Allow string formatting for labels

examples/reference/pandas/labels.ipynb

@@ -42,6 +42,23 @@
     "df.hvplot.labels(x='Longitude', y='Latitude', text='City', text_baseline='bottom', hover=False) * \\\n",
     "df.hvplot.labels(x='Longitude', y='Latitude', text='Country', text_baseline='top', hover=False)"
    ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "markdown",
+   "metadata": {},
+   "source": [
+    "It's also possible to provide a template string containing the names of the columns and reduce the font size."
+   ]
+  },
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {},
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": [
+    "df.hvplot.points(x='Longitude', y='Latitude', padding=0.2, hover_cols='all', width=300) * \\\n",
+    "df.hvplot.labels(x='Longitude', y='Latitude', text='@{City}, {Country}', text_baseline='bottom', text_font_size='10px', hover=False)"
+   ]
   }
  ],
  "metadata": {

hvplot/converter.py

@@ -2088,7 +2088,14 @@ def labels(self, x=None, y=None, data=None):
         self.use_index = False
         data, x, y = self._process_chart_args(data, x, y, single_y=True)
 
-        text = self.kwds.get('text', [c for c in data.columns if c not in (x, y)][0])
+        text = self.kwds.get('text')
+        if not text:
+            text = [c for c in data.columns if c not in (x, y)][0]
+        elif text not in data.columns:
+            template_str = text  # needed for dask lazy compute
+            data["label"] = data.apply(lambda row: template_str.format(**row), axis=1)
+            text = "label"
+
         kdims, vdims = self._get_dimensions([x, y], [text])
         cur_opts, compat_opts = self._get_compat_opts('Labels')
         element = self._get_element('labels')

hvplot/plotting/core.py

@@ -1771,7 +1771,9 @@ def labels(self, x=None, y=None, text=None, **kwds):
         y : string, optional
             The coordinate variable along the y-axis
         text : string, optional
-            The column to draw the text labels from
+            The column to draw the text labels from; it's also possible to
+            provide a template string containing the column names to
+            automatically format the text, e.g. "{col1}, {col2}".
         **kwds : optional
             Additional keywords arguments are documented in `hvplot.help('labels')`.
 

hvplot/tests/testcharts.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from unittest import SkipTest, expectedFailure
 from parameterized import parameterized
 
+from holoviews.core.dimension import Dimension
 from holoviews import NdOverlay, Store, dim, render
 from holoviews.element import Curve, Area, Scatter, Points, Path, HeatMap
 from holoviews.element.comparison import ComparisonTestCase
@@ -128,6 +129,11 @@ def setUp(self):
             'time': pd.date_range('1/1/2000', periods=10, tz='UTC'),
             'A': [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10],
             'B': list('abcdefghij')})
+        self.edge_df = pd.DataFrame({
+            "Latitude": [-34.58, -15.78, -33.45],
+            "Longitude": [-58.66, -47.91, -70.66],
+            "Volume {m3}": ["1", "2", "3"],
+        })
 
     @parameterized.expand([('line', Curve), ('area', Area), ('scatter', Scatter)])
     def test_wide_chart(self, kind, element):
@@ -347,6 +353,20 @@ def test_errorbars_no_hover(self):
         bkplot = Store.renderers['bokeh'].get_plot(plot)
         assert not bkplot.tools
 
+    def test_labels_format(self):
+        plot = self.df.hvplot("x", "y", text="({x}, {y})", kind="labels")
+        assert list(plot.dimensions()) == [Dimension('x'), Dimension('y'), Dimension('label')]
+        assert list(plot.data["label"]) == ['(1, 2)', '(3, 4)', '(5, 6)']
+
+    def test_labels_no_format_edge_case(self):
+        plot = self.edge_df.hvplot.labels("Longitude", "Latitude")
+        assert list(plot.dimensions()) == [Dimension('Longitude'), Dimension('Latitude'), Dimension('Volume {m3}')]
+        assert list(plot.data["Volume {m3}"]) == ['1', '2', '3']
+
+    def test_labels_format_float(self):
+        plot = self.edge_df.hvplot.labels("Longitude", "Latitude", text="{Longitude:.1f}E {Latitude:.2f}N")
+        assert list(plot.dimensions()) == [Dimension('Longitude'), Dimension('Latitude'), Dimension('label')]
+        assert list(plot.data["label"]) == ['-58.7E -34.58N', '-47.9E -15.78N', '-70.7E -33.45N']
 
 class TestChart1DDask(TestChart1D):