diff --git a/src/components/colorbar/defaults.js b/src/components/colorbar/defaults.js
index af485987074..feba990b80f 100644
--- a/src/components/colorbar/defaults.js
+++ b/src/components/colorbar/defaults.js
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleTickValueDefaults = require('../../plots/cartesian/tick_value_defaults');
+var handleTickDefaults = require('../../plots/cartesian/tick_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
@@ -49,9 +50,9 @@ module.exports = function colorbarDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, layout) {
     coerce('borderwidth');
     coerce('bgcolor');
 
-    Axes.handleTickValueDefaults(colorbarIn, colorbarOut, coerce, 'linear');
+    handleTickValueDefaults(colorbarIn, colorbarOut, coerce, 'linear');
 
-    Axes.handleTickDefaults(colorbarIn, colorbarOut, coerce, 'linear',
+    handleTickDefaults(colorbarIn, colorbarOut, coerce, 'linear',
         {outerTicks: false, font: layout.font, noHover: true});
 
     coerce('title');
diff --git a/src/components/colorbar/draw.js b/src/components/colorbar/draw.js
index c354608f8cf..4b5b40f1d0c 100644
--- a/src/components/colorbar/draw.js
+++ b/src/components/colorbar/draw.js
@@ -12,6 +12,16 @@
 var d3 = require('d3');
 
 var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Plots = require('../../plots/plots');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var Fx = require('../../plots/cartesian/graph_interact');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var Drawing = require('../drawing');
+var Color = require('../color');
+
+var handleAxisDefaults = require('../../plots/cartesian/axis_defaults');
+var handleAxisPositionDefaults = require('../../plots/cartesian/position_defaults');
+var axisLayoutAttrs = require('../../plots/cartesian/layout_attributes');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
@@ -163,23 +173,19 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
         // Coerce w.r.t. Axes layoutAttributes:
         // re-use axes.js logic without updating _fullData
         function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut,
-                                     Plotly.Axes.layoutAttributes,
-                                     attr, dflt);
+            return Lib.coerce(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut, axisLayoutAttrs, attr, dflt);
         }
 
         // Prepare the Plotly axis object
-        Plotly.Axes.handleAxisDefaults(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut,
-                                       coerce, axisOptions);
-        Plotly.Axes.handleAxisPositioningDefaults(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut,
-                                                  coerce, axisOptions);
+        handleAxisDefaults(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut, coerce, axisOptions);
+        handleAxisPositionDefaults(cbAxisIn, cbAxisOut, coerce, axisOptions);
 
         cbAxisOut._id = 'y' + id;
         cbAxisOut._td = gd;
 
         // position can't go in through supplyDefaults
         // because that restricts it to [0,1]
-        cbAxisOut.position = opts.x+xpadFrac+thickFrac;
+        cbAxisOut.position = opts.x + xpadFrac + thickFrac;
 
         // save for other callers to access this axis
         component.axis = cbAxisOut;
@@ -196,14 +202,14 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
             cbAxisOut.tick0 = opts.levels.start;
             var dtick = opts.levels.size;
             // expand if too many contours, so we don't get too many ticks
-            var autoNtick = Plotly.Lib.constrain(
+            var autoNtick = Lib.constrain(
                     (yBottomPx-yTopPx)/50, 4, 15) + 1,
                 dtFactor = (zrange[1]-zrange[0]) /
                     ((opts.nticks||autoNtick)*dtick);
             if(dtFactor>1) {
                 var dtexp = Math.pow(10,Math.floor(
                     Math.log(dtFactor)/Math.LN10));
-                dtick *= dtexp*Plotly.Lib.roundUp(dtFactor/dtexp,[2,5,10]);
+                dtick *= dtexp * Lib.roundUp(dtFactor/dtexp,[2,5,10]);
                 // if the contours are at round multiples, reset tick0
                 // so they're still at round multiples. Otherwise,
                 // keep the first label on the first contour level
@@ -269,7 +275,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                         parseInt(titleText.style('font-size'), 10) * 1.3;
                 }
                 if(mathJaxNode) {
-                    titleHeight = Plotly.Drawing.bBox(mathJaxNode).height;
+                    titleHeight = Drawing.bBox(mathJaxNode).height;
                     if(titleHeight>lineSize) {
                         // not entirely sure how mathjax is doing
                         // vertical alignment, but this seems to work.
@@ -278,7 +284,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 }
                 else if(titleText.node() &&
                         !titleText.classed('js-placeholder')) {
-                    titleHeight = Plotly.Drawing.bBox(
+                    titleHeight = Drawing.bBox(
                         titleGroup.node()).height;
                 }
                 if(titleHeight) {
@@ -351,7 +357,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                     .attr('d','M'+xLeft+',' +
                         (Math.round(cbAxisOut.c2p(d))+(opts.line.width/2)%1) +
                         'h'+thickPx)
-                    .call(Plotly.Drawing.lineGroupStyle,
+                    .call(Drawing.lineGroupStyle,
                         opts.line.width, linecolormap(d), opts.line.dash);
             });
 
@@ -363,7 +369,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 (opts.outlinewidth||0)/2 - (opts.ticks==='outside' ? 1 : 0);
             cbAxisOut.side = 'right';
 
-            return Plotly.Axes.doTicks(gd, cbAxisOut);
+            return Axes.doTicks(gd, cbAxisOut);
         }
 
         function positionCB(){
@@ -372,7 +378,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
             // TODO: why are we redrawing multiple times now with this?
             // I guess autoMargin doesn't like being post-promise?
             var innerWidth = thickPx + opts.outlinewidth/2 +
-                    Plotly.Drawing.bBox(cbAxisOut._axislayer.node()).width;
+                    Drawing.bBox(cbAxisOut._axislayer.node()).width;
             titleEl = titleCont.select('text');
             if(titleEl.node() && !titleEl.classed('js-placeholder')) {
                 var mathJaxNode = titleCont
@@ -381,7 +387,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                     titleWidth;
                 if(mathJaxNode &&
                         ['top','bottom'].indexOf(opts.titleside)!==-1) {
-                    titleWidth = Plotly.Drawing.bBox(mathJaxNode).width;
+                    titleWidth = Drawing.bBox(mathJaxNode).width;
                 }
                 else {
                     // note: the formula below works for all titlesides,
@@ -389,7 +395,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                     // but the weird fullLayout._size.l is because the titleunshift
                     // transform gets removed by Drawing.bBox
                     titleWidth =
-                        Plotly.Drawing.bBox(titleCont.node()).right -
+                        Drawing.bBox(titleCont.node()).right -
                         xLeft - fullLayout._size.l;
                 }
                 innerWidth = Math.max(innerWidth,titleWidth);
@@ -406,8 +412,8 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 width: Math.max(outerwidth,2),
                 height: Math.max(outerheight + 2*yExtraPx,2)
             })
-            .call(Plotly.Color.fill, opts.bgcolor)
-            .call(Plotly.Color.stroke, opts.bordercolor)
+            .call(Color.fill, opts.bgcolor)
+            .call(Color.stroke, opts.bordercolor)
             .style({'stroke-width': opts.borderwidth});
 
             container.selectAll('.cboutline').attr({
@@ -417,7 +423,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 width: Math.max(thickPx,2),
                 height: Math.max(outerheight - 2*opts.ypad - titleHeight, 2)
             })
-            .call(Plotly.Color.stroke, opts.outlinecolor)
+            .call(Color.stroke, opts.outlinecolor)
             .style({
                 fill: 'None',
                 'stroke-width': opts.outlinewidth
@@ -430,7 +436,7 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 'translate('+(fullLayout._size.l-xoffset)+','+fullLayout._size.t+')');
 
             //auto margin adjustment
-            Plotly.Plots.autoMargin(gd, id,{
+            Plots.autoMargin(gd, id,{
                 x: opts.x,
                 y: opts.y,
                 l: outerwidth*({right:1, center:0.5}[opts.xanchor]||0),
@@ -440,10 +446,10 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
             });
         }
 
-        var cbDone = Plotly.Lib.syncOrAsync([
-            Plotly.Plots.previousPromises,
+        var cbDone = Lib.syncOrAsync([
+            Plots.previousPromises,
             drawAxis,
-            Plotly.Plots.previousPromises,
+            Plots.previousPromises,
             positionCB
         ], gd);
 
@@ -455,11 +461,11 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                 xf,
                 yf;
 
-            Plotly.Fx.dragElement({
+            Fx.dragElement({
                 element: container.node(),
                 prepFn: function() {
                     t0 = container.attr('transform');
-                    Plotly.Fx.setCursor(container);
+                    Fx.setCursor(container);
                 },
                 moveFn: function(dx, dy) {
                     var gs = gd._fullLayout._size;
@@ -467,17 +473,17 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
                     container.attr('transform',
                         t0+' ' + 'translate('+dx+','+dy+')');
 
-                    xf = Plotly.Fx.dragAlign(xLeftFrac + (dx/gs.w), thickFrac,
+                    xf = Fx.dragAlign(xLeftFrac + (dx/gs.w), thickFrac,
                         0, 1, opts.xanchor);
-                    yf = Plotly.Fx.dragAlign(yBottomFrac - (dy/gs.h), lenFrac,
+                    yf = Fx.dragAlign(yBottomFrac - (dy/gs.h), lenFrac,
                         0, 1, opts.yanchor);
 
-                    var csr = Plotly.Fx.dragCursors(xf, yf,
+                    var csr = Fx.dragCursors(xf, yf,
                         opts.xanchor, opts.yanchor);
-                    Plotly.Fx.setCursor(container, csr);
+                    Fx.setCursor(container, csr);
                 },
                 doneFn: function(dragged) {
-                    Plotly.Fx.setCursor(container);
+                    Fx.setCursor(container);
 
                     if(dragged && xf!==undefined && yf!==undefined) {
                         var idNum = id.substr(2),
@@ -507,8 +513,8 @@ module.exports = function draw(gd, id) {
 
             // setter - for multi-part properties,
             // set only the parts that are provided
-            opts[name] = Plotly.Lib.isPlainObject(opts[name]) ?
-                 Plotly.Lib.extendFlat(opts[name], v) :
+            opts[name] = Lib.isPlainObject(opts[name]) ?
+                 Lib.extendFlat(opts[name], v) :
                  v;
 
             return component;
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/axes.js b/src/plots/cartesian/axes.js
index fefaaba3154..7d8001eb07d 100644
--- a/src/plots/cartesian/axes.js
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/axes.js
@@ -16,325 +16,18 @@ var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
 var axes = module.exports = {};
 
 axes.layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+axes.supplyLayoutDefaults = require('./layout_defaults');
 
