MATLAB Function Reference    
line

Create line object

Syntax

Description

line creates a line object in the current axes. You can specify the color, width, line style, and marker type, as well as other characteristics.

The line function has two forms:

line(X,Y) adds the line defined in vectors X and Y to the current axes. If X and Y are matrices of the same size, line draws one line per column.

line(X,Y,Z) creates lines in three-dimensional coordinates.

line(X,Y,Z,'PropertyName',PropertyValue,...) creates a line using the values for the property name/property value pairs specified and default values for all other properties.

See the LineStyle and Marker properties for a list of supported values.

line('XData',x,'YData',y,'ZData',z,'PropertyName',PropertyValue,.. .) creates a line in the current axes using the property values defined as arguments. This is the low-level form of the line function, which does not accept matrix coordinate data as the other informal forms described above.

h = line(...) returns a column vector of handles corresponding to each line object the function creates.

Remarks

In its informal form, the line function interprets the first three arguments (two for 2-D) as the X, Y, and Z coordinate data, allowing you to omit the property names. You must specify all other properties as name/value pairs. For example,

The low-level form of the line function can have arguments that are only property name/property value paris. For example,

Line properties control various aspects of the line object and are described in the "Line Properties" section. You can also set and query property values after creating the line using set and get.

You can specify properties as property name/property value pairs, structure arrays, and cell arrays (see the set and get reference pages for examples of how to specify these data types).

Unlike high-level functions such as plot, line does not respect the setting of the figure and axes NextPlot properties. It simply adds line objects to the current axes. However, axes properties that are under automatic control such as the axis limits can change to accommodate the line within the current axes.

Examples

This example uses the line function to add a shadow to plotted data. First, plot some data and save the line's handle:

Next, add a shadow by offsetting the x coordinates. Make the shadow line light gray and wider than the default LineWidth:

Finally, pop the first line to the front:

Input Argument Dimensions - Informal Form

This statement reuses the one column matrix specified for ZData to produce two lines, each having four points.

If all the data has the same number of columns and one row each, MATLAB transposes the matrices to produce data for plotting. For example,

is changed to:

This also applies to the case when just one or two matrices have one row. For example, the statement,

is equivalent to:

See Also

axes,newplot, plot, plot3

Object Creation Functions for related functions

Object Hierarchy

Setting Default Properties

You can set default line properties on the axes, figure, and root levels.

Where PropertyName is the name of the line property and PropertyValue is the value you are specifying. Use set and get to access line properties.

The following table lists all light properties and provides a brief description of each. The property name links take you to an expanded description of the properties.

Property Name
Property Description
Property Value
Data Defining the Object
XData
The x-coordinates defining the line
Values: vector or matrix
Default: [0 1]
YData
The y-coordinates defining the line
Values: vector or matrix
Default: [0 1]
ZData
The z-coordinates defining the line
Values: vector or matrix
Default: [] empty matrix
Defining Line Styles and Markers
LineStyle
Select from five line styles.
Values: -, --, :, -., none
Default: -
LineWidth
The width of the line in points
Values: scalar
Default: 0.5 points
Marker
Marker symbol to plot at data points
Values: see Marker property
Default: none
MarkerEdgeColor
Color of marker or the edge color for filled markers
Values: ColorSpec, none, auto
Default: auto
MarkerFaceColor
Fill color for markers that are closed shapes
Values: ColorSpec, none, auto
Default: none
MarkerSize
Size of marker in points
Values: size in points
Default: 6
Controlling the Appearance
Clipping
Clipping to axes rectangle
Values: on, off
Default: on
EraseMode
Method of drawing and erasing the line (useful for animation)
Values: normal, none, xor, background
Default: normal
SelectionHighlight
Highlight line when selected (Selected property set to on)
Values: on, off
Default: on
Visible
Make the line visible or invisible
Values: on, off
Default: on
Color
Color of the line
ColorSpec
Controlling Access to Objects
HandleVisibility
Determines if and when the the line's handle is visible to other functions
Values: on, callback, off
Default: on
HitTest
Determines if the line can become the current object (see the figure CurrentObject property)
Values: on, off
Default: on
General Information About the Line
Children
Line objects have no children
Values: [] (empty matrix)
Parent
The parent of a line object is always an axes object
Value: axes handle
Selected
Indicate whether the line is in a "selected" state.
Values: on, off
Default: on
Tag
User-specified label
Value: any string
Default: '' (empty string)
Type
The type of graphics object (read only)
Value: the string 'line'
UserData
User-specified data
Values: any matrix
Default: [] (empty matrix)
Properties Related to Callback Routine Execution
BusyAction
Specify how to handle callback routine interruption
Values: cancel, queue
Default: queue
ButtonDownFcn
Define a callback routine that executes when a mouse button is pressed on over the line
Values: string or function handle
Default: '' (empty string)
CreateFcn
Define a callback routine that executes when a line is created
Values: string or function handle
Default: '' (empty string)
DeleteFcn
Define a callback routine that executes when the line is deleted (via close or delete)
Values: string or function handle
Default: '' (empty string)
Interruptible
Determine if callback routine can be interrupted
Values: on, off
Default: on (can be interrupted)
UIContextMenu
Associate a context menu with the line
Values: handle of a Uicontextmenu


  lin2mu Line Properties