def myplot_create_pn(dict_in):
    # necessary modules
    import numpy as np
    import math # to use floor (nothing else)
    # Allocation
    list_allkeys = dict_in.keys()
    pname_str = []
    # check if specific plotting directory given
    if 'dir_plot' in list_allkeys:
        pname_str = dict_in['dir_plot']
    # check if beginning_string given
    if 'beg_str' in list_allkeys:
        pname_str = pname_str + dict_in['beg_str']
    else:
        pname_str = pname_str + 'plot'
    # check if variable name given
    if 'varname' in list_allkeys:
        if dict_in['varname'][0] == '_':
            pname_str = pname_str + dict_in['varname']
        else:
            pname_str = pname_str + '_' + dict_in['varname']
    else:
        pname_str = pname_str + '_unknown_var'
    # check if specific height level given
    if 'zlev' in list_allkeys:
        if isinstance(dict_in['zlev'], basestring):
            if dict_in['zlev'][0] == '_':
                pname_str = pname_str + dict_in['zlev']
            else:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_' + dict_in['zlev']
        else:
            if dict_in['zlev'][0] == 0:
                fac = 1
            else:
                fac = 10**(-min(math.floor(np.log10(abs(dict_in['zlev'][0]))),0))
            if fac > 1:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_z' + str(int(fac*dict_in['zlev'][0])) + \
                    'e-' + str(np.log10(fac)) + dict_in['zlev'][1]
            else:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_z' + str(int(dict_in['zlev'][0])) + dict_in['zlev'][1]
    # check if restriction to region is given
    if 'lonlat' in list_allkeys:
        dummy = dict_in['lonlat']
        if dummy is str:
            if dummy[0] == '_':
                pname_str = pname_str + dummy
            else:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_' + dummy
        else:
            if dummy[0] < 0:
                pn1 = '{:03d}'.format(int(abs(round(dummy[0])))) + 'W'
            elif dummy[0] > 360:
                pn1 = '{:03d}'.format(int(round(dummy[0])-360)) + 'E'
            else:
                pn1 = '{:03d}'.format(int(round(dummy[0]))) + 'E'
            if dummy[1] < 0:
                pn2 = '{:03d}'.format(int(abs(round(dummy[1])))) + 'W'
            elif dummy[1] > 360:
                pn2 = '{:03d}'.format(int(round(dummy[1])-360)) + 'E'
            else:
                pn2 = '{:03d}'.format(int(round(dummy[1]))) + 'E'
            if dummy[2] < 0:
                pn3 = '{:02d}'.format(int(abs(round(dummy[2])))) + 'S'
            else:
                pn3 = '{:02d}'.format(int(round(dummy[2]))) + 'N'
            if dummy[3] < 0:
                pn4 = '{:02d}'.format(int(abs(round(dummy[3])))) + 'S'
            else:
                pn4 = '{:02d}'.format(int(round(dummy[3]))) + 'N'
            if 360-(dummy[1]-dummy[0])<1.5:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_reg' + pn3 + 'to' + pn4
            else:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_reg' + pn1 + 'to' + pn2 + pn3 + 'to' + pn4
            del dummy
    # check if date information given
    if 'date' in list_allkeys:
        if isinstance(dict_in['date'], basestring):
            if dict_in['date'][0] == '_':
                pname_str = pname_str + dict_in['date']
            else:
                pname_str = pname_str + '_' + dict_in['date']
        else:
            print '*** no date string yet included for numerical values in mycalc_create_pn ***'

    # check if end_str is given
    if 'end_str' in list_allkeys:
        pname_str = pname_str + dict_in['end_str']
    else:
        pname_str = pname_str + '.png'
    return pname_str

def myplot_create_cbar(cbar_min, cbar_max, num=[]):
    # import modules
    import numpy as np
    from math import floor
    # round values
    fac = floor(np.log10(abs(cbar_max-cbar_min)))
    #if abs(cbar_max) > abs(cbar_min):
    #    fac = floor(np.log10(abs(cbar_max)))
    #else:
    #    fac = floor(np.log10(abs(cbar_min)))
    fac = fac-1
    cbar_max = round(cbar_max,-int(fac))
    cbar_min = round(cbar_min,-int(fac))
    # make array symmetric around zero?
    if cbar_min<0 and cbar_max>0:
        if abs(cbar_max+cbar_min) < 0.1*cbar_max:
            cbar_min = -max(cbar_max,abs(cbar_min))
            cbar_max = max(cbar_max,abs(cbar_min))
    # create cbar
    if num:
        cbar_range = np.linspace(cbar_min, cbar_max, num=num)
    else:
        cbar_range = np.linspace(cbar_min, cbar_max)
    # output
    return cbar_range