Shorter truncated Series/DataFrame repr: introduce min_rows

doc/source/user_guide/options.rst

@@ -157,6 +157,22 @@ lines are replaced by an ellipsis.
    df
    pd.reset_option('max_rows')
 
+Once the ``display.max_rows`` is exceeded, the ``display.min_rows`` options
+determines how many rows are shown in the truncated repr.
+
+.. ipython:: python
+
+   pd.set_option('max_rows', 8)
+   pd.set_option('max_rows', 4)
+   # below max_rows -> all rows shown
+   df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randn(7, 2))
+   df
+   # above max_rows -> only min_rows (4) rows shown
+   df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randn(9, 2))
+   df
+   pd.reset_option('max_rows')
+   pd.reset_option('min_rows')
+
 ``display.expand_frame_repr`` allows for the representation of
 dataframes to stretch across pages, wrapped over the full column vs row-wise.
 
@@ -352,8 +368,12 @@ display.max_rows                        60           This sets the maximum numbe
                                                      out various output. For example,
                                                      this value determines whether the
                                                      repr() for a dataframe prints out
-                                                     fully or just a summary repr.
+                                                     fully or just a truncated or summary repr.
                                                      'None' value means unlimited.
+display.min_rows                        10           The numbers of rows to show in a truncated
+                                                     repr (when `max_rows` is exceeded). Ignored
+                                                     when `max_rows` is set to None or 0. When set
+                                                     to None, follows the value of `max_rows`.
 display.max_seq_items                   100          when pretty-printing a long sequence,
                                                      no more then `max_seq_items` will
                                                      be printed. If items are omitted,

doc/source/whatsnew/v0.25.0.rst

@@ -134,6 +134,30 @@ than :attr:`options.display.max_seq_items` (default: 100 items). Horizontally,
 the output will truncate, if it's wider than :attr:`options.display.width`
 (default: 80 characters).
 
+.. _whatsnew_0250.enhancements.shorter_truncated_repr:
+
+Shorter truncated repr for Series and DataFrame
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+Currently, the default display options of pandas ensure that when a Series
+or DataFrame has more than 60 rows, its repr gets truncated to this maximum
+of 60 rows (the ``display.max_rows`` option). However, this still gives
+a repr that takes up a large part of the vertical screen estate. Therefore,
+a new option ``display.min_rows`` is introduced with a default of 10 which
+determines the number of rows showed in the truncated repr:
+
+- For small Series or DataFrames, up to ``max_rows` number of rows is shown
+  (default: 60).
+- For larger Series of DataFrame with a length above ``max_rows``, only
+  ``min_rows`` number of rows is shown (default: 10, i.e. the first and last
+  5 rows).
+
+This dual option allows to still see the full content of relatively small
+objects (e.g. ``df.head(20)`` shows all 20 rows), while giving a brief repr
+for large objects.
+
+To restore the previous behaviour of a single threshold, set
+``pd.options.display.min_rows = None``.
 
 .. _whatsnew_0250.enhancements.other:
 

pandas/core/config_init.py

@@ -77,6 +77,13 @@ def use_numexpr_cb(key):
     correct auto-detection.
 """
 
+pc_min_rows_doc = """
+: int
+    The numbers of rows to show in a truncated view (when `max_rows` is
+    exceeded). Ignored when `max_rows` is set to None or 0. When set to
+    None, follows the value of `max_rows`.
+"""
+
 pc_max_cols_doc = """
 : int
     If max_cols is exceeded, switch to truncate view. Depending on
@@ -306,6 +313,8 @@ def is_terminal():
                        validator=is_instance_factory((int, type(None))))
     cf.register_option('max_rows', 60, pc_max_rows_doc,
                        validator=is_instance_factory([type(None), int]))
+    cf.register_option('min_rows', 10, pc_min_rows_doc,
+                       validator=is_instance_factory([type(None), int]))
     cf.register_option('max_categories', 8, pc_max_categories_doc,
                        validator=is_int)
     cf.register_option('max_colwidth', 50, max_colwidth_doc, validator=is_int)

pandas/core/frame.py

@@ -588,14 +588,16 @@ def __repr__(self):
             return buf.getvalue()
 
         max_rows = get_option("display.max_rows")
+        min_rows = get_option("display.min_rows")
         max_cols = get_option("display.max_columns")
         show_dimensions = get_option("display.show_dimensions")
         if get_option("display.expand_frame_repr"):
             width, _ = console.get_console_size()
         else:
             width = None
-        self.to_string(buf=buf, max_rows=max_rows, max_cols=max_cols,
-                       line_width=width, show_dimensions=show_dimensions)
+        self.to_string(buf=buf, max_rows=max_rows, min_rows=min_rows,
+                       max_cols=max_cols, line_width=width,
+                       show_dimensions=show_dimensions)
 
         return buf.getvalue()
 
