# Positioning a tikz scope relative to another tikz scope

In the manual of PGFplots on page 333 the author describes how to position an axis environment relative to another axis environment:

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[name=plot1,height=3cm,width=3cm]
\end{axis}
\begin{axis}[name=plot2,at={($(plot1.east)+(1cm,0)$)},anchor=west,height=3cm,width=3cm]
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}


Unfortunately, the same for scopes,

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{scope}[name=scope1]
\draw (1,2) rectangle (3,4);
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}[at={($(scope1.east)+(1cm,0)$)},anchor=west]
\draw (5,6) rectangle (7,8);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}


, does not work. How can I get it to work? I am not interested in absolute positioning, but merely in relative positioning.

• What's the expected output? two squares side by side? – Tom Bombadil Nov 11 '13 at 14:49
• @Adriaan -- wrap the the second case -- scope environment -- by axis environment and apply the same skill of the first case for the newly-wrapped axis environment. – Jesse Nov 11 '13 at 15:29

Here is a solution using local bounding box to get the bounding box of the first scope and using shift to define the origin of the second scope:

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{scope}[local bounding box=scope1]
\draw (2,2) rectangle (3,4);
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}[shift={($(scope1.east)+(1cm,0)$)}]
\draw (0,0) rectangle (2,1);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


• This works well, if the second scope only uses positive x coordinates. If the scope also "grows to the left", this is not taken into account? Any idea how to do that? If possible without nested tikzpictures... – ingomueller.net Apr 27 '15 at 13:44
• @ingomueller.net This method allows to determine the origin of the second scope. The contents of the second scope is not taken into account... – Paul Gaborit Apr 27 '15 at 16:49
• Thanks for the reply! I guess I'll have to use the solution with nested tikzpictures then. – ingomueller.net Apr 28 '15 at 16:57

Edit: the answer below is here for reference but note that nesting tikzpictures is discouraged due to some subtle side-effects that this may cause. In most cases, to build a "modular" picture you can use the pic action documented in Chapter 18 of the documentation. In simpler cases like the one in the question, a combination of shift and fit usually suffices.

If you need to keep the two scopes separated and wish to use them as "modules" I would suggest you use two nodes with nested tikzpictures as in

\begin{tikzpicture}
\node(scope1){
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (1,2) rectangle (3,4);
\end{tikzpicture}
};
\node[at={($(scope1.east)+(1cm,0)$)},anchor=west] (scope2){
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw (5,6) rectangle (7,8);
\end{tikzpicture}
};
\end{tikzpicture}

• I would actually not propose to nest tikzpictures as this may bring some complications. – user121799 Aug 13 '18 at 19:39