Description of the desired feature

Realized from https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/customizing-gridlines-labels-and-scalebar-in-pygmt/4169 that we didn't have an example on how to configure a scale bar in PyGMT!

The example could follow along the lines of https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.4/cookbook/features.html#placing-map-scales, and show how to:

• Set scale bar position using j
• Set scale bar length using +w
• Set scale bar height using https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.4/gmt.conf.html#term-MAP_SCALE_HEIGHT
• Set fancy type using +f
• Set label with +l or distance unit using +u
• etc

Starting example:

fig = pygmt.Figure()
with pygmt.config(MAP_SCALE_HEIGHT="20p"):
    fig.basemap(
        region=[-45, -25, -15, 0],
        projection="M6c",
        frame=True,
        map_scale="jBR+w1800k+o0.5c/0.5c+f+lkm",
    )
fig.show()

produces

Bonus: The current documentation for fig.basemap(..., map_scale="") is currently very short, so we could also expand it, or at least link to https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.4/cookbook/features.html#placing-map-scales.

References:

• https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.4/basemap.html?highlight=scalebar#l
• https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/6.4/gmt.conf.html#term-MAP_SCALE_HEIGHT

Are you willing to help implement and maintain this feature?

No