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# Tick Control and Formatting
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Advanced tick locator and formatter system with support for scientific notation, fractions, geographic coordinates, and custom number formatting patterns. Proplot provides enhanced tick control with specialized formatters and locators for scientific and geographic applications.
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## Capabilities
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### Formatter Classes
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```python { .api }
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class AutoFormatter:
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    """Automatic number formatting with flexible precision."""
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class SciFormatter:
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    """Format numbers with scientific notation."""
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class SigFigFormatter:
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    """Format numbers to specified significant figures."""
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class SimpleFormatter:
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    """Format numbers with flexible precision and features."""
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class FracFormatter:
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    """Format numbers as fractions or multiples."""
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class DegreeFormatter:
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    """Format numbers as geographic coordinates."""
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class LongitudeFormatter:
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    """Format longitude coordinates with E/W designations."""
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class LatitudeFormatter:
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    """Format latitude coordinates with N/S designations."""
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```
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### Locator Classes
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```python { .api }
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class DegreeLocator:
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    """Locate degree coordinates with customizable spacing."""
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class LongitudeLocator:
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    """Locate longitude coordinates."""
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class LatitudeLocator:
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    """Locate latitude coordinates."""
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```
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### Constructor Functions
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```python { .api }
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def Locator(*args, **kwargs):
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    """
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    Construct tick locator instances.
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    Parameters:
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    - locator (str/Locator): Locator specification
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    - **kwargs: Locator-specific parameters
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    Returns:
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    Locator: Matplotlib locator instance
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    """
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def Formatter(*args, **kwargs):
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    """
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    Construct tick formatter instances.
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    Parameters:
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    - formatter (str/Formatter): Formatter specification
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    - **kwargs: Formatter-specific parameters
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    Returns:
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    Formatter: Matplotlib formatter instance
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    """
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```
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## Usage Examples
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```python
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import proplot as pplt
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# Scientific notation
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fig, ax = pplt.subplots()
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ax.format(yformatter='sci', yformatter_kw={'precision': 2})
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# Geographic coordinates
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fig, ax = pplt.subplots(proj='platecarree')
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ax.format(
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    lonformatter='deglon',  # Longitude with E/W
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    latformatter='deglat',  # Latitude with N/S
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    lonlocator=pplt.Locator('deglon', dms=False),
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    latlocator=pplt.Locator('deglat', dms=False)
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)
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# Fraction formatting
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ax.format(xformatter='frac', xformatter_kw={'symbol': 'π'})
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```