MATLAB - Pan a plot independently of other plots in the same axes - matlab

Question

If I have multiple plots (A, B, C) on the same axes, is it possible to pan A without panning B and C as well?
If not, is there another way I can accomplish the same goal?

Answer 1

Here is a complete example:
function example_panning
%# some random data to plot
N = 3;
data = cumsum(rand(1000,N)-0.5);
labels = {'A', 'B', 'C'};
%# structure used to store graphic handles
h = struct();
%# create figure
h.fig = figure();
%# create background axis (used only to provide the white bg)
pos = get(0,'DefaultAxesPosition');
h.ax(N+1) = axes('Parent',h.fig, 'Position',pos, ...
'XTick',[], 'YTick',[], 'ZTick',[], ...
'HitTest','off', 'HandleVisibility','callback');
%# plot each line in an individual axis (transparent)
clr = lines(N);
for i=1:N
h.ax(i) = axes('Parent',h.fig, 'Position',pos, ...
'Color','none', 'Visible','off');
h.line(i) = plot(h.ax(i), data(:,i), ...
'Color',clr(i,:), 'DisplayName',labels{i});
end
%# link all axes positions
hlink = linkprop(h.ax, 'Position');
setappdata(h.fig, 'graphics_linkprop',hlink)
%# show legend (attached to background axis)
h.leg = legend(h.ax(end), h.line, labels);
%# show x/y-labels on all plot axes
for i=1:N
xlabel(h.ax(i), 'time')
ylabel(h.ax(i), 'value')
end
%# create toolbar (allows to switch current axis)
h.tb = uitoolbar(h.fig);
for i=1:N
icon = reshape(repmat(clr(i,:),[256 1]), [16 16 3]);
h.toggle(i) = uitoggletool(h.tb, 'CData',icon, ...
'TooltipString',labels{i}, 'State','off', ...
'ClickedCallback',{#toggleButton_callback,i});
end
%# create a figure menu (also allows to switch current axis)
h.cmenu = uimenu('Label','Current Axis');
for i=1:N
h.menu(i) = uimenu(h.cmenu, 'Label',labels{i}, ...
'ForegroundColor',clr(i,:), ...
'Checked','off', 'Callback',{#toggleButton_callback,i});
end
%# start with first axis as current and enable panning tool
toggleButton_callback([], [], 1)
pan(h.fig, 'on')
%# display informational message
msg = {'Start panning/zooming as usual,', ...
'and use color buttons to change the active plot.'};
uiwait(msgbox(msg, 'Help', 'help', 'modal'))
%% nested callback function
function toggleButton_callback(o,e,ind)
%# update toggle buttons
set(h.toggle, 'State','off')
set(h.toggle(ind), 'State','on')
%# update context menu
set(h.menu, 'Checked','off')
set(h.menu(ind), 'Checked','on')
%# make requested axis the current one and bring it forward
set(h.fig, 'CurrentAxes',h.ax(ind))
uistack(h.ax(ind), 'top')
%# make it the only one visible (excluding background axis)
set(h.ax(1:end-1), 'Visible','off', 'Color','none')
set(h.ax(ind), 'Visible','on')
%# make sure legend is always on top
uistack(h.leg, 'top')
%# inform which axis is the current one
title(h.ax(end), labels{ind})
end
end
As mentioned in the comments, the idea is to create multiple transparent axes one for each line plot. At any moment, only one axis is active, and the limits of that axis are displayed.
You can use any of the interactive tools (zoom, pan, ..) as usual once you have the axis you want selected.
I've included two ways to switch the current active axis: using a custom toolbar with buttons colors matching the respective plot, or using a regular menu added to the figure's menubar.
Other than that, the code is fairly commented and should be easy to follow.