-var xAxisMatch = /^xaxis[0-9]*$/,
-    yAxisMatch = /^yaxis[0-9]*$/;
+axes.setConvert = require('./set_convert');
 
-axes.supplyLayoutDefaults = function(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData) {
-    // get the full list of axes already defined
-    var layoutKeys = Object.keys(layoutIn),
-        xaList = [],
-        yaList = [],
-        outerTicks = {},
-        noGrids = {},
-        i;
-
-    for(i = 0; i < layoutKeys.length; i++) {
-        var key = layoutKeys[i];
-        if(xAxisMatch.test(key)) xaList.push(key);
-        else if(yAxisMatch.test(key)) yaList.push(key);
-    }
-
-    for(i = 0; i < fullData.length; i++) {
-        var trace = fullData[i],
-            xaName = axes.id2name(trace.xaxis),
-            yaName = axes.id2name(trace.yaxis);
-
-        // add axes implied by traces
-        if(xaName && xaList.indexOf(xaName)===-1) xaList.push(xaName);
-        if(yaName && yaList.indexOf(yaName)===-1) yaList.push(yaName);
-
-        // check for default formatting tweaks
-        if(Plotly.Plots.traceIs(trace, '2dMap')) {
-            outerTicks[xaName] = true;
-            outerTicks[yaName] = true;
-        }
-
-        if(Plotly.Plots.traceIs(trace, 'oriented')) {
-            var positionAxis = trace.orientation==='h' ? yaName : xaName;
-            noGrids[positionAxis] = true;
-        }
-    }
-
-    function axSort(a,b) {
-        var aNum = Number(a.substr(5)||1),
-            bNum = Number(b.substr(5)||1);
-        return aNum - bNum;
-    }
-
-    if(layoutOut._hasCartesian || layoutOut._hasGL2D || !fullData.length) {
-        // make sure there's at least one of each and lists are sorted
-        if(!xaList.length) xaList = ['xaxis'];
-        else xaList.sort(axSort);
-
-        if(!yaList.length) yaList = ['yaxis'];
-        else yaList.sort(axSort);
-    }
-
-    xaList.concat(yaList).forEach(function(axName){
-        var axLetter = axName.charAt(0),
-            axLayoutIn = layoutIn[axName] || {},
-            axLayoutOut = {},
-            defaultOptions = {
-                letter: axLetter,
-                font: layoutOut.font,
-                outerTicks: outerTicks[axName],
-                showGrid: !noGrids[axName],
-                name: axName,
-                data: fullData
-            },
-            positioningOptions = {
-                letter: axLetter,
-                counterAxes: {x: yaList, y: xaList}[axLetter].map(axes.name2id),
-                overlayableAxes: {x: xaList, y: yaList}[axLetter].filter(function(axName2){
-                    return axName2!==axName && !(layoutIn[axName2]||{}).overlaying;
-                }).map(axes.name2id)
-            };
-
-        function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.coerce(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut,
-                                     axes.layoutAttributes,
-                                     attr, dflt);
-        }
-
-        axes.handleAxisDefaults(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut, coerce, defaultOptions);
-        axes.handleAxisPositioningDefaults(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut, coerce, positioningOptions);
-        layoutOut[axName] = axLayoutOut;
-
-        // so we don't have to repeat autotype unnecessarily,
-        // copy an autotype back to layoutIn
-        if(!layoutIn[axName] && axLayoutIn.type!=='-') {
-            layoutIn[axName] = {type: axLayoutIn.type};
-        }
-
-    });
-
-    // plot_bgcolor only makes sense if there's a (2D) plot!
-    // TODO: bgcolor for each subplot, to inherit from the main one
-    if(xaList.length && yaList.length) {
-        Plotly.Lib.coerce(layoutIn, layoutOut,
-            Plotly.Plots.layoutAttributes, 'plot_bgcolor');
-    }
-};
-
-/**
- * options: object containing:
- *      letter: 'x' or 'y'
- *      title: name of the axis (ie 'Colorbar') to go in default title
- *      name: axis object name (ie 'xaxis') if one should be stored
- *      font: the default font to inherit
- *      outerTicks: boolean, should ticks default to outside?
- *      showGrid: boolean, should gridlines be shown by default?
- *      noHover: boolean, this axis doesn't support hover effects?
- *      data: the plot data to use in choosing auto type
- */
-axes.handleAxisDefaults = function(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, options) {
-    var letter = options.letter,
-        font = options.font || {},
-        defaultTitle = 'Click to enter ' +
-            (options.title || (letter.toUpperCase() + ' axis')) +
-            ' title';
-
-    // set up some private properties
-    if(options.name) {
-        containerOut._name = options.name;
-        containerOut._id = axes.name2id(options.name);
-    }
-
-    // now figure out type and do some more initialization
-    var axType = coerce('type');
-    if(axType==='-') {
-        setAutoType(containerOut, options.data);
-
-        if(containerOut.type==='-') {
-            containerOut.type = 'linear';
-        }
-        else {
-            // copy autoType back to input axis
-            // note that if this object didn't exist
-            // in the input layout, we have to put it in
-            // this happens in the main supplyDefaults function
-            axType = containerIn.type = containerOut.type;
-        }
-    }
-    axes.setConvert(containerOut);
-
-    coerce('title', defaultTitle);
-    Plotly.Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'titlefont', {
-        family: font.family,
-        size: Math.round(font.size * 1.2),
-        color: font.color
-    });
-
-    var validRange = (containerIn.range||[]).length===2 &&
-            isNumeric(containerIn.range[0]) &&
-            isNumeric(containerIn.range[1]),
-        autoRange = coerce('autorange', !validRange);
-
-    if(autoRange) coerce('rangemode');
-    var range = coerce('range', [-1, letter==='x' ? 6 : 4]);
-    if(range[0] === range[1]) {
-        containerOut.range = [range[0] - 1, range[0] + 1];
-    }
-    Plotly.Lib.noneOrAll(containerIn.range, containerOut.range, [0, 1]);
-
-    coerce('fixedrange');
-
-    axes.handleTickValueDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType);
-
-    axes.handleTickDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType, options);
-
-
-
-    var lineColor = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'linecolor'),
-        lineWidth = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'linewidth'),
-        showLine = coerce('showline', !!lineColor || !!lineWidth);
-
-    if(!showLine) {
-        delete containerOut.linecolor;
-        delete containerOut.linewidth;
-    }
-
-    if(showLine || containerOut.ticks) coerce('mirror');
-
-    var gridColor = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'gridcolor'),
-        gridWidth = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'gridwidth'),
-        showGridLines = coerce('showgrid', options.showGrid || !!gridColor || !!gridWidth);
-
-    if(!showGridLines) {
-        delete containerOut.gridcolor;
-        delete containerOut.gridwidth;
-    }
-
-    var zeroLineColor = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'zerolinecolor'),
-        zeroLineWidth = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'zerolinewidth'),
-        showZeroLine = coerce('zeroline', options.showGrid || !!zeroLineColor || !!zeroLineWidth);
-
-    if(!showZeroLine) {
-        delete containerOut.zerolinecolor;
-        delete containerOut.zerolinewidth;
-    }
-
-    return containerOut;
-};
-
-/**
- * options: inherits font, outerTicks, noHover from axes.handleAxisDefaults
- */
-axes.handleTickDefaults = function(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType, options) {
-    var tickLen = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'ticklen'),
-        tickWidth = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'tickwidth'),
-        tickColor = Plotly.Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, axes.layoutAttributes, 'tickcolor'),
-        showTicks = coerce('ticks', (options.outerTicks || tickLen || tickWidth || tickColor) ? 'outside' : '');
-    if(!showTicks) {
-        delete containerOut.ticklen;
-        delete containerOut.tickwidth;
-        delete containerOut.tickcolor;
-    }
-
-    var showTickLabels = coerce('showticklabels');
-    if(showTickLabels) {
-        Plotly.Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'tickfont', options.font || {});
-        coerce('tickangle');
-
-        var showAttrDflt = axes.getShowAttrDflt(containerIn);
-
-        if(axType !== 'category') {
-            var tickFormat = coerce('tickformat');
-            if(!options.noHover) coerce('hoverformat');
-
-            if(!tickFormat && axType !== 'date') {
-                coerce('showexponent', showAttrDflt);
-                coerce('exponentformat');
-            }
-        }
-
-        var tickPrefix = coerce('tickprefix');
-        if(tickPrefix) coerce('showtickprefix', showAttrDflt);
-
-        var tickSuffix = coerce('ticksuffix');
-        if(tickSuffix) coerce('showticksuffix', showAttrDflt);
-    }
-};
-
-axes.handleTickValueDefaults = function(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType) {
-    var tickmodeDefault = 'auto';
-
-    if(containerIn.tickmode === 'array' &&
-            (axType === 'log' || axType === 'date')) {
-        containerIn.tickmode = 'auto';
-    }
-
-    if(Array.isArray(containerIn.tickvals)) tickmodeDefault = 'array';
-    else if(containerIn.dtick && isNumeric(containerIn.dtick)) {
-        tickmodeDefault = 'linear';
-    }
-    var tickmode = coerce('tickmode', tickmodeDefault);
-
-    if(tickmode === 'auto') coerce('nticks');
-    else if(tickmode === 'linear') {
-        coerce('tick0');
-        coerce('dtick');
-    }
-    else {
-        var tickvals = coerce('tickvals');
-        if(tickvals === undefined) containerOut.tickmode = 'auto';
-        else coerce('ticktext');
-    }
-};
-
-axes.handleAxisPositioningDefaults = function(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, options) {
-    var counterAxes = options.counterAxes || [],
-        overlayableAxes = options.overlayableAxes || [],
-        letter = options.letter;
-
-    var anchor = Plotly.Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut,
-        {
-            anchor: {
-                valType:'enumerated',
-                values: ['free'].concat(counterAxes),
-                dflt: isNumeric(containerIn.position) ? 'free' :
-                    (counterAxes[0] || 'free')
-            }
-        },
-        'anchor');
-
-    if(anchor==='free') coerce('position');
-
-    Plotly.Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut,
-        {
-            side: {
-                valType: 'enumerated',
-                values: letter==='x' ? ['bottom', 'top'] : ['left', 'right'],
-                dflt: letter==='x' ? 'bottom' : 'left'
-            }
-        },
-        'side');
-
-    var overlaying = false;
-    if(overlayableAxes.length) {
-        overlaying = Plotly.Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
-            overlaying: {
-                valType: 'enumerated',
-                values: [false].concat(overlayableAxes),
-                dflt: false
-            }
-        },
-        'overlaying');
-    }
+var axisIds = require('./axis_ids');
+axes.id2name = axisIds.id2name;
+axes.cleanId = axisIds.cleanId;
+axes.list = axisIds.list;
+axes.listIds = axisIds.listIds;
+axes.getFromId = axisIds.getFromId;
+axes.getFromTrace = axisIds.getFromTrace;
 