@@ -633,8 +635,8 @@ def _repr_html_(self):
     def to_string(self, buf=None, columns=None, col_space=None, header=True,
                   index=True, na_rep='NaN', formatters=None, float_format=None,
                   sparsify=None, index_names=True, justify=None,
-                  max_rows=None, max_cols=None, show_dimensions=False,
-                  decimal='.', line_width=None):
+                  max_rows=None, min_rows=None, max_cols=None,
+                  show_dimensions=False, decimal='.', line_width=None):
         """
         Render a DataFrame to a console-friendly tabular output.
         %(shared_params)s
@@ -663,6 +665,7 @@ def to_string(self, buf=None, columns=None, col_space=None, header=True,
                                            sparsify=sparsify, justify=justify,
                                            index_names=index_names,
                                            header=header, index=index,
+                                           min_rows=min_rows,
                                            max_rows=max_rows,
                                            max_cols=max_cols,
                                            show_dimensions=show_dimensions,

pandas/core/series.py

@@ -1486,17 +1486,20 @@ def __repr__(self):
         width, height = get_terminal_size()
         max_rows = (height if get_option("display.max_rows") == 0 else
                     get_option("display.max_rows"))
+        min_rows = (height if get_option("display.max_rows") == 0 else
+                    get_option("display.min_rows"))
         show_dimensions = get_option("display.show_dimensions")
 
         self.to_string(buf=buf, name=self.name, dtype=self.dtype,
-                       max_rows=max_rows, length=show_dimensions)
+                       min_rows=min_rows, max_rows=max_rows,
+                       length=show_dimensions)
         result = buf.getvalue()
 
         return result
 
     def to_string(self, buf=None, na_rep='NaN', float_format=None, header=True,
                   index=True, length=False, dtype=False, name=False,
-                  max_rows=None):
+                  max_rows=None, min_rows=None):
         """
         Render a string representation of the Series.
 
@@ -1522,6 +1525,9 @@ def to_string(self, buf=None, na_rep='NaN', float_format=None, header=True,
         max_rows : int, optional
             Maximum number of rows to show before truncating. If None, show
             all.
+        min_rows : int, optional
+            The number of rows to display in a truncated repr (when number
+            of rows is above `max_rows`).
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -1533,6 +1539,7 @@ def to_string(self, buf=None, na_rep='NaN', float_format=None, header=True,
                                         header=header, index=index,
                                         dtype=dtype, na_rep=na_rep,
                                         float_format=float_format,
+                                        min_rows=min_rows,
                                         max_rows=max_rows)
         result = formatter.to_string()
 

pandas/io/formats/format.py

@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@
             * unset.
         max_rows : int, optional
             Maximum number of rows to display in the console.
+        min_rows : int, optional
+            The number of rows to display in the console in a truncated repr
+            (when number of rows is above `max_rows`).
         max_cols : int, optional
             Maximum number of columns to display in the console.
         show_dimensions : bool, default False
@@ -159,7 +162,7 @@ class SeriesFormatter:
 
     def __init__(self, series, buf=None, length=True, header=True, index=True,
                  na_rep='NaN', name=False, float_format=None, dtype=True,
-                 max_rows=None):
+                 max_rows=None, min_rows=None):
         self.series = series
         self.buf = buf if buf is not None else StringIO()
         self.name = name
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ def __init__(self, series, buf=None, length=True, header=True, index=True,
         self.length = length
         self.index = index
         self.max_rows = max_rows
+        self.min_rows = min_rows
 
         if float_format is None:
             float_format = get_option("display.float_format")
@@ -179,10 +183,17 @@ def __init__(self, series, buf=None, length=True, header=True, index=True,
 
