How to convert Legends into graphics

Question

According to the documentation

BarLegend is displayed in StandardForm as a graphics object

and it do looks like a normal graphics in front end.

However,

BarLegend["Rainbow"]//FullForm

still gives BarLegend["Rainbow"]

and

Show[BarLegend["Rainbow"]]

will give errors

Show::gtype: BarLegend is not a type of graphics.

So is there a way to convert legends to graphics objects?

Kuba · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-08 13:57:01Z

8

First @ Cases[
  ToBoxes @ BarLegend["Rainbow"],
  gr_GraphicsBox :> ToExpression[gr],
  ∞
]

answered May 8, 2018 at 13:57

Kuba

138k13 gold badges289 silver badges751 bronze badges

$\begingroup$ Oh, my god. Any explanations why you are so fast? : ) $\endgroup$
– matheorem
Commented May 8, 2018 at 13:59

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kglr · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-08 22:59:17Z

2

Also

ToExpression[MakeBoxes[BarLegend["Rainbow"]][[1,1]]][[1]]

answered May 8, 2018 at 22:59

kglr

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$\begingroup$ It works! Thank you so much! $\endgroup$
– matheorem
Commented May 9, 2018 at 0:24
$\begingroup$ @kglr: Does this also work for SwatchLegend? I tried it with your code but did not worked... $\endgroup$
– M.A.
Commented Mar 13, 2021 at 10:21
$\begingroup$ @M.A., for SwatchLegend you can use Cases[MakeBoxes[SwatchLegend[{Red, Green}, {"a", "b"}]], TooltipBox[a_, ___] :> Graphics @@ a, All]. (Similarly, for PointLegend and LineLegend) $\endgroup$
– kglr
Commented Mar 13, 2021 at 23:59
$\begingroup$ @kglr what is TooltipBox? A function? $\endgroup$
– M.A.
Commented Mar 15, 2021 at 8:17

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2 Answers 2