-    if(!overlaying) {
-        // TODO: right now I'm copying this domain over to overlaying axes
-        // in ax.setscale()... but this means we still need (imperfect) logic
-        // in the axes popover to hide domain for the overlaying axis.
-        // perhaps I should make a private version _domain that all axes get???
-        var domain = coerce('domain');
-        if(domain[0] > domain[1] - 0.01) containerOut.domain = [0,1];
-        Plotly.Lib.noneOrAll(containerIn.domain, containerOut.domain, [0, 1]);
-    }
-
-    return containerOut;
-};
 
 // find the list of possible axes to reference with an xref or yref attribute
 // and coerce it to that list
@@ -359,450 +52,21 @@ axes.coerceRef = function(containerIn, containerOut, td, axLetter) {
 // so we auto-set them again
 axes.clearTypes = function(gd, traces) {
     if(!Array.isArray(traces) || !traces.length) {
-        traces = (gd._fullData).map(function(d,i) { return i; });
+        traces = (gd._fullData).map(function(d, i) { return i; });
     }
     traces.forEach(function(tracenum) {
         var trace = gd.data[tracenum];
-        delete (axes.getFromId(gd, trace.xaxis)||{}).type;
-        delete (axes.getFromId(gd, trace.yaxis)||{}).type;
+        delete (axes.getFromId(gd, trace.xaxis) || {}).type;
+        delete (axes.getFromId(gd, trace.yaxis) || {}).type;
     });
 };
 
-// convert between axis names (xaxis, xaxis2, etc, elements of td.layout)
-// and axis id's (x, x2, etc). Would probably have ditched 'xaxis'
-// completely in favor of just 'x' if it weren't ingrained in the API etc.
-var AX_ID_PATTERN = /^[xyz][0-9]*$/,
-    AX_NAME_PATTERN = /^[xyz]axis[0-9]*$/;
-axes.id2name = function(id) {
-    if(typeof id !== 'string' || !id.match(AX_ID_PATTERN)) return;
-    var axNum = id.substr(1);
-    if(axNum==='1') axNum = '';
-    return id.charAt(0) + 'axis' + axNum;
-};
-
-axes.name2id = function(name) {
-    if(!name.match(AX_NAME_PATTERN)) return;
-    var axNum = name.substr(5);
-    if(axNum==='1') axNum = '';
-    return name.charAt(0)+axNum;
-};
-
-axes.cleanId = function(id, axLetter) {
-    if(!id.match(AX_ID_PATTERN)) return;
-    if(axLetter && id.charAt(0)!==axLetter) return;
-
-    var axNum = id.substr(1).replace(/^0+/,'');
-    if(axNum==='1') axNum = '';
-    return id.charAt(0) + axNum;
-};
-
-axes.cleanName = function(name, axLetter) {
-    if(!name.match(AX_ID_PATTERN)) return;
-    if(axLetter && name.charAt(0)!==axLetter) return;
-
-    var axNum = name.substr(5).replace(/^0+/,'');
-    if(axNum==='1') axNum = '';
-    return name.charAt(0) + 'axis' + axNum;
-};
-
 // get counteraxis letter for this axis (name or id)
 // this can also be used as the id for default counter axis
 axes.counterLetter = function(id) {
-    return {x:'y',y:'x'}[id.charAt(0)];
-};
-
-function setAutoType(ax, data){
-    // new logic: let people specify any type they want,
-    // only autotype if type is '-'
-    if(ax.type!=='-') return;
-
-    var id = ax._id,
-        axLetter = id.charAt(0);
-
-    // support 3d
-    if(id.indexOf('scene') !== -1) id = axLetter;
-
-    var d0 = getFirstNonEmptyTrace(data, id, axLetter);
-    if(!d0) return;
-
-    // first check for histograms, as the count direction
-    // should always default to a linear axis
-    if(d0.type==='histogram' &&
-            axLetter==={v:'y', h:'x'}[d0.orientation || 'v']) {
-        ax.type='linear';
-        return;
-    }
-
-    // check all boxes on this x axis to see
-    // if they're dates, numbers, or categories
-    if(isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(d0, axLetter)) {
-        var posLetter = getBoxPosLetter(d0),
-            boxPositions = [],
-            trace;
-
-        for(var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
-            trace = data[i];
-            if(!Plotly.Plots.traceIs(trace, 'box') ||
-               (trace[axLetter + 'axis'] || axLetter) !== id) continue;
-
-            if(trace[posLetter] !== undefined) boxPositions.push(trace[posLetter][0]);
-            else if(trace.name !== undefined) boxPositions.push(trace.name);
-            else boxPositions.push('text');
-        }
-
-        ax.type = axes.autoType(boxPositions);
-    }
-    else {
-        ax.type = axes.autoType(d0[axLetter] || [d0[axLetter+'0']]);
-    }
-}
-
-function getBoxPosLetter(trace) {
-    return {v:'x', h:'y'}[trace.orientation || 'v'];
-}
-
-function isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(trace, axLetter) {
-    var posLetter = getBoxPosLetter(trace);
-    return Plotly.Plots.traceIs(trace, 'box') && axLetter===posLetter &&
-            trace[posLetter]===undefined && trace[posLetter + '0']===undefined;
-}
-
-function getFirstNonEmptyTrace(data, id, axLetter) {
-    var trace;
-
-    for(var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
-        trace = data[i];
-
-        if((trace[axLetter + 'axis'] || axLetter) === id) {
-            if(isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(trace, axLetter)) {
-                return trace;
-            }
-            else if((trace[axLetter] || []).length || trace[axLetter + '0']) {
-                return trace;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-axes.autoType = function(array) {
-    if(axes.moreDates(array)) return 'date';
-    if(axes.category(array)) return 'category';
-    if(linearOK(array)) return 'linear';
-    else return '-';
-};
-
-/*
- * Attributes 'showexponent', 'showtickprefix' and 'showticksuffix'
- * share values.
- *
- * If only 1 attribute is set,
- * the remaining attributes inherit that value.
- *
- * If 2 attributes are set to the same value,
- * the remaining attribute inherits that value.
- *
- * If 2 attributes are set to different values,
- * the remaining is set to its dflt value.
- *
- */
-axes.getShowAttrDflt = function getShowAttrDflt(containerIn) {
-    var showAttrsAll = ['showexponent',
-                        'showtickprefix',
-                        'showticksuffix'],
-        showAttrs = showAttrsAll.filter(function(a){
-            return containerIn[a]!==undefined;
-        }),
-        sameVal = function(a){
-            return containerIn[a]===containerIn[showAttrs[0]];
-        };
-    if (showAttrs.every(sameVal) || showAttrs.length===1) {
-        return containerIn[showAttrs[0]];
-    }
-};
-
-// is there at least one number in array? If not, we should leave
-// ax.type empty so it can be autoset later
-function linearOK(array) {
-    if(!array) return false;
-    for(var i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
-        if(isNumeric(array[i])) return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-}
-
-// does the array a have mostly dates rather than numbers?
-// note: some values can be neither (such as blanks, text)
-// 2- or 4-digit integers can be both, so require twice as many
-// dates as non-dates, to exclude cases with mostly 2 & 4 digit
-// numbers and a few dates
-axes.moreDates = function(a) {
-    var dcnt=0, ncnt=0,
-        // test at most 1000 points, evenly spaced
-        inc = Math.max(1,(a.length-1)/1000),
-        ai;
-    for(var i=0; i<a.length; i+=inc) {
-        ai = a[Math.round(i)];
-        if(Plotly.Lib.isDateTime(ai)) dcnt+=1;
-        if(isNumeric(ai)) ncnt+=1;
-    }
-    return (dcnt>ncnt*2);
-};
-
-// are the (x,y)-values in td.data mostly text?
-// require twice as many categories as numbers
-axes.category = function(a) {
-    // test at most 1000 points
-    var inc = Math.max(1, (a.length - 1) / 1000),
-        curvenums = 0,
-        curvecats = 0,
-        ai;
-
-    for(var i = 0; i < a.length; i += inc) {
-        ai = axes.cleanDatum(a[Math.round(i)]);
-        if(isNumeric(ai)) curvenums++;
-        else if(typeof ai === 'string' && ai !== '' && ai !== 'None') curvecats++;
-    }
-    return curvecats > curvenums * 2;
-};
-
-// cleanDatum: removes characters
-// same replace criteria used in the grid.js:scrapeCol
-// but also handling dates, numbers, and NaN, null, Infinity etc
-axes.cleanDatum = function(c){
-    try{
-        if(typeof c==='object' && c!==null && c.getTime) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.ms2DateTime(c);
-        }
-        if(typeof c!=='string' && !isNumeric(c)) {
-            return '';
-        }
-        c = c.toString().replace(/['"%,$# ]/g,'');
-    }catch(e){
-        console.log(e,c);
-    }
-    return c;
-};
-
-/**
- * standardize all missing data in calcdata to use undefined
- * never null or NaN.
- * that way we can use !==undefined, or !==axes.BADNUM,
- * to test for real data
- */
-axes.BADNUM = undefined;
-
-// setConvert: define the conversion functions for an axis
-// data is used in 4 ways:
-//  d: data, in whatever form it's provided
-//  c: calcdata: turned into numbers, but not linearized
-//  l: linearized - same as c except for log axes (and other
-//      mappings later?) this is used by ranges, and when we
-//      need to know if it's *possible* to show some data on
-//      this axis, without caring about the current range
-//  p: pixel value - mapped to the screen with current size and zoom
-// setAxConvert creates/updates these conversion functions
-// also clears the autorange bounds ._min and ._max
-// and the autotick constraints ._minDtick, ._forceTick0,
-// and looks for date ranges that aren't yet in numeric format
-axes.setConvert = function(ax) {
-    // clipMult: how many axis lengths past the edge do we render?
-    // for panning, 1-2 would suffice, but for zooming more is nice.
-    // also, clipping can affect the direction of lines off the edge...
-    var clipMult = 10;
-
-    function toLog(v, clip){
-        if(v>0) return Math.log(v)/Math.LN10;
-
-        else if(v<=0 && clip && ax.range && ax.range.length===2) {
-            // clip NaN (ie past negative infinity) to clipMult axis
-            // length past the negative edge
-            var r0 = ax.range[0],
-                r1 = ax.range[1];
-            return 0.5*(r0 + r1 - 3 * clipMult * Math.abs(r0 - r1));
-        }
-
-        else return axes.BADNUM;
-    }
-    function fromLog(v){ return Math.pow(10,v); }
-    function num(v){ return isNumeric(v) ? Number(v) : axes.BADNUM; }
-
-    ax.c2l = (ax.type==='log') ? toLog : num;
-    ax.l2c = (ax.type==='log') ? fromLog : num;
-    ax.l2d = function(v) { return ax.c2d(ax.l2c(v)); };
-    ax.p2d = function(v) { return ax.l2d(ax.p2l(v)); };
-
-    // set scaling to pixels
-    ax.setScale = function(){
-        var gs = ax._td._fullLayout._size,
-            i;
-
-        // TODO cleaner way to handle this case
-        if (!ax._categories) ax._categories = [];
-
-        // make sure we have a domain (pull it in from the axis
-        // this one is overlaying if necessary)
-        if(ax.overlaying) {
-            var ax2 = axes.getFromId(ax._td, ax.overlaying);
-            ax.domain = ax2.domain;
-        }
-
-        // make sure we have a range (linearized data values)
-        // and that it stays away from the limits of javascript numbers
-        if(!ax.range || ax.range.length!==2 || ax.range[0]===ax.range[1]) {
-            ax.range = [-1,1];
-        }
-        for(i=0; i<2; i++) {
-            if(!isNumeric(ax.range[i])) {
-                ax.range[i] = isNumeric(ax.range[1-i]) ?
-                    (ax.range[1-i] * (i ? 10 : 0.1)) :
-                    (i ? 1 : -1);
-            }
-
-            if(ax.range[i]<-(Number.MAX_VALUE/2)) {
-                ax.range[i] = -(Number.MAX_VALUE/2);
-            }
-            else if(ax.range[i]>Number.MAX_VALUE/2) {
-                ax.range[i] = Number.MAX_VALUE/2;
-            }
-
-        }
-
-        if(ax._id.charAt(0)==='y') {
-            ax._offset = gs.t+(1-ax.domain[1])*gs.h;
-            ax._length = gs.h*(ax.domain[1]-ax.domain[0]);
-            ax._m = ax._length/(ax.range[0]-ax.range[1]);
-            ax._b = -ax._m*ax.range[1];
-        }
-        else {
-            ax._offset = gs.l+ax.domain[0]*gs.w;
-            ax._length = gs.w*(ax.domain[1]-ax.domain[0]);
-            ax._m = ax._length/(ax.range[1]-ax.range[0]);
-            ax._b = -ax._m*ax.range[0];
-        }
-
-        if (!isFinite(ax._m) || !isFinite(ax._b)) {
-            Plotly.Lib.notifier(
-                'Something went wrong with axis scaling',
-                'long');
-            ax._td._replotting = false;
-            throw new Error('axis scaling');
-        }
-    };
-
-    ax.l2p = function(v) {
-        if(!isNumeric(v)) return axes.BADNUM;
-        // include 2 fractional digits on pixel, for PDF zooming etc
-        return d3.round(Plotly.Lib.constrain(ax._b + ax._m*v,
-            -clipMult*ax._length, (1+clipMult)*ax._length), 2);
-    };
-
-    ax.p2l = function(px) { return (px-ax._b)/ax._m; };
-
-    ax.c2p = function(v, clip) { return ax.l2p(ax.c2l(v, clip)); };
-    ax.p2c = function(px){ return ax.l2c(ax.p2l(px)); };
-
-    if(['linear','log','-'].indexOf(ax.type)!==-1) {
-        ax.c2d = num;
-        ax.d2c = function(v){
-            v = axes.cleanDatum(v);
-            return isNumeric(v) ? Number(v) : axes.BADNUM;
-        };
-        ax.d2l = function(v, clip) {
-            if (ax.type === 'log') return ax.c2l(ax.d2c(v), clip);
-            else return ax.d2c(v);
-        };
-    }
-    else if(ax.type==='date') {
-        ax.c2d = function(v) {
-            return isNumeric(v) ? Plotly.Lib.ms2DateTime(v) : axes.BADNUM;
-        };
-
-        ax.d2c = function(v){
-            return (isNumeric(v)) ? Number(v) : Plotly.Lib.dateTime2ms(v);
-        };
-
-        ax.d2l = ax.d2c;
-
-        // check if date strings or js date objects are provided for range
-        // and convert to ms
-        if(ax.range && ax.range.length>1) {
-            try {
-                var ar1 = ax.range.map(Plotly.Lib.dateTime2ms);
-                if(!isNumeric(ax.range[0]) && isNumeric(ar1[0])) {
-                    ax.range[0] = ar1[0];
-                }
-                if(!isNumeric(ax.range[1]) && isNumeric(ar1[1])) {
-                    ax.range[1] = ar1[1];
-                }
-            }
-            catch(e) { console.log(e, ax.range); }
-        }
-    }
-    else if(ax.type==='category') {
-
-        ax.c2d = function(v) {
-            return ax._categories[Math.round(v)];
-        };
-
-        ax.d2c = function(v) {
-            // create the category list
-            // this will enter the categories in the order it
-            // encounters them, ie all the categories from the
-            // first data set, then all the ones from the second
-            // that aren't in the first etc.
-            // TODO: sorting options - do the sorting
-            // progressively here as we insert?
-            if(ax._categories.indexOf(v)===-1) ax._categories.push(v);
-
-            var c = ax._categories.indexOf(v);
-            return c===-1 ? axes.BADNUM : c;
-        };
-
-        ax.d2l = ax.d2c;
-    }
-
-    // makeCalcdata: takes an x or y array and converts it
-    // to a position on the axis object "ax"
-    // inputs:
-    //      tdc - a data object from td.data
-    //      axletter - a string, either 'x' or 'y', for which item
-    //          to convert (TODO: is this now always the same as
-    //          the first letter of ax._id?)
-    // in case the expected data isn't there, make a list of
-    // integers based on the opposite data
-    ax.makeCalcdata = function(tdc, axletter) {
-        var arrayIn, arrayOut, i;
-
-        if(axletter in tdc) {
-            arrayIn = tdc[axletter];
-            arrayOut = new Array(arrayIn.length);
-
-            for(i = 0; i < arrayIn.length; i++) arrayOut[i] = ax.d2c(arrayIn[i]);
-        }
-        else {
-            var v0 = ((axletter+'0') in tdc) ?
-                    ax.d2c(tdc[axletter+'0']) : 0,
-                dv = (tdc['d'+axletter]) ?
-                    Number(tdc['d'+axletter]) : 1;
-
-            // the opposing data, for size if we have x and dx etc
-            arrayIn = tdc[{x: 'y',y: 'x'}[axletter]];
-            arrayOut = new Array(arrayIn.length);
-
-            for(i = 0; i < arrayIn.length; i++) arrayOut[i] = v0+i*dv;
-        }
-        return arrayOut;
-    };
-
-    // for autoranging: arrays of objects:
-    //      {val: axis value, pad: pixel padding}
-    // on the low and high sides
-    ax._min = [];
-    ax._max = [];
-
-    // and for bar charts and box plots: reset forced minimum tick spacing
-    ax._minDtick = null;
-    ax._forceTick0 = null;
+    var axLetter = id.charAt(0);
+    if(axLetter === 'x') return 'y';
+    if(axLetter === 'y') return 'x';
 };
 
