Plot points that meet a specific condition by using a function

Hi all, I'm having some issue on this task: I would like to plot some data, from a .txt file, in a x-y plot, just when a "third" condition occurs. Data are inserted into columns into a table, so they are all together. At the end of the task data will be not equally spaced, but this part is well-explained here (https://it.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/326049-how-to-plot-non-equally-spaced-data-in-an-equally-spaced-fashion). So data can be seen as variables x,y,z,a,b,c,d...etc, sorted in columns. The idea is to choose a condition (for example, when x=1) and plot the correspondant data from two other variables.

Here's an example of my code, that works on a txt file of 4 columns:

clear all
close all
D = readtable('Example.txt');
[numRows,numCols] = size(D);
num=table2array(D(:,1));
id=table2array(D(:,2));
Err=table2array(D(:,3));
slope=table2array(D(:,4));

%condition that has to occurr to find x and y: for example num==1
xnum=find(num==1);
L=length(xnum);
for j=1:L
   idvector(j)=id(xnum(j))   %create 2 vectors containing points 
   Errvector(j)=Err(xnum(j))  %that match the condition
end

%not equally spaced points
xl=1:L;
plot(xl,Errvector,'linestyle','none','marker','.')
xlim([0,L+1]);
xticks(1:L)
set(gca, 'XTick',(1:L),'XTickLabel',idvector);

My code works fine, but I would like to make it smarter: is there a chance to create a sort of external function, where I choose the "condition" that I want to match, and select the two columns on which I want to apply this condition? I'm asking because it would become much more easier in case I have dozens of columns (=variables). Moreover, in my code I had to create idvector and Errvector, to make the plot; is it necessary? Would it be possible to incorporate these added arrays into the structure of the function?

P.s. I'm considering a function because I have some reminescence that it could make the code smoother, but I'm open to advice.

Thank you very much!

Answer 1

[dpb]

num=table2array(D(:,1));
id=table2array(D(:,2));
Err=table2array(D(:,3));
slope=table2array(D(:,4));xnum=find(num==1);
xnum=find(num==1);
L=length(xnum);
for j=1:L
   idvector(j)=id(xnum(j))   %create 2 vectors containing points 
   Errvector(j)=Err(xnum(j))  %that match the condition
end
xl=1:L;
plot(xl,Errvector,'linestyle','none','marker','.')
...

is written more succinctly as

numVal=1;                       % The wanted value
ixNum=(D.num==numVal);          % logical indexing/addressing array
plot(D.Err(ixNum),'linestyle','none','marker','.')
...

You created a table with named variables, use it instead of duplicating the same data.

And, yes, you can dispense entirely with all the temporaries, including the four before the two you mention explicitly.

To write a function, just pass in the name of the variable(s) you wish to plot and associated flag/value by which to select those of interest.

See the documentation for the table data class to see about all the modes of addressing; you can use character variables as dynamic addressing so can pass in the variable name of interest as well.