PseudocolorRaster Properties

Pseudocolor raster plot appearance and behavior

Since R2026a

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PseudocolorRaster properties control the appearance and behavior of PseudocolorRaster objects. By changing property values, you can modify certain aspects of the object. Use dot notation to query and set properties.

[N,R] = egm96geoid;
p = geopcolor(N,R);
a = p.AlphaData;
p.AlphaData = 0.5;

Create a pseudocolor raster plot from raster data in geographic or projected coordinates by using the geopcolor function.

Color and Transparency

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Color data, specified as a matrix. Each element of the matrix specifies a color for one element of the raster. NaN values are completely transparent.

In general, you can control the color of a pseudocolor raster plot by changing the colormap, the color limits, or the color scale of the parent axes.

  • The colormap defines the colors used by objects such as pseudocolor raster plots. MATLAB® displays the pseudocolor raster plot by mapping elements of ColorData to colors in the colormap. In most cases, you can change the colormap by using the colormap function. To apply a colormap that is appropriate for elevation data, use the demcmap function instead.

  • The color limits control how MATLAB maps elements of ColorData to colors in the colormap. All elements of ColorData that are less than or equal to the lower limit map to the first value in the colormap. All elements of ColorData that are greater than or equal to the upper limit map to the last value in the colormap. All elements of ColorData that are between the lower and upper limits map to the intermediate values in the colormap. Query and change the color limits by using the clim function.

  • The color scale also controls how MATLAB maps elements of ColorData to colors in the colormap. By default, the color scale is linear. You can change the color scale to logarithmic by setting the ColorScale property of the axes object to "log".

The size of ColorData must match the raster size reported by the raster reference object stored in RasterReference. For a raster reference object, R, you can find the raster size by querying the RasterSize property of the object, such as R.RasterSize.

When you pass a data grid to the geopcolor function, the function sets the value of ColorData.

Data Types: single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | logical

Transparency data, specified as one of these options:

  • A scalar — Use a consistent transparency across the entire pseudocolor raster plot.

  • A matrix — Each element of the matrix specifies the transparency for the corresponding element of the raster. The size of the matrix must match the size of ColorData.

The interpretation of AlphaData depends on the data type:

  • If AlphaData is of type single or double, then a value of 0 or less is completely transparent and a value of 1 or greater is opaque. Values between 0 and 1 are semitransparent.

  • If AlphaData is an integer type, then the object uses the full range of data to determine the transparency. For example, if AlphaData is of type int8, then -128 is completely transparent and 127 is opaque. Values between -128 and 127 are semitransparent.

  • If AlphaData is of type logical, then 0 is completely transparent and 1 is opaque.

Data Types: single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | logical

Value indicating missing data, specified as a numeric scalar. When an element of ColorData matches the missing data value, the corresponding element of the raster appears transparent, regardless of the value of AlphaData.

Interpolation method for displaying the pseudocolor raster plot, specified as one of these options:

  • 'nearest' — Nearest-neighbor interpolation. The value of a displayed raster element is the value of the closest raster element in ColorData.

  • 'bilinear' — Bilinear interpolation. Use this method to create a pseudocolor raster plot with a smoother appearance. MATLAB displays each raster element by calculating a weighted average of the surrounding raster elements.

The value of Interpolation does not affect the data stored in ColorData or AlphaData.

Position

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Raster reference, specified as a GeographicCellsReference, GeographicPostingsReference, MapCellsReference, or MapPostingsReference object. The RasterSize property of the raster reference object must match the size of ColorData.

For MapCellsReference and MapPostingsReference objects, the ProjectedCRS property must not be empty.

For GeographicCellsReference and GeographicPostingsReference objects, if the GeographicCRS property is empty, then the object assumes the geographic coordinate reference system (CRS) based on the type of axes into which you plot the data:

  • Geographic axes — The WGS84 CRS.

  • Map axes — The geographic CRS specified by the ProjectedCRS property of the map axes. To find the geographic CRS, access the projected CRS in the ProjectedCRS property. Then, access the GeographicCRS property of the projected CRS. For example, to find the geographic CRS for a map axes mx, query mx.ProjectedCRS.GeographicCRS.

When you pass a raster reference object to the geopcolor function, the function sets the value of RasterReference.

Include the pseudocolor raster plot in the automatic selection of the axes limits, specified as "on"or "off", or as a logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of "on" is equivalent to true, and "off" is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState. The reference object associated with the raster defines the location of the pseudocolor raster plot.

By default, the axes limits automatically change to include the data range for each successive plot you create in the axes. Setting this property enables you to focus on the range of a subset of data. To exclude the data range of a pseudocolor raster plot from the automatic selection, set its AffectAutoLimits property to "off".

Pseudocolor Plot with AffectAutoLimits Set to "on" Pseudocolor Plot with AffectAutoLimits Set to "off"

A pseudocolor raster plot and a scatter chart in the same geographic axes. The bounds of the pseudocolor raster plot are larger than the bounds of the scatter chart.

