# Formatting the datetime string on the x-axis of the PyGMT plot
**URL:** https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/formatting-the-datetime-string-on-the-x-axis-of-the-pygmt-plot/4422
**Category:** PyGMT Q&A
**Created:** [November 10, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/formatting-the-datetime-string-on-the-x-axis-of-the-pygmt-plot/4422 "2023-11-10T21:55:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Robson](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Robson)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/formatting-the-datetime-string-on-the-x-axis-of-the-pygmt-plot/4422/1 "2023-11-10T21:55:12Z")
I would like to be able to format the datetime string on my x-axis to make it look like in the graph below (generated with Matplotlib):
However, I haven’t found a way to achieve this with PyGMT. Is it possible by any chance?
Here is the code I have so far:
```
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import pygmt
# Creating pandas dataframe of fake data
start_date = '2022-06-12'
end_date = '2022-06-13 23:55:00'
frequency = '5min'
df = pd.DataFrame(index=pd.date_range(start=start_date, end=end_date, freq=frequency))
df['variable'] = np.random.randint(1, 10, size=576)
# Plot the data
fig = pygmt.Figure()
with pygmt.config(MAP_FRAME_PEN='0.6p',
MAP_GRID_PEN_PRIMARY='0.02p,grey,-',
MAP_TICK_LENGTH_PRIMARY='4p',
MAP_TICK_LENGTH_SECONDARY='4p',
FORMAT_CLOCK_MAP="hh:mm"):
fig.plot(
projection="X20c/5c",
region=[df.index[0]-pd.Timedelta('1H'), df.index[-1]+pd.Timedelta('1H'), 0, 10],
frame=["WS", "g", "sya2f1", "sxa6Hf3H", 'y+lVariable'],
x=df.index.values,
y=df['variable'].values,
style="-10p",
pen="red",
)
#fig.savefig('test_pygmt.png', dpi=300)
fig.show()
```
And below is the generated figure:
I appreciate your help in advance!
---
### Author:  [@yvonnefroehlich](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/yvonnefroehlich)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/formatting-the-datetime-string-on-the-x-axis-of-the-pygmt-plot/4422/2 "2023-11-11T13:06:33Z")
Hello @Robson,
here you can use setting primary ( **p** ) and secondary ( **s** ) axes (for details please see the GMT documentation at [gmt — GMT 6.6.0 documentation](https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/latest/gmt.html#axes-settings)). Furthermore there is a section regarding primary and secondary time axes in the PyGMT tutorial “Plotting datetime charts” at [Plotting datetime charts — PyGMT](https://www.pygmt.org/v0.10.0/tutorials/advanced/date_time_charts.html#setting-primary-and-secondary-time-axes).
I modifed your code example. The x-axis of the output figure looks not exactly like the one of your matplot figure, but maybe this is also OK?
```python
import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import pygmt
# Creating pandas dataframe of fake data
start_date = '2022-06-12'
end_date = '2022-06-13 23:55:00'
frequency = '5min'
df = pd.DataFrame(index=pd.date_range(start=start_date, end=end_date, freq=frequency))
df['variable'] = np.random.randint(1, 10, size=576)
# Plot the data
fig = pygmt.Figure()
with pygmt.config(
MAP_FRAME_PEN='0.6p',
MAP_GRID_PEN_PRIMARY='0.02p,grey,-',
MAP_TICK_LENGTH_PRIMARY='4p',
MAP_TICK_LENGTH_SECONDARY='4p',
FORMAT_CLOCK_MAP="hh:mm",
# Set the font for the annotations of the
# primary axis
FONT_ANNOT_PRIMARY="10p",
# secondary axis
FONT_ANNOT_SECONDARY="10p",
# OR both primary and secondary axes
# FONT_ANNOT="10p",
):
fig.plot(
projection="X20c/5c",
region=[df.index[0]-pd.Timedelta('1H'), df.index[-1]+pd.Timedelta('1H'), 0, 10],
# frame=["WS", "g", "sya2f1", "sxa6Hf3H", 'y+lVariable'],
# Use primary (p) x-axis for annotations (a) in steps of 1 day (1D)
# Use secondary (s) x-axis for annotations (a) in steps of 6 hours (6H)
frame=["WS", "g", "pxa1D", "sxa6H", "ya2f1", "y+lVariable"],
x=df.index.values,
y=df['variable'].values,
style="-10p",
pen="red",
)
# fig.savefig('test_pygmt_prim_seco_axes.png', dpi=300)
fig.show()
```
_Output figure_
---
### Author:  [@Robson](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Robson)
#### Post date: [November 12, 2023, 12:35pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/formatting-the-datetime-string-on-the-x-axis-of-the-pygmt-plot/4422/3 "2023-11-12T12:35:33Z")
Thank you very much, @yvonnefroehlich , your response will serve me for now. Unfortunately, it seems that it’s not possible to format the complete date as yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss.