Parallel categories chart, color param throwing error

📊 Plotly Python
1

I am attempting to create a parallel categories chart with plotly express, using one of the variables in my dataframe as color. This is done in the second chart down from the top here.

However, upon using a column as the color param in my environment, plotly throws an error, saying color must be a HEX, RBG, etc.

What am I missing?

2

Hi @plotmaster422 ,

I don’t know what data types in your color column, but I hope I can reproduce your issue.

For example :

I have data below that I will convert it into dataframe.

data = {'Hair': ['Black', 'Black', 'Black', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Red', 'Brown'], 
       'Sex': ['Female', 'Female', 'Female', 'Male', 'Female', 'Male', 'Male', 'Male'],
        'Eye': ['Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Blue', 'Blue', 'Blue'],
       }

I set "Eye" column as color attribute. When generating ParCat chart, there is No Error appeared.

Then, I try to modify data by updating second index value in "Eye" column with None value, still No Error appeared.

data = {'Hair': ['Black', 'Black', 'Black', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Red', 'Brown'], 
       'Sex': ['Female', 'Female', 'Female', 'Male', 'Female', 'Male', 'Male', 'Male'],
        'Eye': ['Brown', None, 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Blue', 'Blue', 'Blue'],
       }

BUT, when I update second index value in "Eye" column with [None] (list of None) value, like code below.

data = {'Hair': ['Black', 'Black', 'Black', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Red', 'Brown'], 
       'Sex': ['Female', 'Female', 'Female', 'Male', 'Female', 'Male', 'Male', 'Male'],
        'Eye': ['Brown', [None], 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Brown', 'Blue', 'Blue', 'Blue'],
       }

It generates ERROR :
image

So my suggestion, try to check the data types in dataframe column that set as color column.

Hope this help.

3

hey @farispriadi -

hm, I’m seeing something different. are you using px or go?

here is an MRE of what I’m seeing:

import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
import plotly.express as px

df = pd.DataFrame({
    "A": ["awareness", "retention", "retention", "retention", "awareness", "converison"],
    "B": ["social", "email", "referral", "notification", "PPC", "SEO"],
    "C": ["male", "female", "male", "female", "male", "female"],
    "D": ["confidential", "confidential", "confidential", "confidential", "confidential", "confidential"],
    "E" : ["3 stars", "2 stars", "1 star", "3 stars", "2 stars", "0 stars"],

})

px.parallel_categories(df, color="E")

And the error it throws:

ValueError: 
    Invalid element(s) received for the 'color' property of parcats.line
        Invalid elements include: ['3 stars', '2 stars', '1 star', '3 stars', '2 stars', '0 stars']

    The 'color' property is a color and may be specified as:
      - A hex string (e.g. '#ff0000')
      - An rgb/rgba string (e.g. 'rgb(255,0,0)')
      - An hsl/hsla string (e.g. 'hsl(0,100%,50%)')
      - An hsv/hsva string (e.g. 'hsv(0,100%,100%)')
      - A named CSS color:

I found a workaround by translating the color variable to ordinal data, but this isn’t as applicable across variables [ not all of these color attributes will be ordinal, right?]

let me know if you can reproduce this issue on your end.

4

Hi @plotmaster422 ,

I use plotly express.
I think you are right. I have tried with your data , and yes, it generate error. And with my data also generate error if I use “Sex” as color attribute.

The approach with converting into array of number seems the best solution for now.
like for column “C” you can set the “female” value as 0 and “male” value as 1.
Because it only accept color code as string or array of number.

1 Like
5

Matches up. Will have to make due for now. Thanks @farispriadi !

1 Like