Stop use of scientific notation when displaying FrameTicks

Question

I have a dynamic graph which changes depending on the current selection from a drop down box. All selections from the drop down box give fine results except one. For the one selection it shows the y axis in scientific notation. I understand that this is due to the values being large but I don't want this to happen. I also can't specify the y axis values manually, I need to use the FrameTicks->Automatic functionality. Is there any way to stop the y-axis ticks from displaying in scientific notation?

Answer 1

This is definitely possible but you will need to define your own FrameTicks function. Fortunately you can do this with a defined auxiliary function.

You can use the information in the answers to this question to develop a custom tick function.

This answer provides some ideas about how to define a different format for your ticks.

You don't provide sample data, but here is an example which fits:

fakedata = RandomReal[{1*10^6, 3*10^9}, 10];

niceticks[min_, max_] := {#, NumberForm[#, DigitBlock -> 3], {0.02, 0}} & /@ 
  FindDivisions[{min, max}, 6]

ListLinePlot[fakedata, Frame -> True, 
 FrameTicks -> {{niceticks, None}, {Automatic, None}}]

This approach will allow you to specify nice ticks for any data range, without knowing in advance what that range might be.

Given you have a very stretched AspectRatio, you will need a smaller number for the tick length: the number is a fraction of the plot width.

niceticks[min_, max_] := {#, NumberForm[#, DigitBlock -> 3], {0.01, 0}} & /@ 
  FindDivisions[{min, max}, 6]

Getting the x-ticks you want requires a similar approach, but the custom function can be simpler:

tickateveryinteger[min_, max_] := Range[Floor[min], Ceiling[max]]

Resulting in:

ListLinePlot[fakedata, Frame -> {{True, False}, {True, False}}, 
 FrameTicks -> {{niceticks, None}, {tickateveryinteger, None}}, 
 AspectRatio -> 1/5]

Answer 2

Does this work for you?

data = {#, # + 10^7} &@Table[2.5 10^8 + RandomInteger[10^8], {8}];

g = ListLinePlot[data, Axes -> False, 
   Frame -> {{True, False}, {True, False}}];
newticks = 
  AbsoluteOptions[g, 
    FrameTicks] /. {x_Real, x_, y__} :> {x, AccountingForm[x], y};

Show[g, newticks, AspectRatio -> 1/5]

The above changes all ticks to AccountingForm, which doesn't seem to matter for your example. If you want just the y axis reformatted, then the following works:

newticks = 
  FrameTicks -> 
   MapAt[# /. {x_Real, x_, y__} :> {x, AccountingForm[x], y} &, 
    FrameTicks /. AbsoluteOptions[g, FrameTicks], 2];
Show[g, newticks, AspectRatio -> 1/5]

Note: The documentation indicates that FrameTicks should have the structure {{left, right}, {bottom, top}} but AbsoluteOptions[g, FrameTicks] returns {bottom, left, top, right}. It seems to be an undocumented alternative.