python - Why reflectbox doesn't work when pdflatex is called with the dvips option of graphicx package -

general overview

i want generate pdf image containing latex-style flipped character matplotlib associated package graphicx. here python code:

import matplotlib params = {'backend':'pdf',           'text.latex.preamble':['\usepackage{amsmath}',                                  '\usepackage{graphicx}'],           'text.usetex':true} matplotlib.rcparams.update(params) import matplotlib.pyplot plt fig = plt.figure() axe = fig.add_subplot(111) axe.set_xlabel('\text{\reflectbox{$\boldsymbol{\gamma}$}}') axe.savefig('image.pdf',bbox_inches='tight') 

i non-flipped character whereas same latex command compiled pdflatex works fine , gives horizontaly flipped character. apparently matplotlib generates latex-style calling dvi latex compiler force use [dvips] option graphicx package.

implementation test

i tried same syntax directly in latex , observed [dvips] option of package graphicx disable flipping behaviour of \reflectbox command.

this code works pdflatex compiler:

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{graphicx}  \newcommand\rvrs[1]{\text{\reflectbox{$#1$}}} \def\myusersymb{\boldsymbol{\gamma}} \declarerobustcommand{\myrvrssymb}{\rvrs{\myusersymb}}  \begin{document} \section{symbol in text} symbol : $\myusersymb$\\ reversed symbol : $\myrvrssymb$ \section{symbol in caption} \begin{figure}[!h]    \caption{symbol : $\myusersymb$} \end{figure} \begin{figure}[!h]    \caption{reversed symbol : $\myrvrssymb$} \end{figure} \end{document} 

whereas code doesn't work same compiler:

\documentclass{article} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage[dvips]{graphicx}  \newcommand\rvrs[1]{\text{\reflectbox{$#1$}}} \def\myusersymb{\boldsymbol{\gamma}} \declarerobustcommand{\myrvrssymb}{\rvrs{\myusersymb}}  \begin{document} \section{symbol in text} symbol : $\myusersymb$\\ reversed symbol : $\myrvrssymb$ \section{symbol in caption} \begin{figure}[!h]    \caption{symbol : $\myusersymb$} \end{figure} \begin{figure}[!h]    \caption{reversed symbol : $\myrvrssymb$} \end{figure} \end{document} 

question

why option affecting flipping command \reflectbox? possible generate , export character directly pdf file? know generating .dvi via latex , converting pdf possible matplotlib doesn't seem allow procedure.

remark

i found work around first objective use following code:

import os import matplotlib params = {'backend':'ps',           'text.latex.preamble':['\usepackage{amsmath}',                                  '\usepackage[dvips]{graphicx}'],           'text.usetex':true} matplotlib.rcparams.update(params) import matplotlib.pyplot plt fig = plt.figure() axe = fig.add_subplot(111) axe.set_xlabel('\text{\reflectbox{$\boldsymbol{\gamma}$}}') axe.savefig('image.eps',bbox_inches='tight') os.system('epstopdf image.eps') 

but solution doesn't robust one...

thanks in advance explanations!