axes_properties - description of the axes entity properties

Description

The Axes entity is the second level of the graphics entities hierarchy. This entity defines the parameters allowing the change of coordinates and the axes drawing as well as the parameters' default values for the children creation.

Axes properties

parent: This field contains the handle of the parent figure.

children: FA vector containing the handles of all graphics objects children of the axes These graphics objects are of type "Compound" , "Rectangle" , "Polyline" , "Segs" , "Arc" , "Grayplot" ,.. (see Compound_properties , rectangle_properties , champ_properties , axis_properties , polyline_properties , segs_properties , grayplot_properties , surface_properties , param3d_properties , fec_properties , text_properties , legend_properties )

visible: This field contains the visible property value for axes . Its value should be "on" or "off" . By default, axes is visible "on" in case all "visible" chidren are displayed on the screen, If "off" the axes and all its chidren are not drawn.

axes_visible: A 1x3 string vector. This property specifies whether each axis is drawn or not. Its value should be "on" or "off" for a global setting.To act on a single axis, the syntax is axes_visible(N) where N is 1,2 or 3 corresponding to the x,y or z axis. The scaling data and if required the grids are drawn if the value is "on" . Note that when creating a simple axes entity using the gca() (shorcut for get"current_axes") ) or gcf() (shortcut for get(current_figure) ) commands, the axes visiblibilty is set to "off" .

axes_reverse: A 1x3 string vector corresponding to the three axes (X,Y,Z). For each axes, the property specifies the direction of the incresing values. If "off" , the default direction is used. If "on" , the direction is reverse. It is also possible to use only one string, "on" or "off" , to set simultaneously the three data.

grid: The field value is a vector [x-grid,y-grid,z-grid] where x-grid controls a grid drawning for the x-axis and y-grid, z-grid respecting to the y-axis, z-axis. The default values is -1 grids are not drawn, else the grids are drawn using the color given indexed by the grid value.

x_location: Specify the location of the x-axis. The possible values are:

"bottom" . In this case the x axis is drawn at the bottom of the axes rectangle.

"top" . In this case the x axis is drawn at the top of the axes rectangle.

"middle" . In this case the x axis is drawn at the position nearest to the 0 y coordinates.

y_location: Specify the location of the y-axis. The possible values are:

"left" . In this case the y axis is drawn at the left of the axes rectangle.

"right" . In this case the y axis is drawn at the right of the axes rectangle.

"middle" . In this case the y axis is drawn at the position nearest to the 0 x coordinates.

title: An object attached to the Axes entity and returning a graphic handle on a Label structure (see label_properties ). This field defines a title with options on this label.

x_label: An object attached to the Axes entity and returning a graphic handle on a Label structure (see label_properties ). This field defines a label on x axis with options on this label.

y_label: An object attached to the Axes entity and returning a graphic handle on a Label structure (see label_properties ). This field defines a label on y axis with options on this label.

z_label: An object attached to the Axes entity and returning a graphic handle on a Label structure (see label_properties ). This field defines a label on z axis with options on this label.

auto_ticks: A 1x3 string vector giving the auto_ticks status for each axis. This property specifies whether each axis is graduated using a computational algorithm or not (graduations are set by the user). Its value should be "on" or "off" for a global setting.To act on a single axis, the syntax is auto_ticks(N) where N is 1,2 or 3 corresponding to the x,y or z axis. Note that editing ticks (text and/or locations) via x_ticks, y_ticks or z_ticks automatically set auto_ticks to "off" for the corresponding axes.

x_ticks.locations: A real vector containing the locations for the graduations on x axis. This property can be edited specifying a new real vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the x_ticks tlist defining a corresponding x_ticks.labels string vector too.

y_ticks.locations: A real vector containing the locations for the graduations on y axis. This property can be edited specifying a new real vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the y_ticks tlist defining a corresponding y_ticks.labels string vector too.

z_ticks.locations: A real vector containing the locations for the graduations on z axis. This property can be edited specifying a new real vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the z_ticks tlist defining a corresponding z_ticks.labels string vector too.

