---

15.3.3.3 Axes Properties

Properties of axes objects (see axes):

alim: def. [0 1]

Transparency is not yet implemented for axes objects. alim is unused.

alimmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

alphamap: def. [](0x0)

alphascale: {"linear"} | "log"

ambientlightcolor: def. [1 1 1]

ambientlightcolor is unused.

beingdeleted: {"off"} | "on"

box: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether the axes has a surrounding box.

boxstyle: {"back"} | "full"

For 3-D axes, control whether the "full" box is drawn or only the 3 "back" axes

busyaction: "cancel" | {"queue"}

Define how Octave handles the execution of this object’s callback properties when it is unable to interrupt another object’s executing callback. This is only relevant when the currently executing callback object has its interruptible property set to "off". The busyaction property of the interrupting callback object indicates whether the interrupting callback is queued ("queue" (default)) or discarded ("cancel"). See Callbacks section.

buttondownfcn: string | function handle, def. [](0x0)

For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

cameraposition: three-element vector, def. [0.5000 0.5000 9.1603]

camerapositionmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

cameratarget: three-element vector, def. [0.5000 0.5000 0.5000]

cameratargetmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

cameraupvector: three-element vector, def. [0 1 0]

cameraupvectormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

cameraviewangle: scalar, def. 6.6086

cameraviewanglemode: {"auto"} | "manual"

children (read-only): vector of graphics handles, def. [](0x1)

Graphics handles of the axes’s children.

clim: two-element vector, def. [0 1]

Define the limits for the color axis of image children. Setting clim also forces the climmode property to be set to "manual". See pcolor function.

climmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

clipping: "off" | {"on"}

clipping is unused.

clippingstyle: {"3dbox"} | "rectangle"

clippingstyle is unused.

color: colorspec, def. [1 1 1]

Color of the axes background. See colorspec.

colormap: def. 64-by-3 double

colororder: N-by-3 RGB matrix, def. 7-by-3 double

RGB values used by plot function for automatic line coloring.

colororderindex: def. 1

colororderindex is unused.

colorscale: {"linear"} | "log"

contextmenu: graphics handle, def. [](0x0)

Graphics handle of the uicontextmenu object that is currently associated to this axes object.

createfcn: string | function handle, def. [](0x0)

Callback function executed immediately after axes has been created. Function is set by using default property on root object, e.g., set (groot, "defaultaxescreatefcn", 'disp ("axes created!")').

For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

currentpoint: 2-by-3 matrix, def. 2-by-3 double

Matrix [xf, yf, zf; xb, yb, zb] which holds the coordinates (in axes data units) of the point over which the mouse pointer was when the mouse button was pressed. If a mouse callback function is defined, currentpoint holds the pointer coordinates at the time the mouse button was pressed. For 3-D plots, the first row of the returned matrix specifies the point nearest to the current camera position and the second row the furthest point. The two points forms a line which is perpendicular to the screen.

dataaspectratio: three-element vector, def. [1 1 1]

Specify the relative height and width of the data displayed in the axes. Setting dataaspectratio to [1, 2] causes the length of one unit as displayed on the x-axis to be the same as the length of 2 units on the y-axis. See daspect function. Setting dataaspectratio also forces the dataaspectratiomode property to be set to "manual".

dataaspectratiomode: {"auto"} | "manual"

deletefcn: string | function handle, def. [](0x0)

Callback function executed immediately before axes is deleted.

For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

fontangle: "italic" | {"normal"}

Control whether the font is italic or normal.

fontname: string, def. "*"

Name of font used for text rendering. When setting this property, the text rendering engine will search for a matching font in your system. If none is found then text is rendered using a default sans serif font (same as the default "*" value).

Programming Note: On systems that don’t use FontConfig natively (all but Linux), the font cache is built when Octave is installed. You will need to run system ("fc-cache -fv") manually after installing new fonts.

fontsize: scalar, def. 10

Size of the font used for text rendering. See fontunits property.

fontsizemode: {"auto"} | "manual"

fontsmoothing: "off" | {"on"}

Control whether any text associated with axes is anti-aliased.

fontunits: "centimeters" | "inches" | "normalized" | "pixels" | {"points"}

Units used to interpret the "fontsize" property.

fontweight: "bold" | {"normal"}

Control the variant of the base font used for text rendering.

gridalpha: def. 0.1500

Transparency is not yet implemented for axes objects. gridalpha is unused.

gridalphamode: {"auto"} | "manual"

gridalphamode is unused.

gridcolor: def. [0.1500 0.1500 0.1500]

gridcolor is unused.

gridcolormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

gridcolormode is unused.

gridlinestyle: {"-"} | "--" | "-." | ":" | "none"

handlevisibility: "callback" | "off" | {"on"}

If handlevisibility is "off", the axes’s handle is not visible in its parent’s "children" property.

hittest: "off" | {"on"}

Specify whether axes processes mouse events or passes them to ancestors of the object. When enabled, the object may respond to mouse clicks by evaluating the "buttondownfcn", showing the uicontextmenu, and eventually becoming the root "currentobject". This property is only relevant when the object can accept mouse clicks which is determined by the "pickableparts" property. See pickableparts property.

