Have you encountered a frustrating issue with Plotly Express bar plots not sorting properly in your Streamlit web application? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In this article, we will explore why this issue occurs and discuss potential solutions to ensure your data stays sorted as desired. Whether it’s a cache problem or a bug in Streamlit, we’ve got you covered with step-by-step instructions to fix the problem.
- Understanding the Issue: When you open your Streamlit web app, you may have noticed that the bar plots appear unsorted, contrary to your expectations. This default behavior persists even in incognito mode, on refreshing the page, and even after clearing the cache. It can be quite frustrating, especially when you want to present your data in a sorted manner.
- The Desired Sorted Chart: The desired outcome is to have your bar plots sorted, as depicted in the “Desired Sorted Chart” image. This would provide a better visual representation of your data and enhance the user experience.
- Investigation and Analysis: To address the sorting issue, let’s dive into the details. Here’s what we know so far:
- The sorting problem occurs not only in the initial load but also persists on refreshing the page or clearing the cache.
- The bar plots sort correctly when you manually click “Rerun” from the top three lines of your web app.
- Potential Causes: Based on our observations, two potential causes come to mind: a bug in Streamlit or a cache problem. Let’s explore these possibilities further.
4.1 Bug in Streamlit: It’s plausible that there may be an underlying bug in the Streamlit framework, causing the bar plots not to sort properly. However, to confirm this, we need to investigate further.
4.2 Cache Issues: Another possibility is that the sorting problem arises due to caching. Caching is a mechanism that stores data locally to improve performance. However, if the cache is not properly updated or cleared, it can lead to outdated or incorrect results.
- Solution: Rerun from the Top 3 Lines: While waiting for a potential bug fix or cache update in Streamlit, there is a simple workaround to ensure your bar plots sort correctly. Follow these steps:
- Open your web app in a browser.
- Locate the “Rerun” button in the top right-hand corner.
- Click the “Rerun” button, which will re-execute the code from the top three lines.
- Voila! Your bar plots should now be sorted correctly.
- Seeking Assistance: If the above workaround doesn’t resolve the sorting issue, it’s recommended to seek assistance from the Streamlit community or report the problem on the appropriate forums. They have a vast and supportive community of developers who can provide insights and potential solutions.
- Conclusion: Although the Plotly Express bar plot sorting issue in Streamlit can be frustrating, there are workarounds available. By following the “Rerun” workaround from the top three lines, you can ensure that your bar plots appear sorted as intended. While waiting for a potential bug fix or cache update, it’s always advisable to stay engaged with the Streamlit community to explore any updates or alternative solutions.
Don’t let sorting issues hinder your data visualization goals. With a little workaround, you can continue to create impressive and informative bar plots in your Streamlit web app. Happy coding and happy sorting!
