plotly · hannahker · May 12, 2023 · May 1, 2023 · May 1, 2023 · May 1, 2023
diff --git a/draftlogs/6589_add.md b/draftlogs/6589_add.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Add `legend.xref` and `legend.yref` to enable container-referenced positioning for plot legends [[#6589](https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js/pull/6589)], with thanks to [Gamma Technologies](https://www.gtisoft.com/) for sponsoring the related development.
diff --git a/src/components/legend/attributes.js b/src/components/legend/attributes.js
@@ -159,13 +159,26 @@ module.exports = {
     },
     x: {
         valType: 'number',
-        min: -2,
-        max: 3,
         editType: 'legend',
         description: [
-            'Sets the x position (in normalized coordinates) of the legend.',
-            'Defaults to *1.02* for vertical legends and',
-            'defaults to *0* for horizontal legends.'
+            'Sets the x position with respect to `xref` (in normalized coordinates) of the legend.',
+            'When `xref` is *paper*, defaults to *1.02* for vertical legends and',
+            'defaults to *0* for horizontal legends.',
+            'When `xref` is *container*, defaults to *1* for vertical legends and',
+            'defaults to *0* for horizontal legends.',
+            'Must be between *0* and *1* if `xref` is *container*.',
+            'and between *-2* and *3* if `xref` is *paper*.'
+        ].join(' ')
+    },
+    xref: {
+        valType: 'enumerated',
+        dflt: 'paper',
+        values: ['container', 'paper'],
+        editType: 'layoutstyle',
+        description: [
+            'Sets the container `x` refers to.',
+            '*container* spans the entire `width` of the plot.',
+            '*paper* refers to the width of the plotting area only.'
         ].join(' ')
     },
     xanchor: {
@@ -184,14 +197,26 @@ module.exports = {
     },
     y: {
         valType: 'number',
-        min: -2,
-        max: 3,
         editType: 'legend',
         description: [
-            'Sets the y position (in normalized coordinates) of the legend.',
-            'Defaults to *1* for vertical legends,',
+            'Sets the y position with respect to `yref` (in normalized coordinates) of the legend.',
+            'When `yref` is *paper*, defaults to *1* for vertical legends,',
             'defaults to *-0.1* for horizontal legends on graphs w/o range sliders and',
-            'defaults to *1.1* for horizontal legends on graph with one or multiple range sliders.'
+            'defaults to *1.1* for horizontal legends on graph with one or multiple range sliders.',
+            'When `yref` is *container*, defaults to *1*.',
+            'Must be between *0* and *1* if `yref` is *container*',
+            'and between *-2* and *3* if `yref` is *paper*.'
+        ].join(' ')
+    },
+    yref: {
+        valType: 'enumerated',
+        dflt: 'paper',
+        values: ['container', 'paper'],
+        editType: 'layoutstyle',
+        description: [
+            'Sets the container `y` refers to.',
+            '*container* spans the entire `height` of the plot.',
+            '*paper* refers to the height of the plotting area only.'
         ].join(' ')
     },
     yanchor: {

diff --git a/src/components/legend/defaults.js b/src/components/legend/defaults.js
@@ -101,28 +101,70 @@ function groupDefaults(legendId, layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData) {
     coerce('borderwidth');
 
     var orientation = coerce('orientation');
+
+    var yref = coerce('yref');
+    var xref = coerce('xref');
+
     var isHorizontal = orientation === 'h';
+    var isPaperY = yref === 'paper';
+    var isPaperX = xref === 'paper';
     var defaultX, defaultY, defaultYAnchor;
+    var defaultXAnchor = 'left';
 
     if(isHorizontal) {
         defaultX = 0;
 
         if(Registry.getComponentMethod('rangeslider', 'isVisible')(layoutIn.xaxis)) {
-            defaultY = 1.1;
-            defaultYAnchor = 'bottom';
+            if(isPaperY) {
+                defaultY = 1.1;
+                defaultYAnchor = 'bottom';
+            } else {
+                defaultY = 1;
+                defaultYAnchor = 'top';
+            }
         } else {
             // maybe use y=1.1 / yanchor=bottom as above
             //   to avoid https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js/issues/1199
             //   in v3
-            defaultY = -0.1;
-            defaultYAnchor = 'top';
+            if(isPaperY) {
+                defaultY = -0.1;
+                defaultYAnchor = 'top';
+            } else {
+                defaultY = 0;
+                defaultYAnchor = 'bottom';
+            }
         }
     } else {
-        defaultX = 1.02;
         defaultY = 1;
         defaultYAnchor = 'auto';
+        if(isPaperX) {
+            defaultX = 1.02;
+        } else {
+            defaultX = 1;
+            defaultXAnchor = 'right';
+        }
     }
 
+    Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
+        x: {
+            valType: 'number',
+            editType: 'legend',
+            min: isPaperX ? -2 : 0,
+            max: isPaperX ? 3 : 1,
+            dflt: defaultX,
+        }
+    }, 'x');
+
+    Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
+        y: {
+            valType: 'number',
+            editType: 'legend',
+            min: isPaperY ? -2 : 0,
+            max: isPaperY ? 3 : 1,
+            dflt: defaultY,
+        }
+    }, 'y');
+
     coerce('traceorder', defaultOrder);
     if(helpers.isGrouped(layoutOut.legend)) coerce('tracegroupgap');
 
