Invalid property: Returned figure handles not valid

When using the command

Hndl = get(gcf,'Children')

to obtain the axis handles of a 3x1 subplot I am recieve more handles than anticipated

i.e.

Hndl =

399.0060
398.0060
397.0060
396.0060
395.0060
381.0033
363.0033
356.0038

When attempting to use one/all of these handles i.e.

set(Hndl,'NextPlot','add')

I recieve the error

"Error using set

Invalid property found.

Object Name : uicontextmenu

Property Name : 'NextPlot'."

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Plotting simple examples and overlaying additional plots on the subplot axis works without any problem. In implementation in my programme the figure handles are always 'invalid'

Answer 1

[Sean de Wolski]

get(gcf,'children')

returns the handles to all of the unhidden children of the figure including uimenus and uicontextmenus etc.

Instead, use findobj and specify the type to be 'axes' so it only gives you axes handles:

 hAx = findall(gcf,'type','axes')

Even better would just be to store the handles when you create the subplot

for ii = 3:-1:1
  hAx(ii) = subplot(3,1,ii);
  plot(rand(1,10));
end

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

You can

get(Hndl, 'Type')

to see what they are. You should expect multiple axes if you have a legend. You should expect that figure might have menu bars.

If you only want axes, then use

Hndl = findobj(cf, 'type', 'axes')

Answer 3

[Jamie]

Thank you both kindly! I've been scratching my head for the past couple of days on that one. My 'test figures' obviously didnt include any of the aditional handles hence the irregularity (and ensuing frustration!).

Thank you both!