The same pseudocolor raster plot and scatter chart. The limits of the geographic axes are reduced to the bounds of the scatter chart.

Legend

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Legend label, specified as a character vector or string scalar. The legend does not display until you call the legend command. If you do not specify the text, then legend sets the label using the form 'dataN'.

This property is read-only.

Control for including or excluding the object from a legend, returned as an Annotation object. Set the underlying IconDisplayStyle property to one of these values:

  • 'on' — Include the object in the legend (default).

  • 'off' — Do not include the object in the legend.

For example, to exclude a graphics object, go, from the legend set the IconDisplayStyle property to 'off'.

go.Annotation.LegendInformation.IconDisplayStyle = 'off';

Alternatively, you can control the items in a legend using the legend function. Specify the first input argument as a vector of the graphics objects to include. If you do not specify an existing graphics object in the first input argument, then it does not appear in the legend. However, graphics objects added to the axes after the legend is created do appear in the legend. Consider creating the legend after creating all the plots to avoid extra items.

Interactivity

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State of visibility, specified as 'on' or 'off', or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of 'on' is equivalent to true, and 'off' is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • 'on' — Display the object.

  • 'off' — Hide the object without deleting it. You still can access the properties of an invisible object.

Context menu, specified as a ContextMenu object. Use this property to display a context menu when you right-click the object. Create the context menu using the uicontextmenu function.

Note

If the PickableParts property is set to 'none' or if the HitTest property is set to 'off', then the context menu does not appear.

Selection state, specified as "on" or "off", or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of "on" is equivalent to true, and "off" is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • "on" — Selected. If you click the object when in plot edit mode, then MATLAB sets its Selected property to "on". If the SelectionHighlight property also is set to "on", then MATLAB displays selection handles around the object.

  • "off" — Not selected.

Display of selection handles when selected, specified as "on" or "off", or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of "on" is equivalent to true, and "off" is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • "on" — Display selection handles when the Selected property is set to "on".

  • "off" — Never display selection handles, even when the Selected property is set to "on".

Callbacks

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Mouse-click callback, specified as one of these values:

  • Function handle

  • Cell array containing a function handle and additional arguments

  • String scalar or character vector that is a valid MATLAB command or function, which is evaluated in the base workspace (not recommended)

The ButtonDownFcn callback executes when you click the PseudocolorRaster object.

For more information on how to use function handles to define callback functions, see Create Callbacks for Graphics Objects.

Note

If the PickableParts property is set to "none" or if the HitTest property is set to "off", then this callback does not execute.

Object creation function, specified as one of these values:

  • Function handle

  • Cell array in which the first element is a function handle and subsequent elements are the arguments to pass to the callback function

  • String scalar or character vector containing a valid MATLAB command or function, which is evaluated in the base workspace (not recommended)

For more information about specifying a callback as a function handle, cell array, string scalar, or character vector, see Create Callbacks for Graphics Objects.

This property specifies a callback function to execute when MATLAB creates the object. MATLAB initializes all property values before executing the CreateFcn callback. If you do not specify the CreateFcn property, then MATLAB executes a default creation function.

Setting the CreateFcn property on an existing component has no effect.

If you specify this property as a function handle or cell array, you can access the object that is being created using the first argument of the callback function. Otherwise, use the gcbo function to access the object.

Object deletion function, specified as one of these values:

  • Function handle

  • Cell array in which the first element is a function handle and subsequent elements are the arguments to pass to the callback function

  • String scalar or character vector containing a valid MATLAB command or function, which is evaluated in the base workspace (not recommended)

For more information about specifying a callback as a function handle, cell array, string scalar, or character vector, see Create Callbacks for Graphics Objects.

This property specifies a callback function to execute when MATLAB deletes the object. MATLAB executes the DeleteFcn callback before destroying the properties of the object. If you do not specify the DeleteFcn property, then MATLAB executes a default deletion function.

If you specify this property as a function handle or cell array, you can access the object that is being deleted using the first argument of the callback function. Otherwise, use the gcbo function to access the object.

Callback Execution Control

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Callback interruption, specified as "on" or "off", or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of "on" is equivalent to true, and "off" is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

This property determines if a running callback can be interrupted. There are two callback states to consider:

  • The running callback is the currently executing callback.

  • The interrupting callback is a callback that tries to interrupt the running callback.

MATLAB determines callback interruption behavior whenever it executes a command that processes the callback queue. These commands include drawnow, figure, uifigure, getframe, waitfor, and pause.

If the running callback does not contain one of these commands, then no interruption occurs. MATLAB first finishes executing the running callback, and later executes the interrupting callback.

If the running callback does contain one of these commands, then the Interruptible property of the object that owns the running callback determines if the interruption occurs:

  • If the value of Interruptible is set to "off", then no interruption occurs. Instead, the BusyAction property of the object that owns the interrupting callback determines if the interrupting callback is discarded or added to the callback queue.

