# Why the subplot second panel is getting cut?

**URL:** <https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969>\
**Category:** Q&A\
**Created:** [May 27, 2025, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969 "2025-05-27T19:16:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![geodacharya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ee59a6/32.png) [@geodacharya](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/geodacharya)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969/1 "2025-05-27T19:16:06Z")

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Hello everyone! I am experiencing an issue with plotting using PyGMT and would appreciate some help. My second panel subplot seems to be getting cut off. Can anyone suggest why this might be happening and how to fix it? I’d also appreciate input on ensuring both subplots display fully, especially with map scales and coastlines. Thanks!

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/5/59e145f18944156276b0ce1f590268a91da78ed4.jpeg)

```auto
proj = "M15c"

# Topography & CPT
relief = pygmt.datasets.load_earth_relief(resolution="15s", region=region)
pygmt.makecpt(cmap="terra", series=[-1000, 8848], output="topo.cpt")

# Plot
fig = pygmt.Figure()

with fig.subplot(nrows=1, ncols=2, figsize=["32c", "16c"], sharey="l", margins=["0.1c", "0.1c"]):
    # Observed panel (left)
    with fig.set_panel(0):
        fig.grdimage(
            grid=relief,
            shading=True,
            region=region,
            projection=proj,
            cmap="topo.cpt",
            frame=["xa", "Wse"]
        )
        fig.coast(
            region=region,
            projection=proj,
            shorelines=False,
            resolution="i",
            borders=[1, 2]
        )
        # Map scale
        fig.basemap(map_scale="JBL+o-3.7c/3.0c+w500k+f+u")

    # Modeled panel (right)
    with fig.set_panel(1):
        fig.grdimage(
            grid=relief,
            shading=True,
            region=region,
            projection=proj,
            cmap="topo.cpt",
            frame=["xa", "Wse"]
        )
        fig.coast(
            region=region,
            projection=proj,
            shorelines=False,
            resolution="i",
            borders=[1, 2]
        )
        # Map scale
        fig.basemap(map_scale="JBL+o-3.7c/3.0c+w500k+f+u")

fig.show()

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yvonnefroehlich](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/yvonnefroehlich/32/5064_2.png) [@yvonnefroehlich](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/yvonnefroehlich)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969/2 "2025-05-27T21:00:00Z")

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Hi @geodacharya,  
welcome to the GMT forum 🙂 !

In subplot mode, the sizes of the maps are determined automatically, and a `?` is used instead of the size together with the projection letter. Is your map completely plotted if you change `proj="M15c"` to `proj="M?"` ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![geodacharya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ee59a6/32.png) [@geodacharya](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/geodacharya)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969/3 "2025-05-27T21:23:54Z")

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Hello @yvonnefroehlich! No, it did not plot completely if I change `proj="M?"` .

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/a/ae2ac1f4f5ab633cd4ee997a6a05f1aa922f34ff.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![seisman](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/seisman/32/4_2.png) [@seisman](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/seisman)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969/4 "2025-05-28T02:37:04Z")

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What are the GMT and ghostscript versions you’re using?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![geodacharya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ee59a6/32.png) [@geodacharya](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/geodacharya)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/why-the-subplot-second-panel-is-getting-cut/5969/5 "2025-05-28T12:33:28Z")

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I am using the `# check version print(pygmt. __version__ ) v0.13.0`  
and ghostscript version is  
`10.05.1`.