x_ticks.labels: A string vector containing the labels for the graduations on x axis. This property can be edited specifying a new string vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the x_ticks tlist defining a corresponding x_ticks.locations real vector too.

y_ticks.labels: A string vector containing the labels for the graduations on y axis. This property can be edited specifying a new string vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the y_ticks tlist defining a corresponding y_ticks.locations real vector too.

z_ticks.labels: A string vector containing the labels for the graduations on z axis. This property can be edited specifying a new string vector (of the same size). To specify greater or lesser graduations, man can act on the z_ticks tlist defining a corresponding z_ticks.locations real vector too.

box: This property specifies whether to enclose the axes in a box. Take as value "off" is to not display the box. The default is "on" .

sub_ticks: This field sets the number of tics to draw between two main tics. The field value is the vector [nx,ny] where nx is the number of sub tics for the x-axis and ny respecting to the y-axis.

font_style: Specify the font used for displaying tics labels. Seven differents fonts are available : "Courrier", "Symbol", "Times", "Times Italic", "Times Bold", "User defined". The font_style property is an index in [0 6] which is associated to the previous font names.

font_size: An integer specifying the font size used to draw the tics labels.

font_color: This property determines the color of the tics labels.

isoview: This property is used to have isometric scales on the x, y and z axes (for exemple to make the display of the curve sin(x) versus cos(x) be a circle not an ellipse). Its value should be "on" or "off" . If the value is "on" , the axes data_bounds automatically change according to the corresponding figure figure_size property values.

cube_scaling:This property is used in 3d mode to have a rescaling of the x, y and z axes. Indeed, it allows the data to fit into a 1x1x1 cube ; the goal is to better display 3d graphics in case axes scales are very different from one to another. Its value should be "on" or "off" (which is the default value). In most cases, it helps generating Matlab-like 3d view.

view: This field is related to the graphics universe. It takes "3d" as value corresponding to the three-dimensional views. In the other case its value can be "2d" for initial 2d plotting (default value). This flag also depends on the plots the user enters : a plot3d command, for example, will switch the view flag from "2d" to "3d" .

rotation_angles: This field is the vector [alpha,theta] . These two values give the spherical coordinates of the observation points (in degree).

tight_limits: If this property value is "on" axes adapt to fit exactly with the minima and maxima values of the data_bounds . If this field value is "off" , axes may enlarge boundaries such as to produce pretty tics labels.

data_bounds: This field contains the boundary values for the x,y and z coordinates. It is the matrix [xmin,ymin,zmin;xmax,ymax,zmax] or [xmin,ymin;xmax,ymax] . Note that, to stricly have the specified data bounds, tight_limits must be set to "on" value (see above).

zoom_box: This field contains the current zoom box if any coordinates are given. It is an empty matrix (no zoom) or the vector [xmin,ymin,xmax,ymax] (defines a rectangle given by two opposite corners). The z coordinates is not yet taken into account.

margins: A vector [margin_left,margin_right,margin_top,margin_bottom] specifying the margins portion for this axes. This vector is composed of numbers between [0 1] with default: [0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125] (these numbers are ratio relatives to the corresponding figure figure_size property values).

axes_bounds: A vector [x_left,y_up,width,height] specifying the portion of figure used by this axes. Where x_left , y_up , width and height are numbers in [0 1] give respectively the position of the upper-left corner and the dimension of the axes (these numbers are ratio relative to the corresponding figure figure_size property values).

user_data: This field can be use to store any scilab variable in the axes data structure, and to retreive it.

Properties for high level functions

The plot , plot2dx , grayplot and matplot functions use the following properties to decide how to merge consecutive plots if this is not stated by the frameflag calling argument. The result of the merge is decided through these two following properties:

auto_clear: If this property value is equal to "on" , a call to a high level graphic will re-ininitialize the current axes and erase all its children before preforming the drawing. If the value is "off" the drawings will be added to current axes according to "auto_scale" property.

auto_scale: A property to update the axes data boundary. If value is "on" , a new plot will adapt the current axes properties to fit with previous and current plots. If its value is "off" the new plot will be drawn in the current axes data boundary.

