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Write Constructors for Chart Classes

When you develop a chart as a subclass of the ChartContainer base class, the base class provides a default constructor that accepts optional name-value pair arguments for setting chart properties. For example, this command creates an instance of a class called ConfidenceChart.

ConfidenceChart('XData',x,'YData',y,'ConfidenceMargin',0.15,'Color',[1 0 0])

By writing a custom constructor method, you can provide an interface that accepts individual argument values and optional name-value pair arguments. For example, you can design a custom constructor to change the calling syntax for ConfidenceChart so that both of these commands are valid ways to create the chart:

ConfidenceChart(x,y,0.15)
ConfidenceChart(x,y,0.15,'Color',[1 0 0])

When you write the constructor method:

  • Specify the input arguments you want to support in the function declaration. Include varargin as the last input argument to capture any property name-value pair arguments that the user specifies.

  • Call the ChartContainer constructor before all other references to the chart object.

For example, the following constructor method for the ConfidenceChart class performs these tasks:

  • Checks the number of input arguments and returns an error if the number is less than three.

  • Converts the x, y, and margin values to the name-value pair arguments that the ChartContainer constructor accepts, and stores the results in args.

  • Appends any user-specified name-value pair arguments to the end of args.

  • Passes args to the ChartContainer constructor method.

methods
    function obj = ConfidenceChart(x,y,margin,varargin)
        % Check for at least three inputs
        if nargin < 3
            error('Not enough inputs');
        end
            
        % Convert x, y, and margin into name-value pairs
        args = {'XData', x, 'YData', y, 'ConfidenceMargin', margin};
            
        % Combine args with user-provided name-value pairs
        args = [args varargin];
            
        % Call superclass constructor method
        obj@matlab.graphics.chartcontainer.ChartContainer(args{:});
    end
end

Example: Confidence Bounds Chart with Custom Constructor

This example shows how to develop a chart that has a custom constructor that accepts single-value input arguments and optional name-value pair arguments. The chart plots a line with markers and a surrounding confidence margin.

Create a program file named ConfidenceChart.m in a folder that is on the MATLAB® path. Define the class by following these steps.

StepImplementation

Derive from the ChartContainer base class.

classdef ConfidenceChart < matlab.graphics.chartcontainer.ChartContainer

Define public properties.

    properties
        XData (1,:) double = NaN
        YData (1,:) double = NaN
        ConfidenceMargin (1,1) double = 0.15
        MarkerSymbol (1,:) char = 'o'
        Color (1,3) double {mustBeGreaterThanOrEqual(Color,0),...
            mustBeLessThanOrEqual(Color,1)} = [1 0 0]
    end

Define private properties.

    properties(Access = private,Transient,NonCopyable)
        LineObject (1,1) matlab.graphics.chart.primitive.Line
        PatchObject (1,1) matlab.graphics.primitive.Patch
    end

Implement the custom constructor method that accepts the x, y, and margin values and optional property name-value pair arguments.

    methods
        function obj = ConfidenceChart(x,y,margin,varargin)
            % Check for at least three inputs
            if nargin < 3
                error('Not enough inputs');
            end
            
            % Convert x, y, and margin into name-value pairs
            args = {'XData', x, 'YData', y, 'ConfidenceMargin', margin};
            
            % Combine args with user-provided name-value pairs.
            args = [args varargin];
            
            % Call superclass constructor method
            obj@matlab.graphics.chartcontainer.ChartContainer(args{:});
        end
    end

Implement the setup method.

    methods(Access = protected)
        function setup(obj)
            % get the axes
            ax = getAxes(obj);
            
            % Create Patch and objects
            obj.PatchObject = patch(ax,NaN,NaN,'r','FaceAlpha',0.2,...
                'EdgeColor','none');
            hold(ax,'on')
            obj.LineObject = plot(ax,NaN,NaN);
            hold(ax,'off')
        end

Implement the update method.

        function update(obj)
            % Update XData and YData of Line
            obj.LineObject.XData = obj.XData;
            obj.LineObject.YData = obj.YData;
            
            % Update patch XData and YData
            x = obj.XData;
            obj.PatchObject.XData = [x x(end:-1:1)];
            y = obj.YData;
            c = obj.ConfidenceMargin;
            obj.PatchObject.YData = [y+c y(end:-1:1)-c];
            
            % Update colors
            obj.LineObject.Color = obj.Color;
            obj.PatchObject.FaceColor = obj.Color;
            
            % Update markers
            obj.LineObject.Marker = obj.MarkerSymbol;
        end
    end
end

Next, create an instance of a ConfidenceChart. Specify the x- and y-coordinates, the margin value, and a marker symbol.

x = 0:0.2:10;
y = besselj(0,x);
ConfidenceChart(x,y,0.20,'MarkerSymbol','>');

See Also

Classes

Functions

Properties

Related Topics