Fix #2455, #2460: element_blank panel.border no longer creates empty shapes

cpsievert · cpsievert · commit 3292abd8bfac · 2026-01-19T15:48:45.000-06:00
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 * `plotly_build()` now works with `ggmatrix` objects (e.g., from `GGally::ggpairs()`). (#2447)
 * Closed #2415: `ggplotly()` now shows variables named 'group' in tooltips when mapped to aesthetics like `colour`.
+* Closed #2455, #2460: `ggplotly()` no longer creates empty shapes when `panel.border` is `element_blank()` (ggplot2 4.0.0 compatibility).
 
 # plotly 4.11.0
 
diff --git a/R/ggplotly.R b/R/ggplotly.R
@@ -1389,7 +1389,12 @@ make_strip_rect <- function(xdom, ydom, theme, side = "top") {
 
 # theme(panel.border) -> plotly.js rect shape
 make_panel_border <- function(xdom, ydom, theme) {
-  rekt <- rect2shape(theme[["panel.border"]])
+  border <- theme[["panel.border"]]
+  # Don't draw anything if panel.border is blank or NULL
+  if (is.null(border) || is_blank(border)) {
+    return(list())
+  }
+  rekt <- rect2shape(border)
   rekt$x0 <- xdom[1]
   rekt$x1 <- xdom[2]
   rekt$y0 <- ydom[1]
diff --git a/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/001.json b/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/001.json
@@ -328,24 +328,7 @@
             "hoverformat": ".2f"
           },
           "shapes": [
-            {
-              "type": "rect",
-              "fillcolor": null,
-              "line": {
-                "color": null,
-                "width": 0,
-                "linetype": [
 
-                ]
-              },
-              "yref": "paper",
-              "xref": "paper",
-              "layer": "below",
-              "x0": 0,
-              "x1": 1,
-              "y0": 0,
-              "y1": 1
-            }
           ],
           "showlegend": false,
           "legend": {
diff --git a/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/002.json b/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/002.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     "plotly_afterplot-A": "\"plot\"",
     "plotly_click-A": "[{\"curveNumber\":0,\"pointNumber\":7,\"x\":24.4,\"y\":3.19,\"customdata\":\"Merc 240D\"}]",
     "plotly_hover-A": null,
-    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":962,\"height\":400}"
+    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":947,\"height\":400}"
   },
   "output": {
     "brushed": "[1] \"Brush extents appear here (double-click to clear)\"",
@@ -331,24 +331,7 @@
             "hoverformat": ".2f"
           },
           "shapes": [
-            {
-              "type": "rect",
-              "fillcolor": null,
-              "line": {
-                "color": null,
-                "width": 0,
-                "linetype": [
 
-                ]
-              },
-              "yref": "paper",
-              "xref": "paper",
-              "layer": "below",
-              "x0": 0,
-              "x1": 1,
-              "y0": 0,
-              "y1": 1
-            }
           ],
           "showlegend": false,
           "legend": {
diff --git a/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/003.json b/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/003.json
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     "plotly_brushing-A": "{\"x\":[23.95978500551268,25.98332414553473],\"y\":[3.0020072289156627,3.5073743975903615]}",
     "plotly_click-A": "[{\"curveNumber\":0,\"pointNumber\":7,\"x\":24.4,\"y\":3.19,\"customdata\":\"Merc 240D\"}]",
     "plotly_hover-A": null,
-    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":962,\"height\":400}",
+    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":947,\"height\":400}",
     "plotly_selected-A": "[{\"curveNumber\":0,\"pointNumber\":7,\"x\":24.4,\"y\":3.19,\"customdata\":\"Merc 240D\"}]",
     "plotly_selecting-A": "[{\"curveNumber\":0,\"pointNumber\":7,\"x\":24.4,\"y\":3.19,\"customdata\":\"Merc 240D\"}]"
   },
@@ -335,24 +335,7 @@
             "hoverformat": ".2f"
           },
           "shapes": [
-            {
-              "type": "rect",
-              "fillcolor": null,
-              "line": {
-                "color": null,
-                "width": 0,
-                "linetype": [
 
-                ]
-              },
-              "yref": "paper",
-              "xref": "paper",
-              "layer": "below",
-              "x0": 0,
-              "x1": 1,
-              "y0": 0,
-              "y1": 1
-            }
           ],
           "showlegend": false,
           "legend": {
diff --git a/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/004.json b/inst/examples/shiny/event_data/tests/testthat/_snaps/shinytest2/004.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     "plotly_click-A": null,
     "plotly_deselect-A": "\"plot\"",
     "plotly_hover-A": null,
-    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":962,\"height\":400}",
+    "plotly_relayout-A": "{\"width\":947,\"height\":400}",
     "plotly_selected-A": null,
     "plotly_selecting-A": null
   },
@@ -336,24 +336,7 @@
             "hoverformat": ".2f"
           },
           "shapes": [
-            {
-              "type": "rect",
-              "fillcolor": null,
-              "line": {
-                "color": null,
-                "width": 0,
-                "linetype": [
 
-                ]
-              },
-              "yref": "paper",
-              "xref": "paper",
-              "layer": "below",
-              "x0": 0,
-              "x1": 1,
-              "y0": 0,
-              "y1": 1
-            }
           ],
           "showlegend": false,
           "legend": {
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-theme.R b/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-theme.R
@@ -65,12 +65,28 @@ test_that("marker default shape is a circle", {
 test_that("plot panel border is translated correctly", {
   ggpenguin <- penguin.base + theme_grey() # has no panel.border
   info <- expect_doppelganger_built(ggpenguin, "theme-panel-border-1")
-  
+
   red <- ggplot(palmerpenguins::penguins) +
     theme_grey() +
     geom_point(aes(bill_length_mm, bill_depth_mm)) +
     theme(panel.border = element_rect(colour = "red", fill = NA))
-  
+
   info <- expect_doppelganger_built(red, "theme-panel-border-2")
   expect_true(info$layout$shapes[[1]]$line$color == toRGB("red"))
 })
+
+test_that("element_blank panel.border does not create empty shapes (#2455, #2460)", {
+  # theme_grey() has element_blank() panel.border - should NOT create a shape
+  p_grey <- ggplot(mtcars, aes(wt, mpg)) + geom_point() + theme_grey()
+  L_grey <- plotly_build(ggplotly(p_grey))$x
+  # No panel border shapes should be created for element_blank
+  grey_shapes <- Filter(function(s) identical(s$xref, "paper") && identical(s$yref, "paper"), L_grey$layout$shapes)
+  expect_equal(length(grey_shapes), 0)
+
+  # theme_bw() has visible panel.border - SHOULD create a shape
+  p_bw <- ggplot(mtcars, aes(wt, mpg)) + geom_point() + theme_bw()
+  L_bw <- plotly_build(ggplotly(p_bw))$x
+  bw_shapes <- Filter(function(s) identical(s$xref, "paper") && identical(s$yref, "paper"), L_bw$layout$shapes)
+  expect_true(length(bw_shapes) > 0)
+  expect_false(is.na(bw_shapes[[1]]$line$color))
+})
