zscale

Set or query z-axis scale (linear or logarithmic)

Since R2023b

Syntax

zscale(scale)

zscale(ax,___)

zs = zscale

Description

zscale(scale) sets the scale of the z-axis to be linear or logarithmic in the current axes. Specify scale as "linear" or "log". You can also omit the parentheses and quotation marks when using this syntax. For example, zscale log is equivalent to zscale("log").

zscale(ax,___) sets the scale for the specified axes object. This syntax is useful when you are working with multiple plots, either in a tiled chart layout or in different figures.

zs = zscale returns the current z-axis scale value as 'linear' or 'log'.

Examples

Change z-Axis to Logarithmic Scale

Create matrices X, Y, and Z, and use them to create a surface plot.

[X,Y] = meshgrid(0:1:100);
Z = X.*Y;
surf(X,Y,Z,EdgeColor="none")
view(-145,10)

Change the scale of the z-axis to logarithmic.

zscale log

Change z-Axis Scale in Tile Chart Layout

Create the same surface plot twice in a tiled chart layout. This code calls the nexttile function to create a tiled chart layout with one axes object. The second call to nexttile creates and returns the second axes object.

[X,Y] = meshgrid(0:1:100);
Z = X.*Y;

nexttile;
surf(X,Y,Z,EdgeColor="none")
view(-145,10)
title("Linear Scale")

ax2 = nexttile;
surf(X,Y,Z,EdgeColor="none")
view(-145,10)
title("Log Scale")

Change the z-axis scale of the bottom plot to logarithmic.

zscale(ax2,"log")

Input Arguments

scale — Scale value

"linear" | "log"

Scale value, specified as "linear" or "log". When you change the scale, MATLAB^® changes the ZScale property of the axes object to the value you specify.

Note

When you specify a logarithmic scale, the axes might exclude coordinates in some cases:

• If the coordinates include positive and negative values, only the positive values are displayed.

• If the coordinates are all negative, all of the values are displayed on a logarithmic scale with the appropriate sign.

• Zero values are not displayed.

ax — Target axes

Axes object

Target Axes object. If you do not specify the target axes, zscale uses the current axes.

Version History

Introduced in R2023b