How to update axes in a GUI properly in a while loop

Hello there,

Im currently trying to animate some data in a GUI. Since i interrupt the animation by hand i created an endless while loop updating all 5 axes like this

while true

      plotting_index = plotting_index+1;

      axes(handles.axes1)
      scatter3(scatter data);
      axis([xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax])
      view(azimuth,elevation);

      axes(handles.axes2)
      scatter3(scatter data);
      axis([xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax])
      view(azimuth2,elevation2);

      .
      .
      .

      interrupting condition
  end;

Since Im updating 5 Axes this way, the plotting gets pretty slow. Matlab recommended initializing the axes ouside the loop, but then I dont know how to assign the Data1(view,axes_lim) for axes1 and Data2 for axes2...etc. Coueld someone help me on that?

Thanks in advance ! :)

Answer 1

[Jan]

Remove the "axes(handles.axes1)" lines and use:

scatter3(..., 'Parent', handles.axes1);

Or even better: Create the scatter plot once only and adjust the data afterwards:

scatterH1 = [];
while true
   ...
   if isempty(scatterH1)
      scatterH1 = scatter3(scatter data);
   else
      set(scatterH1, 'XData', ..., 'YData', ..., 'ZData', ...);
   end
   ...
end

[Mr Anderson]

Thank you so much! Setting the scatter3 once and just updating the data the following runs through the loop is really much faster.

You really helped me a lot! Thanks again :)

Answer 2

[Mr Anderson]

My final code for anyone who comes across a similar problem. I used Jan Simons approach and manipulated it for my uses, especially for the view and axis settings.

scatterA1 = [];
scatterA2 = [];
...
  while true
     ...
     if isempty(scatterA1)
        scatterA1 = scatter3(scatter data...'Parent',handles.axes1);
        set(handles.axes1,'view',[azimuth elevation]);
        axis(handles.axes1,[xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax]);
     else
        set(scatterA1, 'XData', ..., 'YData', ..., 'ZData', ...,'CData',...);
     end

     if isempty(scatterA2)
        scatterA2 = scatter3(scatter data...'Parent',handles.axes2);
        set(handles.axes2,'view',[azimuth2 elevation2]);
        axis(handles.axes2,[xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax]);
     else
        set(scatterA2, 'XData', ..., 'YData', ..., 'ZData', ...,'CData',...,'CData',...);
     end
       ...
  end

Answer 3

[Van Thai Pham]

why don't you post true code?

set(scatterA2, 'XData', ..., 'YData', ..., 'ZData', ...,'CData',...,'CData',...);

does not work.

[Jay]

the "..." allows for a new line.

type it in like this

set(scatterA2, 'XData', ...
    , 'YData', ...
    , 'ZData', ...
    ,'CData',...
    ,'CData',...
    );