 // incorporate a new minimum difference and first tick into
@@ -1081,8 +345,8 @@ axes.autoBin = function(data,ax,nbins,is2d) {
         datamax = Plotly.Lib.aggNums(Math.max, null, data);
     if(ax.type==='category') {
         return {
-            start: datamin-0.5,
-            end: datamax+0.5,
+            start: datamin - 0.5,
+            end: datamax + 0.5,
             size: 1
         };
     }
@@ -1195,12 +459,12 @@ axes.calcTicks = function calcTicks(ax) {
         var nt = ax.nticks,
             minPx;
         if(!nt) {
-            if(ax.type==='category') {
+            if(ax.type === 'category') {
                 minPx = ax.tickfont ? (ax.tickfont.size || 12) * 1.2 : 15;
                 nt = ax._length / minPx;
             }
             else {
-                minPx = ax._id.charAt(0)==='y' ? 40 : 80;
+                minPx = ax._id.charAt(0) === 'y' ? 40 : 80;
                 nt = Plotly.Lib.constrain(ax._length / minPx, 4, 9) + 1;
             }
         }
@@ -1874,81 +1138,6 @@ function numSeparate(nStr, separators) {
     return x1 + x2;
 }
 
-// get all axis object names
-// optionally restricted to only x or y or z by string axLetter
-// and optionally 2D axes only, not those inside 3D scenes
-function listNames(td, axLetter, only2d) {
-    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
-    if(!fullLayout) return [];
-
-    function filterAxis(obj, extra) {
-        var keys = Object.keys(obj),
-            axMatch = /^[xyz]axis[0-9]*/,
-            out = [];
-
-        for(var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
-            var k = keys[i];
-            if(axLetter && k.charAt(0) !== axLetter) continue;
-            if(axMatch.test(k)) out.push(extra + k);
-        }
-
-        return out.sort();
-    }
-
-    var names = filterAxis(fullLayout, '');
-    if(only2d) return names;
-
-    var sceneIds3D = Plotly.Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d') || [];
-    for(var i = 0; i < sceneIds3D.length; i++) {
-        var sceneId = sceneIds3D[i];
-        names = names.concat(
-            filterAxis(fullLayout[sceneId], sceneId + '.')
-        );
-    }
-
-    return names;
-}
-
-// get all axis objects, as restricted in listNames
-axes.list = function(td, axletter, only2d) {
-    return listNames(td, axletter, only2d)
-        .map(function(axName) {
-            return Plotly.Lib.nestedProperty(td._fullLayout, axName).get();
-        });
-};
-
-// get all axis ids, optionally restricted by letter
-// this only makes sense for 2d axes
-axes.listIds = function(td, axletter) {
-    return listNames(td, axletter, true).map(axes.name2id);
-};
-
-// get an axis object from its id 'x','x2' etc
-// optionally, id can be a subplot (ie 'x2y3') and type gets x or y from it
-axes.getFromId = function(td, id, type) {
-    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
-
-    if(type==='x') id = id.replace(/y[0-9]*/,'');
-    else if(type==='y') id = id.replace(/x[0-9]*/,'');
-
-    return fullLayout[axes.id2name(id)];
-};
-
-// get an axis object of specified type from the containing trace
-axes.getFromTrace = function(td, fullTrace, type) {
-    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
-    var ax = null;
-    if (Plotly.Plots.traceIs(fullTrace, 'gl3d')) {
-        var scene = fullTrace.scene;
-        if (scene.substr(0,5)==='scene') {
-            ax = fullLayout[scene][type + 'axis'];
-        }
-    } else {
-        ax = axes.getFromId(td, fullTrace[type + 'axis'] || type);
-    }
-
-    return ax;
-};
 
 axes.subplotMatch = /^x([0-9]*)y([0-9]*)$/;
 
