2]], [xyuv[3]], [xyuv[4]]


@@ -509,13 +533,64 @@ end
 #     nothing
 # end

+splittable_kw(key, val, lengthGroup) = false
+splittable_kw(key, val::AbstractArray, lengthGroup) = (key != :group) && size(val,1) == lengthGroup
+splittable_kw(key, val::Tuple, lengthGroup) = all(splittable_kw.(key, val, lengthGroup))
+
+split_kw(key, val::AbstractArray, indices) = val[indices, fill(Colon(), ndims(val)-1)...]
+split_kw(key, val::Tuple, indices) = Tuple(split_kw(key, v, indices) for v in val)
+
+function groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, y::AbstractArray, groupby, def_val = y[1])
+    y_mat = Array{promote_type(eltype(y), typeof(def_val))}(length(keys(x_ind)), length(groupby.groupLabels))
+    fill!(y_mat, def_val)
+    for i in 1:length(groupby.groupLabels)
+        xi = x[groupby.groupIds[i]]
+        yi = y[groupby.groupIds[i]]
+        y_mat[getindex.(x_ind, xi), i] = yi
+    end
+    return y_mat
+end
+
+groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, y::Tuple, groupby) = Tuple(groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, v, groupby) for v in y)
+
+group_as_matrix(t) = false
+
 # split the group into 1 series per group, and set the label and idxfilter for each
@recipe function f(groupby::GroupBy, args...)
-    for (i,glab) in enumerate(groupby.groupLabels)
-        @series begin
-            label     --> string(glab)
-            idxfilter --> groupby.groupIds[i]
-            args
+    lengthGroup = maximum(union(groupby.groupIds...))
+    if !(group_as_matrix(args[1]))
+        for (i,glab) in enumerate(groupby.groupLabels)
+            @series begin
+                label     --> string(glab)
+                idxfilter --> groupby.groupIds[i]
+                for (key,val) in plotattributes
+                    if splittable_kw(key, val, lengthGroup)
+                        :($key) := split_kw(key, val, groupby.groupIds[i])
+                    end
+                end
+                args
+            end
        end
+    else
+        g = args[1]
+        if length(g.args) == 1
+            x = zeros(Int64, lengthGroup)
+            for indexes in groupby.groupIds
+                x[indexes] = 1:length(indexes)
+            end
+            last_args = g.args
+        else
+            x = g.args[1]
+            last_args = g.args[2:end]
+        end
+        x_u = unique(x)
+        x_ind = Dict(zip(x_u, 1:length(x_u)))
+        for (key,val) in plotattributes
+            if splittable_kw(key, val, lengthGroup)
+                :($key) := groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, val, groupby)
+            end
+        end
+        label --> reshape(groupby.groupLabels, 1, :)
+        typeof(g)((x_u, (groupedvec2mat(x_ind, x, arg, groupby, NaN) for arg in last_args)...))
    end
 end
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ function Subplot{T<:AbstractBackend}(::T; parent = RootLayout())
    )
 end

+"""
+    plotarea(subplot)
+
+Return the bounding box of a subplot
+"""
 plotarea(sp::Subplot) = sp.plotarea
 plotarea!(sp::Subplot, bbox::BoundingBox) = (sp.plotarea = bbox)

@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
+"""
+    theme(s::Symbol)

+Specify the colour theme for plots.
+"""
 function theme(s::Symbol; kw...)
    # reset?
    if s == :none || s == :default
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ function imageHack(d::KW)
 end
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------

-
+"Build line segments for plotting"
 type Segments{T}
    pts::Vector{T}
 end
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ type SegmentsIterator
    args::Tuple
    n::Int
 end
+
 function iter_segments(args...)
    tup = Plots.wraptuple(args)
    n = maximum(map(length, tup))
@@ -495,14 +496,42 @@ function make_fillrange_from_ribbon(kw::KW)
    rib1, rib2 = -first(rib), last(rib)
    # kw[:ribbon] = nothing
    kw[:fillrange] = make_fillrange_side(y, rib1), make_fillrange_side(y, rib2)
+    (get(kw, :fillalpha, nothing) == nothing) && (kw[:fillalpha] = 0.5)
+end
+
+#turn tuple of fillranges to one path
+function concatenate_fillrange(x,y::Tuple)
+    rib1, rib2 = first(y), last(y)
+    yline = vcat(rib1,(rib2)[end:-1:1])
+    xline = vcat(x,x[end:-1:1])
+    return xline, yline
 end

 function get_sp_lims(sp::Subplot, letter::Symbol)
    axis_limits(sp[Symbol(letter, :axis)])
 end
+
+"""
+    xlims([plt])
+
+Returns the x axis limits of the current plot or subplot
+"""
 xlims(sp::Subplot) = get_sp_lims(sp, :x)
+
+"""
+    ylims([plt])
+
+Returns the y axis limits of the current plot or subplot
+"""
 ylims(sp::Subplot) = get_sp_lims(sp, :y)
+
+"""
+    zlims([plt])
+
+Returns the z axis limits of the current plot or subplot
+"""
 zlims(sp::Subplot) = get_sp_lims(sp, :z)
+
 xlims(plt::Plot, sp_idx::Int = 1) = xlims(plt[sp_idx])
 ylims(plt::Plot, sp_idx::Int = 1) = ylims(plt[sp_idx])
 zlims(plt::Plot, sp_idx::Int = 1) = zlims(plt[sp_idx])
@@ -510,6 +539,83 @@ xlims(sp_idx::Int = 1) = xlims(current(), sp_idx)
 ylims(sp_idx::Int = 1) = ylims(current(), sp_idx)
 zlims(sp_idx::Int = 1) = zlims(current(), sp_idx)