     def _chk_truncate(self):
         from pandas.core.reshape.concat import concat
+        min_rows = self.min_rows
         max_rows = self.max_rows
+        # truncation determined by max_rows, actual truncated number of rows
+        # used below by min_rows
         truncate_v = max_rows and (len(self.series) > max_rows)
         series = self.series
         if truncate_v:
+            if min_rows:
+                # if min_rows is set (not None or 0), set max_rows to minimum
+                # of both
+                max_rows = min(min_rows, max_rows)
             if max_rows == 1:
                 row_num = max_rows
                 series = series.iloc[:max_rows]
@@ -391,8 +402,8 @@ def __init__(self, frame, buf=None, columns=None, col_space=None,
                  header=True, index=True, na_rep='NaN', formatters=None,
                  justify=None, float_format=None, sparsify=None,
                  index_names=True, line_width=None, max_rows=None,
-                 max_cols=None, show_dimensions=False, decimal='.',
-                 table_id=None, render_links=False, **kwds):
+                 min_rows=None, max_cols=None, show_dimensions=False,
+                 decimal='.', table_id=None, render_links=False, **kwds):
         self.frame = frame
         if buf is not None:
             self.buf = _expand_user(_stringify_path(buf))
@@ -414,6 +425,7 @@ def __init__(self, frame, buf=None, columns=None, col_space=None,
         self.index = index
         self.line_width = line_width
         self.max_rows = max_rows
+        self.min_rows = min_rows
         self.max_cols = max_cols
         self.max_rows_displayed = min(max_rows or len(self.frame),
                                       len(self.frame))
@@ -471,6 +483,10 @@ def _chk_truncate(self):
                 max_rows = h
 
         if not hasattr(self, 'max_rows_adj'):
+            if max_rows:
+                if (len(self.frame) > max_rows) and self.min_rows:
+                    # if truncated, set max_rows showed to min_rows
+                    max_rows = min(self.min_rows, max_rows)
             self.max_rows_adj = max_rows
         if not hasattr(self, 'max_cols_adj'):
             self.max_cols_adj = max_cols

pandas/tests/io/formats/test_format.py

@@ -377,6 +377,34 @@ def mkframe(n):
                 printing.pprint_thing(df._repr_fits_horizontal_())
                 assert has_expanded_repr(df)
 
+    def test_repr_min_rows(self):
+        df = pd.DataFrame({'a': range(20)})
+
+        # default setting no truncation even if above min_rows
+        assert '..' not in repr(df)
+
+        df = pd.DataFrame({'a': range(61)})
+
+        # default of max_rows 60 triggers truncation if above
+        assert '..' in repr(df)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 10, 'display.min_rows', 4):
+            # truncated after first two rows
+            assert '..' in repr(df)
+            assert '2  ' not in repr(df)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 12, 'display.min_rows', None):
+            # when set to None, follow value of max_rows
+            assert '5    5' in repr(df)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 10, 'display.min_rows', 12):
+            # when set value higher as max_rows, use the minimum
+            assert '5    5' not in repr(df)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', None, 'display.min_rows', 12):
+            # max_rows of None -> never truncate
+            assert '..' not in repr(df)
+
     def test_str_max_colwidth(self):
         # GH 7856
         df = pd.DataFrame([{'a': 'foo',
@@ -2284,6 +2312,34 @@ def test_show_dimensions(self):
                             "display.show_dimensions", False):
             assert 'Length' not in repr(s)
 
+    def test_repr_min_rows(self):
+        s = pd.Series(range(20))
+
+        # default setting no truncation even if above min_rows
+        assert '..' not in repr(s)
+
+        s = pd.Series(range(61))
+
+        # default of max_rows 60 triggers truncation if above
+        assert '..' in repr(s)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 10, 'display.min_rows', 4):
+            # truncated after first two rows
+            assert '..' in repr(s)
+            assert '2  ' not in repr(s)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 12, 'display.min_rows', None):
+            # when set to None, follow value of max_rows
+            assert '5      5' in repr(s)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', 10, 'display.min_rows', 12):
+            # when set value higher as max_rows, use the minimum
+            assert '5      5' not in repr(s)
+
+        with option_context('display.max_rows', None, 'display.min_rows', 12):
+            # max_rows of None -> never truncate
+            assert '..' not in repr(s)
+
     def test_to_string_name(self):
         s = Series(range(100), dtype='int64')
         s.name = 'myser'