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axes

Create Cartesian axes

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Syntax

axes
axes(Name,Value)
axes(parent,Name,Value)
ax = axes(___)
axes(cax)

Description

axes creates the default Cartesian axes in the current figure and makes it the current axes. Typically, you do not need to create axes before plotting since graphics functions automatically create axes when plotting if they do not exist.

example

axes(Name,Value) modifies the axes appearance or controls the way data displays using one or more name-value pair arguments. For example, 'FontSize',14 sets the font size for the axes text. For a list of properties, see Axes Properties.

example

axes(parent,Name,Value) creates the axes in the figure, panel, or tab specified by parent, instead of in the current figure.

ax = axes(___) returns the Axes object created. Use ax to query and modify properties of the Axes object after it is created. For a list of properties, see Axes Properties.

axes(cax) sets the CurrentAxes property of the parent figure to be cax. If the HandleVisibilty property of the parent figure is set to "on", then cax also becomes the current axes. This command also makes cax the first object listed in the Children property of the parent object. The parent object is typically a figure or a tiled chart layout.

Examples

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Open Live Script

Position two Axes objects in a figure and add a plot to each one.

Specify the position of the first Axes object so that it has a lower left corner at the point (0.1 0.1) with a width and height of 0.7. Specify the position of the second Axes object so that it has a lower left corner at the point (0.65 0.65) with a width and height of 0.28. By default, the values are normalized to the figure. Return the Axes objects as ax1 and ax2.

figure
ax1 = axes('Position',[0.1 0.1 0.7 0.7]);
ax2 = axes('Position',[0.65 0.65 0.28 0.28]);

Figure contains 2 axes objects. Axes object 1 is empty. Axes object 2 is empty.

Add a plot to each Axes object. Specify the axes by passing it as the first input argument to the graphics function. Most graphics functions reset some axes properties, such as the tick values and labels. However, they do not reset the axes position.

contour(ax1,peaks(20))
surf(ax2,peaks(20))

Figure contains 2 axes objects. Axes object 1 contains an object of type contour. Axes object 2 contains an object of type surface.

Open Live Script

Create two overlayed Axes objects. Then, specify the current axes and add a plot.

First create two Axes objects and specify the positions. Display the box outline around each axes. Return the Axes objects as ax1 and ax2.

figure
ax1 = axes('Position',[0.1 0.1 .6 .6],'Box','on');
ax2 = axes('Position',[.35 .35 .6 .6],'Box','on');

Figure contains 2 axes objects. Axes object 1 is empty. Axes object 2 is empty.

Make ax1 the current axes. This action brings the axes to the front of the display and makes it the target for subsequent graphics functions. Add a line plot to the axes.

axes(ax1)
x = linspace(0,10);
y = sin(x);
plot(x,y)

Figure contains 2 axes objects. Axes object 1 is empty. Axes object 2 contains an object of type line.

Open Live Script

Create a figure with two tabs. Add axes to each tab by specifying the parent container for each one. Plot a line in the first tab and a surface in the second tab.

figure
tab1 = uitab('Title','Tab1');
ax1 = axes(tab1);
plot(ax1,1:10)

tab2 = uitab('Title','Tab2');
ax2 = axes(tab2);
surf(ax2,peaks)

Figure contains 2 axes objects and another object of type uitabgroup. Axes object 1 contains an object of type surface. Axes object 2 contains an object of type line.

Input Arguments

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Parent container, specified as a Figure, Panel, Tab, TiledChartLayout, or GridLayout object.

Axes to make current, specified as an Axes object, a PolarAxes object, a GeographicAxes object, or a standalone visualization such as a heatmap.

If you want to make an object the current axes without changing the state of the figure, set the CurrentAxes property of the figure containing that object; for example:

fig = gcf;
fig.CurrentAxes = cax;
This approach is useful if you want a figure to remain minimized or stacked below other figures, but want to specify the current axes.

Name-Value Arguments

Example: axes('Position',[.3 .3 .5 .5]) sets the position.

Specify optional comma-separated pairs of Name,Value arguments. Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name must appear inside single quotes (' '). You can specify several name and value pair arguments as Name1,Value1,...,NameN,ValueN.

Some graphics functions change axes property values when plotting, such as the axis limits or tick values. Set axes properties after plotting.