+
+function get_clims(sp::Subplot)
+    zmin, zmax = Inf, -Inf
+    for series in series_list(sp)
+        for vals in (series[:z], series[:line_z], series[:marker_z], series[:fill_z])
+            if (typeof(vals) <: AbstractSurface) && (eltype(vals.surf) <: Real)
+                zmin, zmax = _update_clims(zmin, zmax, ignorenan_extrema(vals.surf)...)
+            elseif (vals != nothing) && (eltype(vals) <: Real)
+                zmin, zmax = _update_clims(zmin, zmax, ignorenan_extrema(vals)...)
+            end
+        end
+    end
+    clims = sp[:clims]
+    if is_2tuple(clims)
+        isfinite(clims[1]) && (zmin = clims[1])
+        isfinite(clims[2]) && (zmax = clims[2])
+    end
+    return zmin < zmax ? (zmin, zmax) : (0.0, 0.0)
+end
+
+_update_clims(zmin, zmax, emin, emax) = min(zmin, emin), max(zmax, emax)
+
+function hascolorbar(series::Series)
+    st = series[:seriestype]
+    hascbar = st in (:heatmap, :contour)
+    if series[:marker_z] != nothing || series[:line_z] != nothing || series[:fill_z] != nothing
+        hascbar = true
+    end
+    # no colorbar if we are creating a surface LightSource
+    if xor(st == :surface, series[:fill_z] != nothing)
+        hascbar = true
+    end
+    return hascbar
+end
+
+function hascolorbar(sp::Subplot)
+    cbar = sp[:colorbar]
+    hascbar = false
+    if cbar != :none
+        for series in series_list(sp)
+            if hascolorbar(series)
+                hascbar = true
+            end
+        end
+    end
+    hascbar
+end
+
+function get_linecolor(sp::Subplot, series::Series, i::Int = 1)
+    lc = series[:linecolor]
+    lz = series[:line_z]
+    if lz == nothing
+        isa(lc, ColorGradient) ? lc : _cycle(lc, i)
+    else
+        cmin, cmax = get_clims(sp)
+        grad = isa(lc, ColorGradient) ? lc : cgrad()
+        grad[clamp((_cycle(lz, i) - cmin) / (cmax - cmin), 0, 1)]
+    end
+end
+
+function get_fillcolor(sp::Subplot, series::Series, i::Int = 1)
+    fc = series[:fillcolor]
+    fz = series[:fill_z]
+    lz = series[:line_z]
+    if fz == nothing && lz == nothing
+        isa(fc, ColorGradient) ? fc : _cycle(fc, i)
+    else
+        cmin, cmax = get_clims(sp)
+        grad = isa(fc, ColorGradient) ? fc : cgrad()
+        if fz != nothing
+            grad[clamp((_cycle(fz, i) - cmin) / (cmax - cmin), 0, 1)]
+        elseif lz != nothing
+            grad[clamp((_cycle(lz, i) - cmin) / (cmax - cmin), 0, 1)]
+        end
+    end
+end
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------

 makekw(; kw...) = KW(kw)
@@ -536,7 +642,7 @@ allFunctions(arg)   = trueOrAllTrue(a -> isa(a, Function), arg)
 """
 Allows temporary setting of backend and defaults for Plots. Settings apply only for the `do` block.  Example:
 ```
-with(:gadfly, size=(400,400), type=:histogram) do
+with(:gr, size=(400,400), type=:histogram) do
  plot(rand(10))
  plot(rand(10))
 end
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ default(size=(500,300))
 # TODO: use julia's Condition type and the wait() and notify() functions to initialize a Window, then wait() on a condition that
 #       is referenced in a button press callback (the button clicked callback will call notify() on that condition)

-const _current_plots_version = v"0.12.1"
+const _current_plots_version = v"0.12.4"


 function image_comparison_tests(pkg::Symbol, idx::Int; debug = false, popup = isinteractive(), sigma = [1,1], eps = 1e-2)
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ function image_comparison_tests(pkg::Symbol, idx::Int; debug = false, popup = is
    fn = "ref$idx.png"

    # firgure out version info
-    versions = sort(VersionNumber.(readdir(refdir)), rev = true)
+    vns = filter(x->x[1] != '.', readdir(refdir))
+    versions = sort(VersionNumber.(vns), rev = true)
    versions = filter(v -> v <= _current_plots_version, versions)
    # @show refdir fn versions

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ default(show=false, reuse=true)
 img_eps = isinteractive() ? 1e-2 : 10e-2

@testset "GR" begin
+    ENV["GKSwstype"] = "100"
    @test gr() == Plots.GRBackend()
    @test backend() == Plots.GRBackend()

@@ -128,6 +129,9 @@ end
    @test Plots.ignorenan_extrema(axis) == (0.5, 7.5)
 end

+@testset "NoFail" begin
+    histogram([1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0])
+end

 # tests for preprocessing recipes