Children's default values:

hiddencolor: This property controls the hidden parts' color. It takes as value an index relative to the current colormap. In another case, if it is a negative value, the hidden parts take the same colors as the surface

line_mode: This field contains the default line_mode property value for Segs Rectangle Legend Axis Plot3d Fac3d and Polyline objects. Its value should be "on" (default) or "off" .

line_style: This field contains the default line_style property value for Segs, Arcs, Rectangle and Polyline objects. line_style selects the type of line to be used to draw lines . Its value should be an integer in [0 6]. 0 and 1 stand for solid, the other values stand for a selection of dashes (see getlinestyle ).

thickness: This field contains the default thickness property value for all objects using line drawing. Its value should be positive integer.

mark_mode: This field contains the default mark_mode property value for Segs Rectangle Legend Axis Plot3d Fac3d and Polyline objects. Its value should be "on" or "off" (default).

mark_style: This field contains the default mark_style property value for Segs Rectangle Legend Axis Plot3d Fac3d and Polyline objects. mark_style selects the type of mark to be displayed. Its value should be an integer in [0 9] which stands for: dot, plus, cross, star, filled diamond, diamond, triangle up, triangle down, trefle and circle.

mark_size_unit: This field contains the default mark_size_unit property value for Segs Rectangle Legend Axis Plot3d Fac3d and Polyline objects. If mark_size_unit is set to "point" , then the mark_size value is directly given in points. When mark_size_unit is set to "tabulated" , mark_size is computed relative to the font size array: therefore, its value should be an integer in [0 5] whith stands for 8pt, 10pt, 12pt, 14pt, 18pt and 24pt. Note that plot2d and pure scilab functions use tabulated mode as default ; when using plot function, the point mode is automatically enabled.

mark_size: This field contains the default mark_size property value for Segs Rectangle Legend Axis Plot3d Fac3d and Polyline objects. mark_size selects the font size of mark to be displayed. Its value should be an integer in [0 5] whith stands for 8pt, 10pt, 12pt, 14pt, 18pt and 24pt (see getmark ).

mark_foreground: This field contains the default mark_foreground property value for all objects created under this axes. Polyline, rectangle, legend, surface, segment and axis objects are using this property to specify a foreground (edge) color for their marks. Its value should be a color index (relative to the current color_map). Note that the default value is -1 (default black) and, even if you change the color_map , this -1 value will always point onto the default black color.

mark_background: This property controls the default mark_background property value for all objects created under this axes. Polyline, rectangle, legend, surface, segment and axis objects are using this property to specify a background (face) color for their marks. It takes as value an index relative to the current colormap.Note that the default value is -2 (default white) and, even if you change the color_map , this -2 value will always point onto the default white color.

foreground: This field contains the default foreground property value for axes and all objects created under this axes. Its value should be a color index (relative to the current color_map). Note that the default value is -1 (default black) and, even if you change the color_map , this -1 value will always point onto the default black color.

background: This property controls the default background property value for axes and all objects created under this axes. It takes as value an index relative to the current colormap.Note that the default value is -2 (default white) and, even if you change the color_map , this -2 value will always point onto the default white color.

clip_state: This field contains the default clip_state property value for all objects. Its value should be :

"off" this means that all objects created after that are not clipped (default value).

"clipgrf" this means that all objects created after that are clipped outside the Axes boundaries.

"on" this means that all objects created after that are clipped outside the rectangle given by property clip_box.

clip_box: This field contains the default clip_box property value for all objects. Its value should be an empty matrix if clip_state is "off" . Other case the clipping is given by the vector [x,y,w,h] (upper-left point width height).

Note on default values :

All these listed properties and fields inherit from default values stored in an axes model. These default values can be seen and changed. To do so, use the get("default_axes") command : it returns a graphic handle on the axes model. Note that no graphic window is created by this command. The next created axes will inherit from this model (see "Example on axes model" below).