  • If the value of Interruptible is set to "on", then the interruption occurs. The next time MATLAB processes the callback queue, it stops the execution of the running callback and executes the interrupting callback. After the interrupting callback completes, MATLAB then resumes executing the running callback.

Note

Callback interruption and execution behave differently in these situations:

  • If the interrupting callback is a DeleteFcn, CloseRequestFcn, or SizeChangedFcn callback, then the interruption occurs regardless of the Interruptible property value.

  • If the running callback is currently executing the waitfor function, then the interruption occurs regardless of the Interruptible property value.

  • If the interrupting callback is owned by a Timer object, then the callback executes according to schedule regardless of the Interruptible property value.

Note

When an interruption occurs, MATLAB does not save the state of properties or the display. For example, the object returned by the gca or gcf command might change when another callback executes.

Callback queuing, specified as "queue" or "cancel". The BusyAction property determines how MATLAB handles the execution of interrupting callbacks. There are two callback states to consider:

  • The running callback is the currently executing callback.

  • The interrupting callback is a callback that tries to interrupt the running callback.

The BusyAction property determines callback queuing behavior only when both of these conditions are met:

  • The running callback contains a command that processes the callback queue, such as drawnow, figure, uifigure, getframe, waitfor, or pause.

  • The value of the Interruptible property of the object that owns the running callback is set to "off".

Under these conditions, the BusyAction property of the object that owns the interrupting callback determines how MATLAB handles the interrupting callback. Specify the BusyAction property as one of these values:

  • "queue" — Put the interrupting callback in a queue to be processed after the running callback finishes execution.

  • "cancel" — Do not execute the interrupting callback.

Ability to capture mouse clicks, specified as one of these values:

  • 'visible' — Capture mouse clicks only when visible. The Visible property must be set to 'on'. The HitTest property determines if the PseudocolorRaster object responds to the click or if an ancestor does.

  • 'none' — Cannot capture mouse clicks. Clicking the PseudocolorRaster object passes the click to the object behind it in the current view of the figure window. The HitTest property of the PseudocolorRaster object has no effect.

Response to captured mouse clicks, specified as "on" or "off", or as numeric or logical 1 (true) or 0 (false). A value of "on" is equivalent to true, and "off" is equivalent to false. Thus, you can use the value of this property as a logical value. The value is stored as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

  • "on" — Trigger the ButtonDownFcn callback of the PseudocolorRaster object. If you have defined the ContextMenu property, then invoke the context menu.

  • "off" — Trigger the callbacks for the nearest ancestor of the PseudocolorRaster object that meets one of these conditions:

    • HitTest property is set to "on".

    • PickableParts property is set to a value that enables the ancestor to capture mouse clicks.

Note

The PickableParts property determines if the PseudocolorRaster object can capture mouse clicks. If it cannot, then the HitTest property has no effect.

This property is read-only.

Deletion status, returned as an on/off logical value of type matlab.lang.OnOffSwitchState.

MATLAB sets the BeingDeleted property to 'on' when the DeleteFcn callback begins execution. The BeingDeleted property remains set to 'on' until the component object no longer exists.

Check the value of the BeingDeleted property to verify that the object is not about to be deleted before querying or modifying it.

Parent/Child

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Parent, specified as a GeographicAxes object or MapAxes object.

The object has no children. You cannot set this property.

Visibility of the object handle in the Children property of the parent, specified as one of these values:

  • 'on' — Object handle is always visible.

  • 'off' — Object handle is invisible at all times. This option is useful for preventing unintended changes by another function. Set the HandleVisibility to 'off' to temporarily hide the handle during the execution of that function.

  • 'callback' — Object handle is visible from within callbacks or functions invoked by callbacks, but not from within functions invoked from the command line. This option blocks access to the object at the command line, but permits callback functions to access it.

If the object is not listed in the Children property of the parent, then functions that obtain object handles by searching the object hierarchy or querying handle properties cannot return it. Examples of such functions include the get, findobj, gca, gcf, gco, newplot, cla, clf, and close functions.

Hidden object handles are still valid. Set the root ShowHiddenHandles property to 'on' to list all object handles regardless of their HandleVisibility property setting.

Identifiers

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This property is read-only.

Type of graphics object, returned as 'pseudocolorraster'.

Object identifier, specified as a string scalar or character vector. You can specify a unique Tag value to serve as an identifier for an object. When you need access to the object elsewhere in your code, you can use the findobj function to search for the object based on the Tag value.

User data, specified as any MATLAB array. For example, you can specify a scalar, vector, matrix, cell array, character array, table, or structure. Use this property to store arbitrary data on an object.

If you are working in App Designer, create public or private properties in the app to share data instead of using the UserData property. For more information, see Share Data Within a Single App Designer App.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a

See Also

Functions

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