Superscripts and subscripts in fprintf

Is it possible to display text with subscripts using fprintf in R2016a ? I would like to change Nmax.

fprintf('\nMaximum value of N is Nmax = 2\n');

Maximum value of N is Nmax = 2

Answer 1

[Abhas]

Hi @Left Terry,

In MATLAB R2016a, "fprintf" does not support displaying text with subscripts directly because it outputs plain text, and subscripts are a feature of formatted text (like LaTeX or rich text). However, there are workarounds to display subscripts depending on the output medium:

• If you need to display subscripts in a figure, you can use text or annotation with TeX or LaTeX formatting, which supports subscripts:

figure;
text(0.1, 0.5, 'Maximum value of N is N_{max} = 2', 'Interpreter', 'tex');

●

• To write subscripts using Unicode characters in MATLAB or any plain text context, you can refer the following link and use Unicode subscript characters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicode_subscripts_and_superscripts

fprintf('y\x2098')

yₘ

I hope this helps!

[Left Terry]

It doesn't work.

[Abhas]

"Nₘₐₓ" in MATLAB can't be directly written using "fprintf", I just gave the workaround for few subscripts and superscripts that you can use.

[Left Terry]

I meant that even this does not work:

fprintf('y\x2098')

yₘ

[Matt J]

It doesn't work.

It does in LiveScript or other rich text environments:

myfprintf('Maximum value of N is N_{max} = 2')

myfprintf('Minimum value of N is N_{min} = 1')

function myfprintf(str)
    hF=figure;hAx=gca; 
    imagesc(nan(10,500),'AlphaData',0); axis image; axis off;
    Ht=text(250,5,str,'Interpreter','tex','Horiz','right');
    hF.InnerPosition(end)=hAx.OuterPosition(end)*30;
end

Answer 2

[Image Analyst]

See https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/707023-how-to-put-subscript-superscript-in-fprintf?s_tid=srchtitle

Answer 3

[Adam Danz]

Not all letters have unicode subscripts but m, a, and x do, so you're in luck.

x = 2;
fprintf(1,'Maximum value of N is N%c%c%c=%.0f\n',[8344 8336 8339 x]);

Maximum value of N is Nₘₐₓ=2

More info

• webnots page that lists unicodes for super- and subscript letters
• subscript generator - to get the numeric unicode values, copy the results in matlab and run double('<results>')

[Left Terry]

This doesn't work either. I will use Nmax as i did at first. Thanks you all for your help!

[Image Analyst]

It looks like it worked to me. I can see it right above. The max is smaller, just as a subscript should look. Why do you say it didn't work?

OK, let me try it myself:

Nmax = 2;
fprintf(1,'Maximum value of N is N%c%c%c=%.0f\n',[8344, 8336, 8339, Nmax]);

Maximum value of N is Nₘₐₓ=2

Looks good to me. Can you post a screenshot of it not working for you? Note if you're fprinting to a plain text file, it may not appear right (I didn't try it), but for the command line, it looks fine.

[Stephen23]

"It looks like it worked to me. I can see it right above. The max is smaller, just as a subscript should look. Why do you say it didn't work?"|

It does not work in R2016a, which the OP explicitly stated that they are using:

If I recall correctly, it was only around R2018 or R2019 that MATLAB's default MONOSPACED font started to display Unicode characters (more) reliably.

[Walter Roberson]

Ah, that would be a matter of setting the command window font to one that supports unicode.

[Left Terry]

@Image Analyst When i use it i see boxes istead of subscripts like in the image posted above.