title: How can I get the D3.js axis ticks and positions as an array?
body: <p>I usually place my axis ticks on the svg using this: </p>
  
  <pre><code>d3.svg.axis().scale(xScale(width)).ticks(4)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Is it possible to get these tick values and their svg coordinates so I can use a custom axis outside the svg using <code>d3.svg.axis()</code> ?</p>