How can I insert my MATLAB figure (.fig) files into multiple subplots?

I have two MATLAB figure (.fig) files which I would like to insert into the subplots of a new figure.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

In order to copy MATLAB figure (.fig) files into multiple subplots use the following commands:

h1 = openfig('test1.fig','reuse'); % open figure
ax1 = gca; % get handle to axes of figure
h2 = openfig('test2.fig','reuse');
ax2 = gca;
% test1.fig and test2.fig are the names of the figure files which you would % like to copy into multiple subplots

h3 = figure; %create new figure
s1 = subplot(2,1,1); %create and get handle to the subplot axes
s2 = subplot(2,1,2);
fig1 = get(ax1,'children'); %get handle to all the children in the figure
fig2 = get(ax2,'children');

copyobj(fig1,s1); %copy children to new parent axes i.e. the subplot axes
copyobj(fig2,s2);

For additional information on the COPYOBJ function, refer to the following documentation:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/copyobj.html

Attached are 2 scripts which will demonstrate how to place multiple FIG files into different subplots.

The file 'savfigs.m' creates 2 figures and saves them into the current working directory. Please run this file first.

The file 'copyaxes.m' opens these figures and then copies them to the different subplot axes.

[LIU]

Hello, all.

I just tried subplotting two graphs with 4 y-axis in a figure by using the commands suggeted above. But only get the result as follows:

Coul you please kindly help correct the codes attached below to get it come out right? Thank you in advance.

The funtion to plot multiple y-axis is:

function [ax,hlines] = plotyyyy(x1,y1,x2,y2,x3,y3,x4,y4,ylabels)
%PLOTY4 Extends plotyy to include a third and fourth y-axis
%
% Syntax: [ax,hlines] = ploty4(x1,y1,x2,y2,x3,y3,x4,y4,ylabels)
%
% Inputs: x1,y1 are the xdata and ydata for the first axes' line
% x2,y2 are the xdata and ydata for the second axes' line
% x3,y3 are the xdata and ydata for the third axes' line
% x4,y4 are the xdata and ydata for the fourth axes' line
% ylabels is a 4x1 cell array containing the ylabel strings (optional)
%
% Outputs: ax - 4x1 double array containing the axes' handles
% hlines - 4x1 double array containing the lines' handles
%
% ylabels{3} = 'Third y-label';
% See also Plot, Plotyy

% Denis Gilbert, Ph.D.

% Check inputs
msg=nargchk(8,9,nargin);
error(msg);

% Create figure window
figure('units','normalized',...
'DefaultAxesXMinorTick','on','DefaultAxesYminorTick','on');

%Plot the first two lines with plotyy
[ax,hlines(1),hlines(2)] = plotyy(x1,y1,x2,y2);
cfig = get(gcf,'color');
pos = [0.1 0.1 0.65 0.8];
offset = pos(3)/24;

%Reduce width of the two axes generated by plotyy
pos(1) = pos(1) + offset;
pos(3) = pos(3) - offset;
set(ax,'position',pos);

%Determine the position of the third/fourth axes
pos3 = [pos(1) pos(2) pos(3)+offset pos(4)];
pos4 = [pos(1) - offset pos(2) pos(3)+offset pos(4)];

%Determine the proper x-limits for the third and fourth axes
scale3 = pos3(3)/pos(3);
scale4 = pos4(3)/pos(3);
limx1 = get(ax(1),'xlim');
limx3 = [limx1(1) limx1(1)+scale3*(limx1(2)-limx1(1))];
limx4 = [limx1(2)-scale4*(limx1(2)-limx1(1)) limx1(2)];

%Create ax(3) & ax(4)
ax(3) = axes('Position',pos3,'box','off',...
'Color','none','XColor',cfig,'YColor','r',...
'xtick',[],'xlim',limx3,'yaxislocation','right');
ax(4) = axes('Position',pos4,'box','off',...
'Color','none','XColor',cfig,'YColor','k',...
'xtick',[],'xlim',limx4,'yaxislocation','left');

%Plot x3,y3,x4,y4
hlines(3) = line(x3,y3,'Color','r','LineStyle','--','Parent',ax(3));
hlines(4) = line(x4,y4,'Color','k','LineStyle','-.','Parent',ax(4));

%Put ax(2) on top;
axes(ax(2));

%Set y-labels;
if nargin==9
set(cell2mat(get(ax,{'ylabel'})),{'String'},{ylabels{:}}');
end

The example figure is :

x = 0:10;
y1=x; y2=x.^2; y3=x.^3; y4=x.^4;
[ax,hlines] = plotyyyy(x,y1,x,y2,x,y3,x,y4);
saveas(gcf,'fig1'), 'fig')

By using the codes in this post, I did:

h1 = openfig('fig1.fig','reuse'); % open figure
ax1 = gca; % get handle to axes of figure
h2 = openfig('fig1.fig','reuse');
ax2 = gca;
% test1.fig and test2.fig are the names of the figure files which you would % like to copy into multiple subplots
h3 = figure; %create new figure
s1 = subplot(2,1,1); %create and get handle to the subplot axes
s2 = subplot(2,1,2);
fig3 = get(ax1,'children'); %get handle to all the children in the figure
fig4 = get(ax2,'children');
copyobj(fig3,s1); %copy children to new parent axes i.e. the subplot axes
copyobj(fig4,s2);

[Kimberley Owen]

The base code provided by the support team is not working for me in 2016a. It opens a figure with two subplots, but will not copy any objects onto it.

It says "Subscripted assignment dimension mismatch."

[eitan asher]

Didn't work for me owith MATLAB 2019a.

This is what I tried to do with one subplot (justto check if it's working)

figname = fig_file.name;

i=1;

h1 = openfig(figname, 'reuse');

ax1 = gca;

h3 = figure;

s1 = subplot(5,2,i)

fig1 = get(ax1,'children');

copyobj(h1,s1);

and I got:

Error using copyobj

Axes cannot be a parent.

[Eric Sargent]

Starting in R2019b, you can use tiledlayout to manage these axes.

openfig('fig1.fig');
ax1=gca;
openfig('fig2.fig')
ax2=gca;
 
figure;
tcl=tiledlayout(1,2);
ax1.Parent=tcl;
ax1.Layout.Tile=1;
ax2.Parent=tcl;
ax2.Layout.Tile=2;

Answer 2

[Eric Sargent]

Starting in R2019b, you can use tiledlayout to manage these axes.

openfig('fig1.fig');
ax1=gca;
openfig('fig2.fig')
ax2=gca;
 
figure;
tcl=tiledlayout(1,2);
ax1.Parent=tcl;
ax1.Layout.Tile=1;
ax2.Parent=tcl;
ax2.Layout.Tile=2;

[Moritz Scheer]

This solution works very well. Labels, grid, graphs are all shown in the tiledlayout. Only the legend is missing. Any idea, how also the legend of the loaded figures appear in the tiledlayout?

[Katja Löwenstein]

@Eric Sargent I have the same question as Moritz Scheer. Your code works perfectly for me, except that the legends disappear.

[Eric Sargent]

Can you add some example code and/or screenshots, please? It's working with the examples I've been testing, so I'm curious to learn more about what's happening for you and Moritz.

[Tony Castillo]

Dear all, I have tested it on release 2022a and it deals with it properly.

[Eric Sargent]

Thanks @Tony Castillo

Answer 3

[su yung-chih]

For some reason, MATLAB may not be able to show the figure in short time. So, user had better add some time-delay after "ax = gac", or the subplot may repeat the same result.

if true
  % code
end
ax = gca; pause(2)