How to create 3D mesh surface that joins two parallel 2D data plots of similar sized X,Y sets let say a Z distance apart?

Let say if I have X1 and X2 arrays of equal size which represent two different 2D plots whose Y arrays are identical and of similar size as that of X1 or X2.

The two plots represents parallel traces in 3D space that are separated from one another by Z=50. That is, plot(X1,Y) is at Z=0 and plot(X2,Y) is at Z=50 in 3D space. And I want to connect the two plots with one another through linear vector line relationship to form a 3D mesh surface.

How should I do this in MATLAB?

Thanks

[Walter Roberson]

In the mesh, the first plot at location (X1(J,K), Y(J,K), 0) should be "connected" to which other points in the mesh?

[M. Waleed Shaukat]

It does not need to be a mesh. Let me clarify the question. If I have a vector y=[0:1:100]and x1 and x2 for the sake of the argument be x1=5*y and x2= -5*y respectively. These two (x1,y) and (x2,y) plots have to be represented in a 3D space as been separated by some distance z=50 from each other. Let (x1,y) be at z=0 and (x2,y) at z=50. And the two plots that are parallel in 3D space to one another have to be bridged by a surface that is simply connecting points of two plots in a sequential manner.

[Walter Roberson]

Simply connecting points of the two plots in a sequential manner does not result in a surface: it results in a set of line segments, (x1(J),y(J),0) joined to (x2(J),y(J),50)

If you want a ribbon between the two plots then you need to specify whether you want rectangular faces or triangular faces.

[M. Waleed Shaukat]

Yes, I understand it will not form a surface rather sort of it been made of several line segments.

I would like to prefer rectangular faces. However, I have tried your code and it is coming with an error saying HORZCAT ERROR. CAT ARGUMENT DIMENSIONS ARE NOT CONSISTENT after vert=[X,Y,Z] input.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

X = [x1(:), x2(:)];
Y = [y(:), y(:)];
Z = [zeros(numel(x1),1); 50*ones(numel(x1),1)];
vert = [X, Y, Z];
N = numel(x1);
fac = [1:N-1; 2:N; N+2:2*N; N+1:2*N-1].';
patch('Faces', fac, 'Vertices', vert);

[M. Waleed Shaukat]

Z has half the columns and twice the rows as X or Y.

May be that is why there is an error of inconsistency coming up?

[Walter Roberson]

X = [x1(:); x2(:)];
Y = [y(:); y(:)];

[M. Waleed Shaukat]

Thanks a lot!

I have got the 3D figure but it is all in solid black. Can I change the color, cam light or shades to better understand the figure?

[Walter Roberson]

Yes, see the FaceColor property of patch, perhaps in combination with the CData property.

[M. Waleed Shaukat]

Yeah, great.

Thanks once again!