@@ -2230,7 +1419,7 @@ axes.doTicks = function(td, axid, skipTitle) {
     var valsClipped = vals.filter(clipEnds);
 
     function drawTicks(container,tickpath) {
-        var ticks=container.selectAll('path.'+tcls)
+        var ticks = container.selectAll('path.'+tcls)
             .data(ax.ticks==='inside' ? valsClipped : vals, datafn);
         if(tickpath && ax.ticks) {
             ticks.enter().append('path').classed(tcls, 1).classed('ticks', 1)
@@ -2244,7 +1433,7 @@ axes.doTicks = function(td, axid, skipTitle) {
         else ticks.remove();
     }
 
-    function drawLabels(container,position) {
+    function drawLabels(container, position) {
         // tick labels - for now just the main labels.
         // TODO: mirror labels, esp for subplots
         var tickLabels=container.selectAll('g.'+tcls).data(vals, datafn);
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/axis_defaults.js b/src/plots/cartesian/axis_defaults.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a1e112adb42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/axis_defaults.js
@@ -0,0 +1,259 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var Plots = require('../plots');
+
+var layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+var handleTickValueDefaults = require('./tick_value_defaults');
+var handleTickDefaults = require('./tick_defaults');
+var setConvert = require('./set_convert');
+var cleanDatum = require('./clean_datum');
+var axisIds = require('./axis_ids');
+
+
+/**
+ * options: object containing:
+ *
+ *  letter: 'x' or 'y'
+ *  title: name of the axis (ie 'Colorbar') to go in default title
+ *  name: axis object name (ie 'xaxis') if one should be stored
+ *  font: the default font to inherit
+ *  outerTicks: boolean, should ticks default to outside?
+ *  showGrid: boolean, should gridlines be shown by default?
+ *  noHover: boolean, this axis doesn't support hover effects?
+ *  data: the plot data to use in choosing auto type
+ */
+module.exports = function handleAxisDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, options) {
+    var letter = options.letter,
+        font = options.font || {},
+        defaultTitle = 'Click to enter ' +
+            (options.title || (letter.toUpperCase() + ' axis')) +
+            ' title';
+
+    // set up some private properties
+    if(options.name) {
+        containerOut._name = options.name;
+        containerOut._id = axisIds.name2id(options.name);
+    }
+
+    // now figure out type and do some more initialization
+    var axType = coerce('type');
+    if(axType === '-') {
+        setAutoType(containerOut, options.data);
+
+        if(containerOut.type === '-') {
+            containerOut.type = 'linear';
+        }
+        else {
+            // copy autoType back to input axis
+            // note that if this object didn't exist
+            // in the input layout, we have to put it in
+            // this happens in the main supplyDefaults function
+            axType = containerIn.type = containerOut.type;
+        }
+    }
+
+    setConvert(containerOut);
+
+    coerce('title', defaultTitle);
+    Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'titlefont', {
+        family: font.family,
+        size: Math.round(font.size * 1.2),
+        color: font.color
+    });
+
+    var validRange = (
+        (containerIn.range || []).length === 2 &&
+        isNumeric(containerIn.range[0]) &&
+        isNumeric(containerIn.range[1])
+    );
+    var autoRange = coerce('autorange', !validRange);
+
+    if(autoRange) coerce('rangemode');
+    var range = coerce('range', [-1, letter === 'x' ? 6 : 4]);
+    if(range[0] === range[1]) {
+        containerOut.range = [range[0] - 1, range[0] + 1];
+    }
+    Lib.noneOrAll(containerIn.range, containerOut.range, [0, 1]);
+
+    coerce('fixedrange');
+
+    handleTickValueDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType);
+    handleTickDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType, options);
+
+    var lineColor = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'linecolor'),
+        lineWidth = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'linewidth'),
+        showLine = coerce('showline', !!lineColor || !!lineWidth);
+
+    if(!showLine) {
+        delete containerOut.linecolor;
+        delete containerOut.linewidth;
+    }
+
+    if(showLine || containerOut.ticks) coerce('mirror');
+
+    var gridColor = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'gridcolor'),
+        gridWidth = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'gridwidth'),
+        showGridLines = coerce('showgrid', options.showGrid || !!gridColor || !!gridWidth);
+
+    if(!showGridLines) {
+        delete containerOut.gridcolor;
+        delete containerOut.gridwidth;
+    }
+
+    var zeroLineColor = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'zerolinecolor'),
+        zeroLineWidth = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'zerolinewidth'),
+        showZeroLine = coerce('zeroline', options.showGrid || !!zeroLineColor || !!zeroLineWidth);
+
+    if(!showZeroLine) {
+        delete containerOut.zerolinecolor;
+        delete containerOut.zerolinewidth;
+    }
+
+    return containerOut;
+};
+
+function setAutoType(ax, data){
+    // new logic: let people specify any type they want,
+    // only autotype if type is '-'
+    if(ax.type!=='-') return;
+
+    var id = ax._id,
+        axLetter = id.charAt(0);
+
+    // support 3d
+    if(id.indexOf('scene') !== -1) id = axLetter;
+
+    var d0 = getFirstNonEmptyTrace(data, id, axLetter);
+    if(!d0) return;
+
+    // first check for histograms, as the count direction
+    // should always default to a linear axis
+    if(d0.type==='histogram' &&
+            axLetter === {v:'y', h:'x'}[d0.orientation || 'v']) {
+        ax.type='linear';
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // check all boxes on this x axis to see
+    // if they're dates, numbers, or categories
+    if(isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(d0, axLetter)) {
+        var posLetter = getBoxPosLetter(d0),
+            boxPositions = [],
+            trace;
+
+        for(var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
+            trace = data[i];
+            if(!Plots.traceIs(trace, 'box') ||
+               (trace[axLetter + 'axis'] || axLetter) !== id) continue;
+
+            if(trace[posLetter] !== undefined) boxPositions.push(trace[posLetter][0]);
+            else if(trace.name !== undefined) boxPositions.push(trace.name);
+            else boxPositions.push('text');
+        }
+
+        ax.type = autoType(boxPositions);
+    }
+    else {
+        ax.type = autoType(d0[axLetter] || [d0[axLetter+'0']]);
+    }
+}
+
+function getBoxPosLetter(trace) {
+    return {v:'x', h:'y'}[trace.orientation || 'v'];
+}
+
+function isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(trace, axLetter) {
+    var posLetter = getBoxPosLetter(trace);
+
+    return (
+        Plots.traceIs(trace, 'box') &&
+        axLetter === posLetter &&
+        trace[posLetter] === undefined &&
+        trace[posLetter + '0'] === undefined
+    );
+}
+
+function autoType(array) {
+    if(moreDates(array)) return 'date';
+    if(category(array)) return 'category';
+    if(linearOK(array)) return 'linear';
+    else return '-';
+}
+
+function getFirstNonEmptyTrace(data, id, axLetter) {
+    for(var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
+        var trace = data[i];
+
+        if((trace[axLetter + 'axis'] || axLetter) === id) {
+            if(isBoxWithoutPositionCoords(trace, axLetter)) {
+                return trace;
+            }
+            else if((trace[axLetter] || []).length || trace[axLetter + '0']) {
+                return trace;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// is there at least one number in array? If not, we should leave
+// ax.type empty so it can be autoset later
+function linearOK(array) {
+    if(!array) return false;
+
+    for(var i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
+        if(isNumeric(array[i])) return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+// does the array a have mostly dates rather than numbers?
+// note: some values can be neither (such as blanks, text)
+// 2- or 4-digit integers can be both, so require twice as many
+// dates as non-dates, to exclude cases with mostly 2 & 4 digit
+// numbers and a few dates
+function moreDates(a) {
+    var dcnt = 0,
+        ncnt = 0,
+        // test at most 1000 points, evenly spaced
+        inc = Math.max(1, (a.length - 1) / 1000),
+        ai;
+
+    for(var i = 0; i < a.length; i += inc) {
+        ai = a[Math.round(i)];
+        if(Lib.isDateTime(ai)) dcnt += 1;
+        if(isNumeric(ai)) ncnt += 1;
+    }
+
+    return (dcnt > ncnt * 2);
+}
+
+// are the (x,y)-values in td.data mostly text?
+// require twice as many categories as numbers
+function category(a) {
+    // test at most 1000 points
+    var inc = Math.max(1, (a.length - 1) / 1000),
+        curvenums = 0,
+        curvecats = 0,
+        ai;
+
+    for(var i = 0; i < a.length; i += inc) {
+        ai = cleanDatum(a[Math.round(i)]);
+        if(isNumeric(ai)) curvenums++;
+        else if(typeof ai === 'string' && ai !== '' && ai !== 'None') curvecats++;
+    }
+
+    return curvecats > curvenums * 2;
+}
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/axis_ids.js b/src/plots/cartesian/axis_ids.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0ff9626289c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/axis_ids.js
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Plots = require('../plots');
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+var constants = require('./constants');
+
+
+// convert between axis names (xaxis, xaxis2, etc, elements of td.layout)
+// and axis id's (x, x2, etc). Would probably have ditched 'xaxis'
+// completely in favor of just 'x' if it weren't ingrained in the API etc.
+exports.id2name = function id2name(id) {
+    if(typeof id !== 'string' || !id.match(constants.AX_ID_PATTERN)) return;
+    var axNum = id.substr(1);
+    if(axNum === '1') axNum = '';
+    return id.charAt(0) + 'axis' + axNum;
+};
+
+exports.name2id = function name2id(name) {
+    if(!name.match(constants.AX_NAME_PATTERN)) return;
+    var axNum = name.substr(5);
+    if(axNum === '1') axNum = '';
+    return name.charAt(0) + axNum;
+};
+
+exports.cleanId = function cleanId(id, axLetter) {
+    if(!id.match(constants.AX_ID_PATTERN)) return;
+    if(axLetter && id.charAt(0) !== axLetter) return;
+
+    var axNum = id.substr(1).replace(/^0+/,'');
+    if(axNum === '1') axNum = '';
+    return id.charAt(0) + axNum;
+};
+
+// get all axis object names
+// optionally restricted to only x or y or z by string axLetter
+// and optionally 2D axes only, not those inside 3D scenes
+function listNames(td, axLetter, only2d) {
+    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
+    if(!fullLayout) return [];
+
+    function filterAxis(obj, extra) {
+        var keys = Object.keys(obj),
+            axMatch = /^[xyz]axis[0-9]*/,
+            out = [];
+
+        for(var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
+            var k = keys[i];
+            if(axLetter && k.charAt(0) !== axLetter) continue;
+            if(axMatch.test(k)) out.push(extra + k);
+        }
+
+        return out.sort();
+    }
+
+    var names = filterAxis(fullLayout, '');
+    if(only2d) return names;
+
+    var sceneIds3D = Plots.getSubplotIds(fullLayout, 'gl3d') || [];
+    for(var i = 0; i < sceneIds3D.length; i++) {
+        var sceneId = sceneIds3D[i];
+        names = names.concat(
+            filterAxis(fullLayout[sceneId], sceneId + '.')
+        );
+    }
+
+    return names;
+}
+
+// get all axis objects, as restricted in listNames
+exports.list = function(td, axletter, only2d) {
+    return listNames(td, axletter, only2d)
+        .map(function(axName) {
+            return Lib.nestedProperty(td._fullLayout, axName).get();
+        });
+};
+
+// get all axis ids, optionally restricted by letter
+// this only makes sense for 2d axes
+exports.listIds = function(td, axletter) {
+    return listNames(td, axletter, true).map(exports.name2id);
+};
+
+// get an axis object from its id 'x','x2' etc
+// optionally, id can be a subplot (ie 'x2y3') and type gets x or y from it
+exports.getFromId = function(td, id, type) {
+    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
+
+    if(type === 'x') id = id.replace(/y[0-9]*/,'');
+    else if(type === 'y') id = id.replace(/x[0-9]*/,'');
+
+    return fullLayout[exports.id2name(id)];
+};
+
+// get an axis object of specified type from the containing trace
+exports.getFromTrace = function(td, fullTrace, type) {
+    var fullLayout = td._fullLayout;
+    var ax = null;
+
+    if(Plots.traceIs(fullTrace, 'gl3d')) {
+        var scene = fullTrace.scene;
+        if(scene.substr(0, 5) === 'scene') {
+            ax = fullLayout[scene][type + 'axis'];
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        ax = exports.getFromId(td, fullTrace[type + 'axis'] || type);
+    }
+
+    return ax;
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/clean_datum.js b/src/plots/cartesian/clean_datum.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e4e32b92cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/clean_datum.js
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+
+/**
+ * cleanDatum: removes characters
+ * same replace criteria used in the grid.js:scrapeCol
+ * but also handling dates, numbers, and NaN, null, Infinity etc
+ */
+module.exports = function cleanDatum(c) {
+    try{
+        if(typeof c === 'object' && c !== null && c.getTime) {
+            return Lib.ms2DateTime(c);
+        }
+        if(typeof c !== 'string' && !isNumeric(c)) {
+            return '';
+        }
+        c = c.toString().replace(/['"%,$# ]/g, '');
+    }
+    catch(e) {
+        console.log(e, c);
+    }
+
+    return c;
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/constants.js b/src/plots/cartesian/constants.js
index fb30322e895..77fa41ebdb3 100644
--- a/src/plots/cartesian/constants.js
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/constants.js
@@ -10,6 +10,22 @@
 