@@ -135,9 +177,7 @@ function groupDefaults(legendId, layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData) {
     coerce('itemdoubleclick');
     coerce('groupclick');
 
-    coerce('x', defaultX);
-    coerce('xanchor');
-    coerce('y', defaultY);
+    coerce('xanchor', defaultXAnchor);
     coerce('yanchor', defaultYAnchor);
     coerce('valign');
     Lib.noneOrAll(containerIn, containerOut, ['x', 'y']);

diff --git a/src/components/legend/draw.js b/src/components/legend/draw.js
@@ -154,24 +154,37 @@ function drawOne(gd, opts) {
         function() {
             var gs = fullLayout._size;
             var bw = legendObj.borderwidth;
+            var isPaperX = legendObj.xref === 'paper';
+            var isPaperY = legendObj.yref === 'paper';
 
             if(!inHover) {
-                var expMargin = expandMargin(gd, legendId);
+                var lx, ly;
+
+                if(isPaperX) {
+                    lx = gs.l + gs.w * legendObj.x - FROM_TL[getXanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._width;
+                } else {
+                    lx = fullLayout.width * legendObj.x - FROM_TL[getXanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._width;
+                }
+
+                if(isPaperY) {
+                    ly = gs.t + gs.h * (1 - legendObj.y) - FROM_TL[getYanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._effHeight;
+                } else {
+                    ly = fullLayout.height * (1 - legendObj.y) - FROM_TL[getYanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._effHeight;
+                }
+
+                var expMargin = expandMargin(gd, legendId, lx, ly);
 
                 // IF expandMargin return a Promise (which is truthy),
                 // we're under a doAutoMargin redraw, so we don't have to
                 // draw the remaining pieces below
                 if(expMargin) return;
 
-                var lx = gs.l + gs.w * legendObj.x - FROM_TL[getXanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._width;
-                var ly = gs.t + gs.h * (1 - legendObj.y) - FROM_TL[getYanchor(legendObj)] * legendObj._effHeight;
-
                 if(fullLayout.margin.autoexpand) {
                     var lx0 = lx;
                     var ly0 = ly;
 
-                    lx = Lib.constrain(lx, 0, fullLayout.width - legendObj._width);
-                    ly = Lib.constrain(ly, 0, fullLayout.height - legendObj._effHeight);
+                    lx = isPaperX ? Lib.constrain(lx, 0, fullLayout.width - legendObj._width) : lx0;
+                    ly = isPaperY ? Lib.constrain(ly, 0, fullLayout.height - legendObj._effHeight) : ly0;
 
                     if(lx !== lx0) {
                         Lib.log('Constrain ' + legendId + '.x to make legend fit inside graph');
@@ -876,20 +889,45 @@ function computeLegendDimensions(gd, groups, traces, legendObj) {
     });
 }
 
-function expandMargin(gd, legendId) {
+function expandMargin(gd, legendId, lx, ly) {
     var fullLayout = gd._fullLayout;
     var legendObj = fullLayout[legendId];
     var xanchor = getXanchor(legendObj);
     var yanchor = getYanchor(legendObj);
 
-    return Plots.autoMargin(gd, legendId, {
-        x: legendObj.x,
-        y: legendObj.y,
-        l: legendObj._width * (FROM_TL[xanchor]),
-        r: legendObj._width * (FROM_BR[xanchor]),
-        b: legendObj._effHeight * (FROM_BR[yanchor]),
-        t: legendObj._effHeight * (FROM_TL[yanchor])
-    });
+    var isPaperX = legendObj.xref === 'paper';
+    var isPaperY = legendObj.yref === 'paper';
+
+    gd._fullLayout._reservedMargin[legendId] = {};
+    var sideY = legendObj.y < 0.5 ? 'b' : 't';
+    var sideX = legendObj.x < 0.5 ? 'l' : 'r';
+    var possibleReservedMargins = {
+        r: (fullLayout.width - lx),
+        l: lx + legendObj._width,
+        b: (fullLayout.height - ly),
+        t: ly + legendObj._effHeight
+    };
+
+    if(isPaperX && isPaperY) {
+        return Plots.autoMargin(gd, legendId, {
+            x: legendObj.x,
+            y: legendObj.y,
+            l: legendObj._width * (FROM_TL[xanchor]),
+            r: legendObj._width * (FROM_BR[xanchor]),
+            b: legendObj._effHeight * (FROM_BR[yanchor]),
+            t: legendObj._effHeight * (FROM_TL[yanchor])
+        });
+    } else if(isPaperX) {
+        gd._fullLayout._reservedMargin[legendId][sideY] = possibleReservedMargins[sideY];
+    } else if(isPaperY) {
+        gd._fullLayout._reservedMargin[legendId][sideX] = possibleReservedMargins[sideX];
+    } else {
+        if(legendObj.orientation === 'v') {
+            gd._fullLayout._reservedMargin[legendId][sideX] = possibleReservedMargins[sideX];
+        } else {
+            gd._fullLayout._reservedMargin[legendId][sideY] = possibleReservedMargins[sideY];
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 function getXanchor(legendObj) {