Note

The properties listed here are only a subset. For a full list, see Axes Properties.

Size and location, excluding a margin for the labels, specified as a four-element vector of the form [left bottom width height]. By default, MATLAB® measures the values in units normalized to the container. To change the units, set the Units property.

  • The left and bottom elements define the distance from the lower left corner of the container (typically a figure, panel, or tab) to the lower left corner of the position boundary.

  • The width and height elements are the position boundary dimensions. For axes in a 3-D view, the Position property is the smallest rectangle that encloses the axes.

If you want to specify the position and account for the text around the axes, then set the OuterPosition property instead. These figures show the areas defined by the OuterPosition values (blue) and the Position values (red).

2-D View of Axes3-D View of Axes

2-D axes with a title and axis labels. The inner position is outlined in red. It encloses the plot box only. The title, axis labels, and tick labels lie outside this rectangle. The outer position is outlined in blue. It encloses the plot box, the title, and the axis labels.

3-D axes with a title and axis labels. The inner position is outlined in red. It encloses the plot box. The title and axis labels lie outside this rectangle. Depending on the orientation of the plot box, some of the tick labels might lie inside or outside of this rectangle. The outer position is outlined in blue. It encloses the plot box, the title, and all of the axis labels.

For more information on the axes position, see Control Axes Layout.

Note

  • When querying the position of axes with constrained aspect ratios (such square axes or those containing images) consider using the tightPosition function for more accuracy. (since R2022b)

  • Setting this property has no effect when the parent container is a TiledChartLayout

Size and location, including the labels and a margin, specified as a four-element vector of the form [left bottom width height]. By default, MATLAB measures the values in units normalized to the container. To change the units, set the Units property. The default value of [0 0 1 1] includes the whole interior of the container.

  • The left and bottom elements define the distance from the lower left corner of the container (typically a figure, panel, or tab) to the lower left corner of the outer position boundary.

  • The width and height elements are the outer position boundary dimensions.

These figures show the areas defined by the OuterPosition values (blue) and the Position values (red).

2-D View of Axes3-D View of Axes

2-D axes with a title and axis labels. The inner position is outlined in red. It encloses the plot box only. The title, axis labels, and tick labels lie outside this rectangle. The outer position is outlined in blue. It encloses the plot box, the title, and the axis labels.

3-D axes with a title and axis labels. The inner position is outlined in red. It encloses the plot box. The title and axis labels lie outside this rectangle. Depending on the orientation of the plot box, some of the tick labels might lie inside or outside of this rectangle. The outer position is outlined in blue. It encloses the plot box, the title, and all of the axis labels.

For more information on the axes position, see Control Axes Layout.

Note

Setting this property has no effect when the parent container is a TiledChartLayout object.

Position units, specified as one of these values.

UnitsDescription
"normalized" (default)Normalized with respect to the container, which is typically the figure or a panel. The lower left corner of the container maps to (0,0) and the upper right corner maps to (1,1).
"inches"Inches.
"centimeters"Centimeters.
"characters"

Based on the default uicontrol font of the graphics root object:

  • Character width = width of letter x.

  • Character height = distance between the baselines of two lines of text.

"points"Typography points. One point equals 1/72 inch.
"pixels"

Pixels.

Starting in R2015b, distances in pixels are independent of your system resolution on Windows® and Macintosh systems.

  • On Windows systems, a pixel is 1/96th of an inch.

  • On Macintosh systems, a pixel is 1/72nd of an inch.

  • On Linux® systems, the size of a pixel is determined by your system resolution.

When specifying the units as a Name,Value pair during object creation, you must set the Units property before specifying the properties that you want to use these units, such as Position.

More About

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Current Axes

The current axes is the default target object for many graphics commands, such as plot, title, and xlim. The following types of objects can become the current axes. Typically, it is the last one of these objects that is created, clicked on, or plotted into.

  • An Axes object.

  • A PolarAxes object.

  • A GeographicAxes object.

  • A standalone visualization, which is a chart designed for a special purpose that works independently from other charts. For example, a heatmap is a standalone visualization for observing the interaction between two variables in tabular data.

The gca command returns the current axes, and the CurrentAxes property of a figure stores its current axes. Thus, if you change the current figure, the current axes also changes.

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

See Also

Properties

Functions

Topics