 
 module.exports = {
+    /**
+     * standardize all missing data in calcdata to use undefined
+     * never null or NaN.
+     * that way we can use !==undefined, or !== BADNUM,
+     * to test for real data
+     */
+    BADNUM: undefined,
+
+    // axis match regular expression
+    xAxisMatch: /^xaxis[0-9]*$/,
+    yAxisMatch: /^yaxis[0-9]*$/,
+
+    // pattern matching axis ids and names
+    AX_ID_PATTERN: /^[xyz][0-9]*$/,
+    AX_NAME_PATTERN: /^[xyz]axis[0-9]*$/,
+
     // ms between first mousedown and 2nd mouseup to constitute dblclick...
     // we don't seem to have access to the system setting
     DBLCLICKDELAY: 600,
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/layout_defaults.js b/src/plots/cartesian/layout_defaults.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7d656c0463b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/layout_defaults.js
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var Plots = require('../plots');
+
+var constants = require('./constants');
+var layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+var handleAxisDefaults = require('./axis_defaults');
+var handlePositionDefaults = require('./position_defaults');
+var axisIds = require('./axis_ids');
+
+
+module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData) {
+    // get the full list of axes already defined
+    var layoutKeys = Object.keys(layoutIn),
+        xaList = [],
+        yaList = [],
+        outerTicks = {},
+        noGrids = {},
+        i;
+
+    for(i = 0; i < layoutKeys.length; i++) {
+        var key = layoutKeys[i];
+        if(constants.xAxisMatch.test(key)) xaList.push(key);
+        else if(constants.yAxisMatch.test(key)) yaList.push(key);
+    }
+
+    for(i = 0; i < fullData.length; i++) {
+        var trace = fullData[i],
+            xaName = axisIds.id2name(trace.xaxis),
+            yaName = axisIds.id2name(trace.yaxis);
+
+        // add axes implied by traces
+        if(xaName && xaList.indexOf(xaName) === -1) xaList.push(xaName);
+        if(yaName && yaList.indexOf(yaName) === -1) yaList.push(yaName);
+
+        // check for default formatting tweaks
+        if(Plots.traceIs(trace, '2dMap')) {
+            outerTicks[xaName] = true;
+            outerTicks[yaName] = true;
+        }
+
+        if(Plots.traceIs(trace, 'oriented')) {
+            var positionAxis = trace.orientation === 'h' ? yaName : xaName;
+            noGrids[positionAxis] = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    function axSort(a,b) {
+        var aNum = Number(a.substr(5)||1),
+            bNum = Number(b.substr(5)||1);
+        return aNum - bNum;
+    }
+
+    if(layoutOut._hasCartesian || layoutOut._hasGL2D || !fullData.length) {
+        // make sure there's at least one of each and lists are sorted
+        if(!xaList.length) xaList = ['xaxis'];
+        else xaList.sort(axSort);
+
+        if(!yaList.length) yaList = ['yaxis'];
+        else yaList.sort(axSort);
+    }
+
+    xaList.concat(yaList).forEach(function(axName){
+        var axLetter = axName.charAt(0),
+            axLayoutIn = layoutIn[axName] || {},
+            axLayoutOut = {},
+            defaultOptions = {
+                letter: axLetter,
+                font: layoutOut.font,
+                outerTicks: outerTicks[axName],
+                showGrid: !noGrids[axName],
+                name: axName,
+                data: fullData
+            },
+            positioningOptions = {
+                letter: axLetter,
+                counterAxes: {x: yaList, y: xaList}[axLetter].map(axisIds.name2id),
+                overlayableAxes: {x: xaList, y: yaList}[axLetter].filter(function(axName2){
+                    return axName2!==axName && !(layoutIn[axName2]||{}).overlaying;
+                }).map(axisIds.name2id)
+            };
+
+        function coerce(attr, dflt) {
+            return Lib.coerce(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut, layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
+        }
+
+        handleAxisDefaults(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut, coerce, defaultOptions);
+        handlePositionDefaults(axLayoutIn, axLayoutOut, coerce, positioningOptions);
+        layoutOut[axName] = axLayoutOut;
+
+        // so we don't have to repeat autotype unnecessarily,
+        // copy an autotype back to layoutIn
+        if(!layoutIn[axName] && axLayoutIn.type!=='-') {
+            layoutIn[axName] = {type: axLayoutIn.type};
+        }
+
+    });
+
+    // plot_bgcolor only makes sense if there's a (2D) plot!
+    // TODO: bgcolor for each subplot, to inherit from the main one
+    if(xaList.length && yaList.length) {
+        Lib.coerce(layoutIn, layoutOut, Plots.layoutAttributes, 'plot_bgcolor');
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/position_defaults.js b/src/plots/cartesian/position_defaults.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..97898d86f55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/position_defaults.js
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+
+module.exports = function handlePositionDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, options) {
+    var counterAxes = options.counterAxes || [],
+        overlayableAxes = options.overlayableAxes || [],
+        letter = options.letter;
+
+    var anchor = Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
+        anchor: {
+            valType:'enumerated',
+            values: ['free'].concat(counterAxes),
+            dflt: isNumeric(containerIn.position) ? 'free' :
+                (counterAxes[0] || 'free')
+        }
+    }, 'anchor');
+
+    if(anchor === 'free') coerce('position');
+
+    Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
+        side: {
+            valType: 'enumerated',
+            values: letter === 'x' ? ['bottom', 'top'] : ['left', 'right'],
+            dflt: letter === 'x' ? 'bottom' : 'left'
+        }
+    }, 'side');
+
+    var overlaying = false;
+    if(overlayableAxes.length) {
+        overlaying = Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, {
+            overlaying: {
+                valType: 'enumerated',
+                values: [false].concat(overlayableAxes),
+                dflt: false
+            }
+        }, 'overlaying');
+    }
+
+    if(!overlaying) {
+        // TODO: right now I'm copying this domain over to overlaying axes
+        // in ax.setscale()... but this means we still need (imperfect) logic
+        // in the axes popover to hide domain for the overlaying axis.
+        // perhaps I should make a private version _domain that all axes get???
+        var domain = coerce('domain');
+        if(domain[0] > domain[1] - 0.01) containerOut.domain = [0, 1];
+        Lib.noneOrAll(containerIn.domain, containerOut.domain, [0, 1]);
+    }
+
+    return containerOut;
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/set_convert.js b/src/plots/cartesian/set_convert.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a7d28d24655
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/set_convert.js
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var d3 = require('d3');
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+var constants = require('./constants');
+var cleanDatum = require('./clean_datum');
+var axisIds = require('./axis_ids');
+
+
+/**
+ * Define the conversion functions for an axis data is used in 4 ways:
+ *
+ *  d: data, in whatever form it's provided
+ *  c: calcdata: turned into numbers, but not linearized
+ *  l: linearized - same as c except for log axes (and other
+ *      mappings later?) this is used by ranges, and when we
+ *      need to know if it's *possible* to show some data on
+ *      this axis, without caring about the current range
+ *  p: pixel value - mapped to the screen with current size and zoom
+ *
+ * Creates/updates these conversion functions
+ * also clears the autorange bounds ._min and ._max
+ * and the autotick constraints ._minDtick, ._forceTick0,
+ * and looks for date ranges that aren't yet in numeric format
+ */
+module.exports = function setConvert(ax) {
+
+    // clipMult: how many axis lengths past the edge do we render?
+    // for panning, 1-2 would suffice, but for zooming more is nice.
+    // also, clipping can affect the direction of lines off the edge...
+    var clipMult = 10;
+
+    function toLog(v, clip){
+        if(v>0) return Math.log(v)/Math.LN10;
+
+        else if(v<=0 && clip && ax.range && ax.range.length===2) {
+            // clip NaN (ie past negative infinity) to clipMult axis
+            // length past the negative edge
+            var r0 = ax.range[0],
+                r1 = ax.range[1];
+            return 0.5*(r0 + r1 - 3 * clipMult * Math.abs(r0 - r1));
+        }
+
+        else return constants.BADNUM;
+    }
+    function fromLog(v){ return Math.pow(10,v); }
+    function num(v){ return isNumeric(v) ? Number(v) : constants.BADNUM; }
+
+    ax.c2l = (ax.type==='log') ? toLog : num;
+    ax.l2c = (ax.type==='log') ? fromLog : num;
+    ax.l2d = function(v) { return ax.c2d(ax.l2c(v)); };
+    ax.p2d = function(v) { return ax.l2d(ax.p2l(v)); };
+
+    // set scaling to pixels
+    ax.setScale = function(){
+        var gs = ax._td._fullLayout._size,
+            i;
+
+        // TODO cleaner way to handle this case
+        if (!ax._categories) ax._categories = [];
+
+        // make sure we have a domain (pull it in from the axis
+        // this one is overlaying if necessary)
+        if(ax.overlaying) {
+            var ax2 = axisIds.getFromId(ax._td, ax.overlaying);
+            ax.domain = ax2.domain;
+        }
+
+        // make sure we have a range (linearized data values)
+        // and that it stays away from the limits of javascript numbers
+        if(!ax.range || ax.range.length!==2 || ax.range[0]===ax.range[1]) {
+            ax.range = [-1,1];