diff --git a/test/image/baselines/zz-container-legend.png b/test/image/baselines/zz-container-legend.png
diff --git a/test/image/mocks/zz-container-legend.json b/test/image/mocks/zz-container-legend.json
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+{
+    "data": [
+        {
+            "y": [0]
+        },
+        {
+            "y": [1]
+        },
+        {
+            "y": [2]
+        },
+        {
+            "y": [3],
+            "legend": "legend2"
+        },
+        {
+            "y": [4],
+            "legend": "legend3"
+        },
+        {
+            "y": [5],
+            "legend": "legend3"
+        }
+    ],
+    "layout": {
+        "margin": {"t": 0, "b": 0, "r": 0, "l": 0},
+        "title": {
+            "text": "Multiple legends | Legends 1 & 2 with container ref",
+            "automargin": true,
+            "yref": "container"
+        },
+        "width": 500,
+        "height": 500,
+        "yaxis": {
+            "autorange": "reversed",
+            "title": {"text": "Long axis title with standoff", "font": {"size": 24}, "standoff": 25},
+            "side": "right",
+            "automargin": true
+        },
+        "xaxis": {"title": {"text": "Xaxis title"}, "automargin": true},
+        "legend": {
+            "bgcolor": "lightgray",
+            "xref": "container",
+            "title": {
+                "text": "Legend"
+            }
+        },
+        "legend2": {
+            "x": 0,
+            "y": 0.5,
+            "xanchor": "right",
+            "yanchor": "top",
+            "bgcolor": "lightblue",
+            "title": {
+                "text": "Legend 2"
+            }
+        },
+        "legend3": {
+            "y": 0,
+            "x": 0.5,
+            "orientation": "h",
+            "yref": "container",
+            "xref": "container",
+            "xanchor": "center",
+            "bgcolor": "yellow",
+            "title": {
+                "text": "Legend 3"
+            }
+        },
+        "hovermode": "x unified"
+    },
+    "config": {
+        "editable": true
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/plot-schema.json b/test/plot-schema.json
@@ -2980,10 +2980,8 @@
      "valType": "boolean"
     },
     "x": {
-     "description": "Sets the x position (in normalized coordinates) of the legend. Defaults to *1.02* for vertical legends and defaults to *0* for horizontal legends.",
+     "description": "Sets the x position with respect to `xref` (in normalized coordinates) of the legend. When `xref` is *paper*, defaults to *1.02* for vertical legends and defaults to *0* for horizontal legends. When `xref` is *container*, defaults to *1* for vertical legends and defaults to *0* for horizontal legends. Must be between *0* and *1* if `xref` is *container*. and between *-2* and *3* if `xref` is *paper*.",
      "editType": "legend",
-     "max": 3,
-     "min": -2,
      "valType": "number"
     },
     "xanchor": {
@@ -2998,11 +2996,19 @@
       "right"
      ]
     },
+    "xref": {
+     "description": "Sets the container `x` refers to. *container* spans the entire `width` of the plot. *paper* refers to the width of the plotting area only.",
+     "dflt": "paper",
+     "editType": "layoutstyle",
+     "valType": "enumerated",
+     "values": [
+      "container",
+      "paper"
+     ]
+    },
     "y": {
-     "description": "Sets the y position (in normalized coordinates) of the legend. Defaults to *1* for vertical legends, defaults to *-0.1* for horizontal legends on graphs w/o range sliders and defaults to *1.1* for horizontal legends on graph with one or multiple range sliders.",
+     "description": "Sets the y position with respect to `yref` (in normalized coordinates) of the legend. When `yref` is *paper*, defaults to *1* for vertical legends, defaults to *-0.1* for horizontal legends on graphs w/o range sliders and defaults to *1.1* for horizontal legends on graph with one or multiple range sliders. When `yref` is *container*, defaults to *1*. Must be between *0* and *1* if `yref` is *container* and between *-2* and *3* if `yref` is *paper*.",
      "editType": "legend",
-     "max": 3,
-     "min": -2,
      "valType": "number"
     },
     "yanchor": {
@@ -3015,6 +3021,16 @@
       "middle",
       "bottom"
      ]
+    },
+    "yref": {
+     "description": "Sets the container `y` refers to. *container* spans the entire `height` of the plot. *paper* refers to the height of the plotting area only.",
+     "dflt": "paper",
+     "editType": "layoutstyle",
+     "valType": "enumerated",
+     "values": [
+      "container",
+      "paper"
+     ]
     }
    },
    "mapbox": {
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1 @@
		- Add `legend.xref` and `legend.yref` to enable container-referenced positioning for plot legends [[#6589](https://github.com/plotly/plotly.js/pull/6589)], with thanks to [Gamma Technologies](https://www.gtisoft.com/) for sponsoring the related development.