Duplicate plots into subplot

I am using a code that generates a series of plot, each having their own full scale figure. I'd like to know if there is a way to generate an additional figure with subplot using simply the subplot command and the handles of the previous plots ?

Instead of repeating the plot instruction twice (one for the main figure, and one for the copy in the subplot)

Ideally something like (with my figures handles being fig_i) subplot(2,2,1,'fig1') subplot(2,2,2,'fig2') etc

is this supported ?

Answer 1

[Geoff Hayes]

Consider using copyobj which will allow you to copy a graphics object from one parent to another. Suppose you have the following figure which displays a single axes with the sine curve drawn on it

 figure;
 x = linspace(-2*pi,2*pi,500);
 y = sin(x);
 hCurve = plot(x,y,'r');

So we create a figure and draw the sine curve to it. The output from plot is a handle to the graphics object, and is saved to hCurve.

In a second figure we create the figure and two sup lots

 figure;
 hSub1 = subplot(2,1,1);
 hSub2 = subplot(2,1,2);

hSub1 and hSub2 are handles to the axes of each subplot. We then copy the curve to the first axes as

 copyobj(hCurve,hSub1);

And we see that the sine curve has been copied over.

You can do something similar starting with your fig_i handle. Since it is a handle to a figure, then you want to first get the handle to the axes on that figure (let's assume that you just have the one axes). You can do this as

 hFigIAxes = findobj('Parent',fig_i,'Type','axes');

So the above searches for any graphics object whose parent is the handle fig_i and whose type is axes. We then can copy the axes children (which are the graphics objects drawn on it) to the subplot

 if ~isempty(hFigIAxes)
     hAxes = hFigIAxes(1);  % assume just the one axes
     copyobj(get(hAxes,'Children'),hSub1);
 end

Try the above and see what happens!

[MM]

Sounds like a good plan: copyobj was the keyword i was looking for thx