+        }
+        for(i=0; i<2; i++) {
+            if(!isNumeric(ax.range[i])) {
+                ax.range[i] = isNumeric(ax.range[1-i]) ?
+                    (ax.range[1-i] * (i ? 10 : 0.1)) :
+                    (i ? 1 : -1);
+            }
+
+            if(ax.range[i]<-(Number.MAX_VALUE/2)) {
+                ax.range[i] = -(Number.MAX_VALUE/2);
+            }
+            else if(ax.range[i]>Number.MAX_VALUE/2) {
+                ax.range[i] = Number.MAX_VALUE/2;
+            }
+
+        }
+
+        if(ax._id.charAt(0)==='y') {
+            ax._offset = gs.t+(1-ax.domain[1])*gs.h;
+            ax._length = gs.h*(ax.domain[1]-ax.domain[0]);
+            ax._m = ax._length/(ax.range[0]-ax.range[1]);
+            ax._b = -ax._m*ax.range[1];
+        }
+        else {
+            ax._offset = gs.l+ax.domain[0]*gs.w;
+            ax._length = gs.w*(ax.domain[1]-ax.domain[0]);
+            ax._m = ax._length/(ax.range[1]-ax.range[0]);
+            ax._b = -ax._m*ax.range[0];
+        }
+
+        if (!isFinite(ax._m) || !isFinite(ax._b)) {
+            Lib.notifier(
+                'Something went wrong with axis scaling',
+                'long');
+            ax._td._replotting = false;
+            throw new Error('axis scaling');
+        }
+    };
+
+    ax.l2p = function(v) {
+        if(!isNumeric(v)) return constants.BADNUM;
+        // include 2 fractional digits on pixel, for PDF zooming etc
+        return d3.round(Lib.constrain(ax._b + ax._m*v,
+            -clipMult*ax._length, (1+clipMult)*ax._length), 2);
+    };
+
+    ax.p2l = function(px) { return (px-ax._b)/ax._m; };
+
+    ax.c2p = function(v, clip) { return ax.l2p(ax.c2l(v, clip)); };
+    ax.p2c = function(px){ return ax.l2c(ax.p2l(px)); };
+
+    if(['linear','log','-'].indexOf(ax.type)!==-1) {
+        ax.c2d = num;
+        ax.d2c = function(v){
+            v = cleanDatum(v);
+            return isNumeric(v) ? Number(v) : constants.BADNUM;
+        };
+        ax.d2l = function(v, clip) {
+            if (ax.type === 'log') return ax.c2l(ax.d2c(v), clip);
+            else return ax.d2c(v);
+        };
+    }
+    else if(ax.type==='date') {
+        ax.c2d = function(v) {
+            return isNumeric(v) ? Lib.ms2DateTime(v) : constants.BADNUM;
+        };
+
+        ax.d2c = function(v){
+            return (isNumeric(v)) ? Number(v) : Lib.dateTime2ms(v);
+        };
+
+        ax.d2l = ax.d2c;
+
+        // check if date strings or js date objects are provided for range
+        // and convert to ms
+        if(ax.range && ax.range.length>1) {
+            try {
+                var ar1 = ax.range.map(Lib.dateTime2ms);
+                if(!isNumeric(ax.range[0]) && isNumeric(ar1[0])) {
+                    ax.range[0] = ar1[0];
+                }
+                if(!isNumeric(ax.range[1]) && isNumeric(ar1[1])) {
+                    ax.range[1] = ar1[1];
+                }
+            }
+            catch(e) { console.log(e, ax.range); }
+        }
+    }
+    else if(ax.type==='category') {
+
+        ax.c2d = function(v) {
+            return ax._categories[Math.round(v)];
+        };
+
+        ax.d2c = function(v) {
+            // create the category list
+            // this will enter the categories in the order it
+            // encounters them, ie all the categories from the
+            // first data set, then all the ones from the second
+            // that aren't in the first etc.
+            // TODO: sorting options - do the sorting
+            // progressively here as we insert?
+            if(ax._categories.indexOf(v)===-1) ax._categories.push(v);
+
+            var c = ax._categories.indexOf(v);
+            return c===-1 ? constants.BADNUM : c;
+        };
+
+        ax.d2l = ax.d2c;
+    }
+
+    // makeCalcdata: takes an x or y array and converts it
+    // to a position on the axis object "ax"
+    // inputs:
+    //      tdc - a data object from td.data
+    //      axletter - a string, either 'x' or 'y', for which item
+    //          to convert (TODO: is this now always the same as
+    //          the first letter of ax._id?)
+    // in case the expected data isn't there, make a list of
+    // integers based on the opposite data
+    ax.makeCalcdata = function(tdc, axletter) {
+        var arrayIn, arrayOut, i;
+
+        if(axletter in tdc) {
+            arrayIn = tdc[axletter];
+            arrayOut = new Array(arrayIn.length);
+
+            for(i = 0; i < arrayIn.length; i++) arrayOut[i] = ax.d2c(arrayIn[i]);
+        }
+        else {
+            var v0 = ((axletter+'0') in tdc) ?
+                    ax.d2c(tdc[axletter+'0']) : 0,
+                dv = (tdc['d'+axletter]) ?
+                    Number(tdc['d'+axletter]) : 1;
+
+            // the opposing data, for size if we have x and dx etc
+            arrayIn = tdc[{x: 'y',y: 'x'}[axletter]];
+            arrayOut = new Array(arrayIn.length);
+
+            for(i = 0; i < arrayIn.length; i++) arrayOut[i] = v0+i*dv;
+        }
+        return arrayOut;
+    };
+
+    // for autoranging: arrays of objects:
+    //      {val: axis value, pad: pixel padding}
+    // on the low and high sides
+    ax._min = [];
+    ax._max = [];
+
+    // and for bar charts and box plots: reset forced minimum tick spacing
+    ax._minDtick = null;
+    ax._forceTick0 = null;
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/tick_defaults.js b/src/plots/cartesian/tick_defaults.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a6a2585b2c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/tick_defaults.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../../lib');
+
+var layoutAttributes = require('./layout_attributes');
+
+
+/**
+ * options: inherits font, outerTicks, noHover from axes.handleAxisDefaults
+ */
+module.exports = function handleTickDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType, options) {
+    var tickLen = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'ticklen'),
+        tickWidth = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'tickwidth'),
+        tickColor = Lib.coerce2(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, 'tickcolor'),
+        showTicks = coerce('ticks', (options.outerTicks || tickLen || tickWidth || tickColor) ? 'outside' : '');
+
+    if(!showTicks) {
+        delete containerOut.ticklen;
+        delete containerOut.tickwidth;
+        delete containerOut.tickcolor;
+    }
+
+    var showTickLabels = coerce('showticklabels');
+    if(showTickLabels) {
+        Lib.coerceFont(coerce, 'tickfont', options.font || {});
+        coerce('tickangle');
+
+        var showAttrDflt = getShowAttrDflt(containerIn);
+
+        if(axType !== 'category') {
+            var tickFormat = coerce('tickformat');
+            if(!options.noHover) coerce('hoverformat');
+
+            if(!tickFormat && axType !== 'date') {
+                coerce('showexponent', showAttrDflt);
+                coerce('exponentformat');
+            }
+        }
+
+        var tickPrefix = coerce('tickprefix');
+        if(tickPrefix) coerce('showtickprefix', showAttrDflt);
+
+        var tickSuffix = coerce('ticksuffix');
+        if(tickSuffix) coerce('showticksuffix', showAttrDflt);
+    }
+};
+
+/*
+ * Attributes 'showexponent', 'showtickprefix' and 'showticksuffix'
+ * share values.
+ *
+ * If only 1 attribute is set,
+ * the remaining attributes inherit that value.
+ *
+ * If 2 attributes are set to the same value,
+ * the remaining attribute inherits that value.
+ *
+ * If 2 attributes are set to different values,
+ * the remaining is set to its dflt value.
+ *
+ */
+function getShowAttrDflt(containerIn) {
+    var showAttrsAll = ['showexponent',
+                        'showtickprefix',
+                        'showticksuffix'],
+        showAttrs = showAttrsAll.filter(function(a){
+            return containerIn[a]!==undefined;
+        }),
+        sameVal = function(a){
+            return containerIn[a]===containerIn[showAttrs[0]];
+        };
+    if (showAttrs.every(sameVal) || showAttrs.length===1) {
+        return containerIn[showAttrs[0]];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/plots/cartesian/tick_value_defaults.js b/src/plots/cartesian/tick_value_defaults.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b51994b5ce7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plots/cartesian/tick_value_defaults.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+
+'use strict';
+
+var isNumeric = require('fast-isnumeric');
+
+
+module.exports = function handleTickValueDefaults(containerIn, containerOut, coerce, axType) {
+    var tickmodeDefault = 'auto';
+
+    if(containerIn.tickmode === 'array' &&
+            (axType === 'log' || axType === 'date')) {
+        containerIn.tickmode = 'auto';
+    }
+
+    if(Array.isArray(containerIn.tickvals)) tickmodeDefault = 'array';
+    else if(containerIn.dtick && isNumeric(containerIn.dtick)) {
+        tickmodeDefault = 'linear';
+    }
+    var tickmode = coerce('tickmode', tickmodeDefault);
+
+    if(tickmode === 'auto') coerce('nticks');
+    else if(tickmode === 'linear') {
+        coerce('tick0');
+        coerce('dtick');
+    }
+    else {
+        var tickvals = coerce('tickvals');
+        if(tickvals === undefined) containerOut.tickmode = 'auto';
+        else coerce('ticktext');
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/plots/gl3d/layout/axis_defaults.js b/src/plots/gl3d/layout/axis_defaults.js
index f44ca510854..7abad5d2edd 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl3d/layout/axis_defaults.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl3d/layout/axis_defaults.js
@@ -9,19 +9,19 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../../plotly');
+var Lib = require('../../../lib');
 var layoutAttributes = require('./axis_attributes');
+var handleAxisDefaults = require('../../cartesian/axis_defaults');
 