Examples

   lines(0) // disables vertical paging 
   set("figure_style","new") //create a figure
   a=get("current_axes")//get the handle of the newly created axes
   a.axes_visible="on"; // makes the axes visible
   a.font_size=3; //set the tics label font size
   a.x_location="top"; //set the x axis position
   a.data_bounds=[-100,-2,-1;100,2,1]; //set the boundary values for the x, y and z coordinates.
   a.sub_tics=[5,0];
   a.labels_font_color=5;
   a.grid=[2,2];
   a.box="off";
   // Example with 3D axes
   clf(); //clear the graphics window
   x=0.1:0.1:2*%pi;plot2d(x-.3,sin(x)*7+.2);
   a=gca(); // get the handle of the current axes
   a.grid=[1 -1 -1]; //make x-grid
   a.rotation_angles=[70 250]; //turn the axes with giving angles
   a.grid=[1 6 -1]; //make y-grid
   a.view="2d"; //return te the 2d view
   a.box="off"; 
   a.labels_font_color=5;
   a.children.children.thickness=4;
   a.children.children.polyline_style=3;
   a.view="3d"; //return te the 3d view
   a.children.children.thickness=1;
   a.children.children.foreground=2;
   a.grid=[1 6 3]; //make z-grid
   a.parent.background=4;
   a.background=7;
   plot2d(cos(x)+1,3*sin(x)-3);
   plot2d(cos(x)+7,3*sin(x)+3);
   a.children(2).children.polyline_style=2;
   a.children(1).children.polyline_style=4;
   a.children(1).children.foreground=5;
   a.children(2).children.foreground=14;
   a.parent.figure_size= [1200,800];
   a.box="on";
   a.labels_font_size=4;
   a.parent.background=8;
   a.parent.figure_size= [400,200];
   a.rotation_angles=[0 260];
   delete(a.children(2)); 
   delete(); // delete current object
   a.labels_font_size=1;
   a.auto_clear= "on";
   x=0:0.1:2.5*%pi;plot2d(10*cos(x),sin(x));
   a=gca(); 
   a.rotation_angles=[45 45];
   a.data_bounds=[-20,-3,-2;20 3 ,2];
   xrect([-4 0.5 8 1]);
   a.isoview="on"; // isoview mode
   xrect([-2 0.25 4 0.5]);
   a.children(1).fill_mode="on";
   a.axes_visible="off";
   a.children(1).data=[-2 0.25 -1 4 0.5];
   a.children(2).data=[-4 0.5 1 8 1];
   x=2*%pi*(0:7)/8;
   xv=[.2*sin(x);.9*sin(x)];yv=[.2*cos(x);.9*cos(x)];
   xsegs(10*xv,yv,1:8)
   s=a.children(1);
   s.arrow_size=1;
   s.segs_color=5;
   a.data_bounds //the boundary values for the x,y and z coordinates
   a.view="2d";
   a.data_bounds=[-10,-1; 10,1]; // set the boundary values for the two-dimensional views
   // Example on axes model
   da=gda() // get the handle on axes model to view and edit the fields
   // title by default
   da.title.text="My Default@Title"
   da.title.foreground = 12;
   da.title.font_size = 4;
   // x labels default
   da.x_label.text="x";
   da.x_label.font_style = 8;
   da.x_label.font_size = 2;
   da.x_label.foreground = 5;
   da.x_location = "middle";
   // y labels default
   da.y_label.text="y";
   da.y_label.font_style = 3;
   da.y_label.font_size = 5;
   da.y_label.foreground = 3;
   da.y_location = "right";
   da.thickness = 2;
   da.foreground = 7;
   // the plot
   x=(0:0.1:2*%pi)';
   plot2d(x,[sin(x),sin(2*x),sin(3*x)],style=[1,2,3],rect=[0,-2,2*%pi,2]);
   sda() // back to default axes model

 

See Also

lines ,   set ,   get ,   gca ,   gda ,   gcf ,   sda ,   sdf ,   scf ,   graphics_entities ,  

Author

Djalel ABDEMOUCHE