Consistently return actors (pyvista#583)

pyvista/plotting/plotting.py

@@ -2435,6 +2435,8 @@ def add_scalar_bar(self, title=None, n_labels=5, italic=False,
 
         self.add_actor(self.scalar_bar, reset_camera=False, pickable=False)
 
+        return self.scalar_bar # return the actor
+
     def update_scalars(self, scalars, mesh=None, render=True):
         """Update scalars of an object in the plotter.
 
@@ -2840,17 +2842,17 @@ def add_lines(self, lines, color=(1, 1, 1), width=5, label=None, name=None):
             self._labels.append([lines, label, rgb_color])
 
         # Create actor
-        self.scalar_bar = vtk.vtkActor()
-        self.scalar_bar.SetMapper(mapper)
-        self.scalar_bar.GetProperty().SetLineWidth(width)
-        self.scalar_bar.GetProperty().EdgeVisibilityOn()
-        self.scalar_bar.GetProperty().SetEdgeColor(rgb_color)
-        self.scalar_bar.GetProperty().SetColor(rgb_color)
-        self.scalar_bar.GetProperty().LightingOff()
+        actor = vtk.vtkActor()
+        actor.SetMapper(mapper)
+        actor.GetProperty().SetLineWidth(width)
+        actor.GetProperty().EdgeVisibilityOn()
+        actor.GetProperty().SetEdgeColor(rgb_color)
+        actor.GetProperty().SetColor(rgb_color)
+        actor.GetProperty().LightingOff()
 
         # Add to renderer
-        self.add_actor(self.scalar_bar, reset_camera=False, name=name, pickable=False)
-        return self.scalar_bar
+        self.add_actor(actor, reset_camera=False, name=name, pickable=False)
+        return actor
 
     def remove_scalar_bar(self):
         """Remove the scalar bar."""
@@ -2944,8 +2946,8 @@ def add_point_labels(self, points, labels, italic=False, bold=True,
 
         Return
         ------
-        labelMapper : vtk.vtkvtkLabeledDataMapper
-            VTK label mapper.  Can be used to change properties of the labels.
+        labelActor : vtk.vtkActor2D
+            VTK label actor.  Can be used to change properties of the labels.
 
         """
         if font_family is None:
@@ -3037,7 +3039,7 @@ def add_point_labels(self, points, labels, italic=False, bold=True,
         self.add_actor(labelActor, reset_camera=False,
                        name='{}-labels'.format(name), pickable=False)
 
-        return labelMapper
+        return labelActor
 
 
     def add_point_scalar_labels(self, points, labels, fmt=None, preamble='', **kwargs):
@@ -3074,7 +3076,7 @@ def add_point_scalar_labels(self, points, labels, fmt=None, preamble='', **kwarg
     def add_points(self, points, **kwargs):
         """Add points to a mesh."""
         kwargs['style'] = 'points'
-        self.add_mesh(points, **kwargs)
+        return self.add_mesh(points, **kwargs)
 
     def add_arrows(self, cent, direction, mag=1, **kwargs):
         """Add arrows to plotting object."""

pyvista/plotting/renderer.py

@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ def add_border(self, color=[1, 1, 1], width=2.0):
         actor.GetProperty().SetLineWidth(width)
 
         self.AddViewProp(actor)
+        return actor
 
 
     def add_actor(self, uinput, reset_camera=False, name=None, culling=False,
@@ -444,7 +445,7 @@ def add_axes(self, interactive=None, line_width=2,
             self.axes_widget.SetEnabled(1)
             self.axes_widget.SetInteractive(interactive)
         self.axes_widget.SetCurrentRenderer(self)
-        return
+        return self.axes_actor
 
 
     def hide_axes(self):