 var axesNames = ['xaxis', 'yaxis', 'zaxis'];
 var noop = function() {};
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, options) {
-    var Axes = Plotly.Axes;
     var containerIn, containerOut;
 
     function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-        return Plotly.Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
+        return Lib.coerce(containerIn, containerOut, layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
     }
 
     for (var j = 0; j < axesNames.length; j++) {
@@ -33,11 +33,10 @@ module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, options) {
             _name: axName
         };
 
-        layoutOut[axName] = containerOut = Axes.handleAxisDefaults(
+        layoutOut[axName] = containerOut = handleAxisDefaults(
             containerIn,
             containerOut,
-            coerce,
-            {
+            coerce, {
                 font: options.font,
                 letter: axName[0],
                 data: options.data,
diff --git a/src/plots/gl3d/set_convert.js b/src/plots/gl3d/set_convert.js
index 3e73e511be7..c5dcddfe3ec 100644
--- a/src/plots/gl3d/set_convert.js
+++ b/src/plots/gl3d/set_convert.js
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Plotly = require('../../plotly');
+var Axes = require('../cartesian/axes');
 
 var noop = function() {};
 
 
 module.exports = function setConvert(containerOut) {
-    Plotly.Axes.setConvert(containerOut);
+    Axes.setConvert(containerOut);
     containerOut.setScale = noop;
 };
diff --git a/test/jasmine/tests/axes_test.js b/test/jasmine/tests/axes_test.js
index 0d223be78d8..b9866b580b3 100644
--- a/test/jasmine/tests/axes_test.js
+++ b/test/jasmine/tests/axes_test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-var Plotly = require('@src/plotly');
+var PlotlyInternal = require('@src/plotly');
+
+var Plots = require('@src/plots/plots');
+var Lib = require('@src/lib');
+var Color = require('@src/components/color');
+
+var handleTickValueDefaults = require('@src/plots/cartesian/tick_value_defaults');
+var Axes = PlotlyInternal.Axes;
 
 
 describe('Test axes', function() {
@@ -28,15 +35,15 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
                     }
                 }
             };
-            var expectedYaxis = Plotly.Lib.extendDeep({}, gd.layout.xaxis),
+            var expectedYaxis = Lib.extendDeep({}, gd.layout.xaxis),
                 expectedXaxis = {
                     title: 'Click to enter X axis title',
                     type: 'date'
                 };
 
-            Plotly.Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+            Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
 
-            Plotly.Axes.swap(gd, [0]);
+            Axes.swap(gd, [0]);
 
             expect(gd.layout.xaxis).toEqual(expectedXaxis);
             expect(gd.layout.yaxis).toEqual(expectedYaxis);
@@ -61,13 +68,13 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
                     }
                 }
             };
-            var expectedLayoutAfter = Plotly.Lib.extendDeep({}, gd.layout);
+            var expectedLayoutAfter = Lib.extendDeep({}, gd.layout);
             expectedLayoutAfter.xaxis.type = 'linear';
             expectedLayoutAfter.yaxis.type = 'linear';
 
-            Plotly.Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+            Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
 
-            Plotly.Axes.swap(gd, [0]);
+            Axes.swap(gd, [0]);
 
             expect(gd.layout.xaxis).toEqual(expectedLayoutAfter.xaxis);
             expect(gd.layout.yaxis).toEqual(expectedLayoutAfter.yaxis);
@@ -145,9 +152,9 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
                     {x: 5, y: 0.5, xref: 'x', yref: 'paper'}
                 ];
 
-            Plotly.Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
+            Plots.supplyDefaults(gd);
 
-            Plotly.Axes.swap(gd, [0, 1]);
+            Axes.swap(gd, [0, 1]);
 
             expect(gd.layout.xaxis).toEqual(expectedXaxis);
             expect(gd.layout.xaxis2).toEqual(expectedXaxis2);
@@ -161,7 +168,7 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
             layoutOut = {},
             fullData = [];
 
-        var supplyLayoutDefaults = Plotly.Axes.supplyLayoutDefaults;
+        var supplyLayoutDefaults = Axes.supplyLayoutDefaults;
 
         it('should set undefined linewidth/linecolor if linewidth, linecolor or showline is not supplied', function() {
             layoutIn = {
@@ -181,7 +188,7 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
             };
             supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData);
             expect(layoutOut.xaxis.linewidth).toBe(1);
-            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.linecolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.defaultLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.linecolor).toBe(Color.defaultLine);
         });
 
         it('should set linewidth to default if linecolor is supplied and valid', function() {
@@ -199,7 +206,7 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
             };
             supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData);
             expect(layoutOut.yaxis.linewidth).toBe(2);
-            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.linecolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.defaultLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.linecolor).toBe(Color.defaultLine);
         });
 
         it('should set default gridwidth and gridcolor', function() {
@@ -209,9 +216,9 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
             };
             supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData);
             expect(layoutOut.xaxis.gridwidth).toBe(1);
-            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.gridcolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.lightLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.gridcolor).toBe(Color.lightLine);
             expect(layoutOut.yaxis.gridwidth).toBe(1);
-            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.gridcolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.lightLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.gridcolor).toBe(Color.lightLine);
         });
 
         it('should set gridcolor/gridwidth to undefined if showgrid is false', function() {
@@ -230,9 +237,9 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
             };
             supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, fullData);
             expect(layoutOut.xaxis.zerolinewidth).toBe(1);
-            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.zerolinecolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.defaultLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.xaxis.zerolinecolor).toBe(Color.defaultLine);
             expect(layoutOut.yaxis.zerolinewidth).toBe(1);
-            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.zerolinecolor).toBe(Plotly.Color.defaultLine);
+            expect(layoutOut.yaxis.zerolinecolor).toBe(Color.defaultLine);
         });
 
         it('should set zerolinecolor/zerolinewidth to undefined if zeroline is false', function() {
@@ -246,82 +253,80 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
     });
 
     describe('handleTickValueDefaults', function() {
-        function handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, axType) {
+        function mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, axType) {
             function coerce(attr, dflt) {
-                return Plotly.Lib.coerce(axIn, axOut,
-                                         Plotly.Axes.layoutAttributes,
-                                         attr, dflt);
+                return Lib.coerce(axIn, axOut, Axes.layoutAttributes, attr, dflt);
             }
 
-            Plotly.Axes.handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, coerce, axType);
+            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, coerce, axType);
         }
 
         it('should set default tickmode correctly', function() {
             var axIn = {},
                 axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickmode).toBe('auto');
 
             axIn = {tickmode: 'array', tickvals: 'stuff'};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickmode).toBe('auto');
 
             axIn = {tickmode: 'array', tickvals: [1, 2, 3]};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'date');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'date');
             expect(axOut.tickmode).toBe('auto');
 
             axIn = {tickvals: [1, 2, 3]};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickmode).toBe('array');
 
             axIn = {dtick: 1};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickmode).toBe('linear');
         });
 
         it('should set nticks iff tickmode=auto', function() {
             var axIn = {},
                 axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.nticks).toBe(0);
 
             axIn = {tickmode: 'auto', nticks: 5};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.nticks).toBe(5);
 
             axIn = {tickmode: 'linear', nticks: 15};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.nticks).toBe(undefined);
         });
 
         it('should set tick0 and dtick iff tickmode=linear', function() {
             var axIn = {tickmode: 'auto', tick0: 1, dtick: 1},
                 axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tick0).toBe(undefined);
             expect(axOut.dtick).toBe(undefined);
 
             axIn = {tickvals: [1,2,3], tick0: 1, dtick: 1};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tick0).toBe(undefined);
             expect(axOut.dtick).toBe(undefined);
 
             axIn = {tick0: 2.71, dtick: 0.00828};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tick0).toBe(2.71);
             expect(axOut.dtick).toBe(0.00828);
 
             axIn = {tickmode: 'linear', tick0: 3.14, dtick: 0.00159};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tick0).toBe(3.14);
             expect(axOut.dtick).toBe(0.00159);
         });
@@ -329,20 +334,20 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
         it('should set tickvals and ticktext iff tickmode=array', function() {
             var axIn = {tickmode: 'auto', tickvals: [1,2,3], ticktext: ['4','5','6']},
                 axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickvals).toBe(undefined);
             expect(axOut.ticktext).toBe(undefined);
 
             axIn = {tickvals: [2,4,6,8], ticktext: ['who','do','we','appreciate']};
             axOut = {};
-            handleTickValueDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
+            mockSupplyDefaults(axIn, axOut, 'linear');
             expect(axOut.tickvals).toEqual([2,4,6,8]);
             expect(axOut.ticktext).toEqual(['who','do','we','appreciate']);
         });
     });
 
     describe('saveRangeInitial', function() {
-        var saveRangeInitial = Plotly.Axes.saveRangeInitial;
+        var saveRangeInitial = Axes.saveRangeInitial;
         var gd, hasOneAxisChanged;
 
         beforeEach(function() {
@@ -401,7 +406,7 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
     });
 
     describe('list', function() {
-        var listFunc = Plotly.Axes.list;
+        var listFunc = Axes.list;
         var gd;
 
         it('returns empty array when no fullLayout is present', function() {
@@ -484,7 +489,7 @@ describe('Test axes', function() {
     });
 
     describe('getSubplots', function() {
-        var getSubplots = Plotly.Axes.getSubplots;
+        var getSubplots = Axes.getSubplots;
         var gd;
 
         it('returns list of subplots ids (from data only)', function() {