Graphics Properties:

The MATLAB uses the Handle Graphics in all its figures. All figures consist of various objects, each of which is assigned a handle. The object handle is a exclusive real number which is used to refer to the object.

The different plot functions return a handle for the plot object that can then be stored in a variable. The plot function plots a sin function as shown below in a Figure Window and returns a real number that is the object handle. This handle will remain valid as long as the object exists.

  >> x = -2*pi: 1/5 : 2*pi;

     >> y = sin(x);

     >> hl = plot(x,y)

     hl =

    158.5420

Note that after getting the plot, the Figure Window must not be closed, so that it would make the object handle invalid as the object wouldn't exist anymore! The properties of that object can be exhibited using the get function. This displays properties like the LineStyle, Color, LineWidth, and so forth.

>> get(hl)

     Color:  [0 0 1]

   EraseMode:  'normal'

  LineStyle:  '-'

   LineWidth:  0.5000

   Marker:  'none'

   MarkerSize:  6

  MarkerEdgeColor:  'auto'

   MarkerFaceColor:  'none'

   XData:  [1x63 double]

   YData:  [1x63 double]

   ZData:  [1x0 double]

   BeingDeleted:  'off'

  ButtonDownFcn:  []

  Children:  [0x1 double]

  Clipping:  'on'

  CreateFcn:  []

   DeleteFcn:  []

   BusyAction:  'queue'

  HandleVisibility:  'on'

  HitTest:  'on'

   Interruptible:  'on'

   Selected:  'off'

   SelectionHighlight: 'on'

     Tag:  ''

  Type:  'line'

  UIContextMenu:  []

  UserData:  []

  Visible:  'on'

  Parent:  157.5415

   DisplayName:  ''

    XDataMode:  'manual'

  XDataSource:  ''

  YDataSource:  ''

   ZDataSource:  ''