innerposition: four-element vector, def. [0.1300 0.1100 0.7750 0.8150]

The "innerposition" property is the same as the "position" property.

interactions (read-only): def. [](0x0)

interruptible: "off" | {"on"}

Specify whether this object’s callback functions may be interrupted by other callbacks. By default interruptible is "on" and callbacks that make use of drawnow, figure, waitfor, getframe or pause functions are eventually interrupted. See Callbacks section.

labelfontsizemultiplier: def. 1.1000

Ratio between the x/y/zlabel fontsize and the tick label fontsize

layer: {"bottom"} | "top"

Control whether the axes is drawn below child graphics objects (ticks, labels, etc. covered by plotted objects) or above.

layout (read-only): def. [](0x0)

legend (read-only): def. [](0x0)

linestyleorder: def. "-"

linestyleorder is unused.

linestyleorderindex: def. 1

linestyleorderindex is unused.

linewidth: def. 0.5000

Width of the main axes lines

minorgridalpha: def. 0.2500

Transparency is not yet implemented for axes objects. minorgridalpha is unused.

minorgridalphamode: {"auto"} | "manual"

minorgridalphamode is unused.

minorgridcolor: def. [0.1000 0.1000 0.1000]

minorgridcolor is unused.

minorgridcolormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

minorgridcolormode is unused.

minorgridlinestyle: "-" | "--" | "-." | {":"} | "none"

mousewheelzoom: scalar in the range (0, 1), def. 0.5000

Fraction of axes limits to zoom for each wheel movement.

nextplot: "add" | {"replace"} | "replacechildren"

nextplot is used by high level plotting functions to decide what to do with graphics objects already present in the axes. See newplot function. The state of nextplot is typically controlled using the hold function. See hold function.

nextseriesindex (read-only): def. 1

outerposition: four-element vector, def. [0 0 1 1]

Specify the position of the plot including titles, axes, and legend. The four elements of the vector are the coordinates of the lower left corner and width and height of the plot, in units normalized to the width and height of the plot window. For example, [0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5] sets the lower left corner of the axes at (0.2, 0.3) and the width and height to be 0.4 and 0.5 respectively. See position property.

parent: graphics handle

Handle of the parent graphics object.

pickableparts: "all" | "none" | {"visible"}

Specify whether axes will accept mouse clicks. By default, pickableparts is "visible" and only visible parts of the axes or its children may react to mouse clicks. When pickableparts is "all" both visible and invisible parts (or children) may react to mouse clicks. When pickableparts is "none" mouse clicks on the object are ignored and transmitted to any objects underneath this one. When an object is configured to accept mouse clicks the "hittest" property will determine how they are processed. See hittest property.

plotboxaspectratio: def. [1 1 1]

See pbaspect function. Setting plotboxaspectratio also forces the plotboxaspectratiomode property to be set to "manual".

plotboxaspectratiomode: {"auto"} | "manual"

position: four-element vector, def. [0.1300 0.1100 0.7750 0.8150]

Specify the position of the plot excluding titles, axes, and legend. The four elements of the vector are the coordinates of the lower left corner and width and height of the plot, in units normalized to the width and height of the plot window. For example, [0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5] sets the lower left corner of the axes at (0.2, 0.3) and the width and height to be 0.4 and 0.5 respectively. See outerposition property.

positionconstraint: "innerposition" | {"outerposition"}

Specify which of "innerposition" or "outerposition" properties takes precedence when axes annotations extent changes. See "innerposition" property, and "outerposition" property.

projection: {"orthographic"} | "perspective"

projection is unused.

selected: {"off"} | "on"

selectionhighlight: "off" | {"on"}

sortmethod: "childorder" | {"depth"}

sortmethod is unused.

tag: string, def. ""

A user-defined string to label the graphics object.

tickdir: {"in"} | "out"

Control whether axes tick marks project "in" to the plot box or "out". Setting tickdir also forces the tickdirmode property to be set to "manual".

tickdirmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

ticklabelinterpreter: "latex" | "none" | {"tex"}

Control the way x/y/zticklabel properties are interpreted. See Use of the "interpreter" Property.

ticklength: two-element vector, def. [0.010000 0.025000]

Two-element vector [2Dlen 3Dlen] specifying the length of the tickmarks relative to the longest visible axis.

tightinset (read-only): four-element vector

Size of the [left bottom right top] margins around the axes that enclose labels and title annotations.

title: graphics handle

Graphics handle of the title text object.

titlefontsizemultiplier: positive scalar, def. 1.1000

Ratio between the title fontsize and the tick label fontsize

titlefontweight: {"bold"} | "normal"

Control variant of base font used for the axes title.

toolbar (read-only): def. [](0x0)

type (read-only): string

Class name of the graphics object. type is always "axes"

units: "centimeters" | "characters" | "inches" | {"normalized"} | "pixels" | "points"

