Use linkaxes on where all x-axes are linked but only some y-axes are linked

Hello,

I ran into a slight problem with linkaxes. I want to be able to use the zoom function on the axes flexibly.

I am plotting 4 subplots with the same x-axis limits (time) but different y-axis limits (temperature & humidity).

figure; 
sb1 = subplot(4,1,1); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[26.2 25.1 25.3 25.6 25.2 25.4 24.1]); title('Temperature Room 1');
sb2 = subplot(4,1,2); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[26.2 24.9 24.3 24.5 24.4 24.4 24.1]); title('Temperature Room 2');
sb3 = subplot(4,1,3); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[39.5 38.9 35.6 26.1 25.6 24.1 23.5]); title('Humidity Room 1');
sb4 = subplot(4,1,4); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[39.5 35.5 29.4 25.2 24.8 28.2 23.5]); title('Humidity Room 2');
linkaxes([sb1,sb2,sb3,sb4],'x'); linkaxes([sb1,sb2],'y'); linkaxes([sb3,sb4],'y')

The axes are now only connected on the y-axis with each other, not on the x-axis anymore.

Is there an easy / common way to fix it that I am overlooking?

Thanks and Best Wishes!

Answer 1

[the cyclist]

I think this does what you intend. You need to link x & y simultaneously, and the order of calling linkaxes matters.

figure; 
sb1 = subplot(4,1,1); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[26.2 25.1 25.3 25.6 25.2 25.4 24.1]); title('Temperature Room 1');
sb2 = subplot(4,1,2); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[26.2 24.9 24.3 24.5 24.4 24.4 24.1]); title('Temperature Room 2');
sb3 = subplot(4,1,3); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[39.5 38.9 35.6 26.1 25.6 24.1 23.5]); title('Humidity Room 1');
sb4 = subplot(4,1,4); plot([datetime('01.01.2000'):datetime('07.01.2000')],[39.5 35.5 29.4 25.2 24.8 28.2 23.5]); title('Humidity Room 2');
linkaxes([sb1,sb2],'xy'); linkaxes([sb3,sb4],'xy'); linkaxes([sb1,sb3],'x')

[Katy Weihrich]

Thank you! That is great!

Though, I am still a little confused why this version works.

When I try ...

linkaxes([sb1,sb2],'xy'); linkaxes([sb3,sb4],'xy'); linkaxes([sb1,sb2,sb3,sb4],'x')

... the link of the y axis for [sb1,sb2] and [sb3,sb4] gets overwritten.

I assume this is caused by linkaxes([sb1,sb3],'x') overwitting the sb1 & sb3 axes but the sb2 & sb4 axes linking to the sb1 & sb3 do not get overwitten?

[the cyclist]

I believe that what is happening in your version is that if you link sb1 and sb2 with

linkaxes([sb1,sb2],'x')

after linking with

linkaxes([sb1,sb2],'xy')

then that link supersedes the prior one, and removes the y-axes link between that pair of subplots.

The reason that mine worked as you intended is that I never replicated a link between any two sets of axes. I created the minimal set that would create all the links you wanted.

I believe instead you could have created links between each pair of subplots separately, and not relied on the "chain" of links that I effectively created. That would probably have been a more intuitive (if slightly less efficient) way to see what is going on.