In Matlab axis, how to update only the data while keeping all the axis properties?

axis-labels, matlab, matlab-figure

Solution

A fast way is to simply update the y-values of the data you've plotted:

%# note: plot returns the handle to the line, not the axes
%# ax = gca returns the handle to the axes
lineHandle = plot(x, y, 'linewidth', 3, 'prop1', value1, 'prop2', value2, ...);

%# in the loop
set(lineHandle,'ydata',newYdata)

EDIT What if there are multiple lines, i.e. `lineHandle` is a vector? You can still update in one step; you need to convert the data to a cell array, though.

%# make a plot with random data
lineHandle = plot(rand(12));

%# create new data
newYdata = randn(12);
newYcell = mat2cell(newYdata,12,ones(1,12));

%# set new y-data. Make sure that there is a row in 
%# newYcell for each element in lineH (i.e. that it is a n-by-1 vector
set(lineHandle,{'ydata'},newYcell(:) );

Problem

I need to create a movie. Suppose, I create an axis and plot on it something very customized: ``` figure; ax = plot(x, y, 'linewidth', 3, 'prop1', value1, 'prop2', value2, ...); grid minor; axis(ax, [xmin xmax ymin ymax]); legend(ax, ...); xlabel(ax, ...); ylabel(ax, ...); title(ax, ...); ``` Now I run a loop, where only the values of `y` are being updated. ``` for k = 1 : N % y changes, update the axis end ``` What is the fastest and easiest way to update the axis with new `y` (or `x` and `y`), keeping all the axis properties?

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