Units used to interpret the "position", "outerposition", and "tightinset" properties.

userdata: Any Octave data, def. [](0x0)

User-defined data to associate with the graphics object.

view: two-element vector, def. [0 90]

Two-element vector [azimuth elevation] specifying the viewpoint for three-dimensional plots

visible: "off" | {"on"}

If visible is "off", the axes is not rendered on screen.

xaxis (read-only): def. [](0x0)

xaxislocation: {"bottom"} | "origin" | "top"

Control the x axis location.

xcolor: {colorspec} | "none", def. [0.1500 0.1500 0.1500]

Color of the x-axis. See colorspec. Setting xcolor also forces the xcolormode property to be set to "manual".

xcolormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

xdir: {"normal"} | "reverse"

Direction of the x axis: "normal" is left to right.

xgrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether major x grid lines are displayed.

xlabel: graphics handle

Graphics handle of the x label text object.

xlim: two-element vector, def. [0 1]

Two-element vector [xmin xmax] specifying the limits for the x-axis. Setting xlim also forces the xlimmode property to be set to "manual". See xlim function.

xlimitmethod: "padded" | {"tickaligned"} | "tight"

Method used to determine the x axis limits when the xlimmode property is "auto". The default value, "tickaligned" makes limits align with the closest ticks. With value "tight" the limits are adjusted to enclose all the graphics objects in the axes, while with value "padded", an additionnal margin of about 7% of the data extent is added around the objects. See axis function.

xlimmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

xminorgrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether minor x grid lines are displayed.

xminortick: {"off"} | "on"

xscale: {"linear"} | "log"

xtick: vector

Position of x tick marks. Setting xtick also forces the xtickmode property to be set to "manual".

xticklabel: string | cell array of strings, def. 1-by-6 cell

Labels of x tick marks. Setting xticklabel also forces the xticklabelmode property to be set to "manual".

xticklabelmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

xticklabelrotation: def. 0

xticklabelrotation is unused.

xtickmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

yaxis (read-only): def. [](0x0)

yaxislocation: {"left"} | "origin" | "right"

Control the y-axis location.

ycolor: {colorspec} | "none", def. [0.1500 0.1500 0.1500]

Color of the y-axis. See colorspec.

ycolormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

ydir: {"normal"} | "reverse"

Direction of the y-axis: "normal" is bottom to top.

ygrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether major y grid lines are displayed.

ylabel: graphics handle

Graphics handle of the y label text object.

ylim: two-element vector, def. [0 1]

Two-element vector [ymin ymax] specifying the limits for the y-axis. Setting ylim also forces the ylimmode property to be set to "manual". See ylim function.

ylimitmethod: "padded" | {"tickaligned"} | "tight"

Method used to determine the y axis limits when the xlimmode property is "auto". The default value, "tickaligned" makes limits align with the closest ticks. With value "tight" the limits are adjusted to enclose all the graphics objects in the axes, while with value "padded", an additionnal margin of about 7% of the data extent is added around the objects. See axis function.

ylimmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

yminorgrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether minor y grid lines are displayed.

yminortick: {"off"} | "on"

yscale: {"linear"} | "log"

ytick: vector

Position of y tick marks. Setting ytick also forces the ytickmode property to be set to "manual".

yticklabel: string | cell array of strings, def. 1-by-6 cell

Labels of y tick marks. Setting yticklabel also forces the yticklabelmode property to be set to "manual".

yticklabelmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

yticklabelrotation: def. 0

yticklabelrotation is unused.

ytickmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

zaxis (read-only): def. [](0x0)

zcolor: {colorspec} | "none", def. [0.1500 0.1500 0.1500]

Color of the z-axis. See colorspec.

zcolormode: {"auto"} | "manual"

zdir: {"normal"} | "reverse"

zgrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether major z grid lines are displayed.

zlabel: graphics handle

Graphics handle of the z label text object.

zlim: two-element vector, def. [0 1]

Two-element vector [zmin zmaz] specifying the limits for the z-axis. Setting zlim also forces the zlimmode property to be set to "manual". See zlim function.

zlimitmethod: "padded" | {"tickaligned"} | "tight"

Method used to determine the z axis limits when the xlimmode property is "auto". The default value, "tickaligned" makes limits align with the closest ticks. With value "tight" the limits are adjusted to enclose all the graphics objects in the axes, while with value "padded", an additionnal margin of about 7% of the data extent is added around the objects. See axis function.

zlimmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

zminorgrid: {"off"} | "on"

Control whether minor z grid lines are displayed.

zminortick: {"off"} | "on"

zscale: {"linear"} | "log"

ztick: vector

Position of z tick marks. Setting ztick also forces the ztickmode property to be set to "manual".

zticklabel: string | cell array of strings, def. 1-by-6 cell

Labels of z tick marks. Setting zticklabel also forces the zticklabelmode property to be set to "manual".

zticklabelmode: {"auto"} | "manual"

zticklabelrotation: def. 0

zticklabelrotation is unused.

ztickmode: {"auto"} | "manual"