# How do I install backends for Plots.jl

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592>\
**Category:** Visualization\
**Tags:** question, package, plotting\
**Created:** [November 22, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592 "2020-11-22T18:05:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brett\_knoss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/brett_knoss/32/13050_2.png) [@brett\_knoss](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/brett_knoss)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592/1 "2020-11-22T18:05:21Z")

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How do I install a backend for Plots.jl? I wanted to try PGFPlotsX, to see if it would allow easier editing in LaTeX

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**Author:** ![brett\_knoss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/brett_knoss/32/13050_2.png) [@brett\_knoss](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/brett_knoss)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592/3 "2020-11-22T18:37:39Z")

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Ok I have it installed but:

```julia
using PGFPlotsX
PGFPlotsX()

```

results in the error

```julia
ERROR: MethodError: objects of type Module are not callable
Stacktrace:
 [1] top-level scope at REPL[9]:100:

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jkbest2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/jkbest2/32/7350_2.png) [@jkbest2](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jkbest2)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592/4 "2020-11-22T19:16:05Z")

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The Plots backend use a lowercase function to activate a backend. Maybe try `pgfplotsx()`?

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**Author:** ![nilshg](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/nilshg/32/2283_2.png) [@nilshg](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/nilshg)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592/5 "2020-11-22T19:46:37Z")

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You don’t need to load the backend package, just `using Plots; pgfplotsx()`

As always reading the docs is a good idea, they include examples [Backends · Plots](https://docs.juliaplots.org/latest/backends/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brett\_knoss](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/brett_knoss/32/13050_2.png) [@brett\_knoss](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/brett_knoss)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-do-i-install-backends-for-plots-jl/50592/6 "2020-11-22T19:50:17Z")

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Ok thanks, that will be good for trying different options, So far I think GR is faster, PGFPlotsX though works in TexCentric, such that I can see what I’m working on. I think I’m going to end up using Unicode when working, then change the backend, so I can put it all in all as Markdown, and change when I’m ready to export my markdown as TeX.