How can I line up plot edges in subplots?

I want to use subplots to show three orthogonal views of 3D data (latitude,longitude and depth). I need the plots to line up with each other so it looks like it's been "unfolded".

Here is how I tried to do it, with the page size vaguely US letter portrait.

subplot(4,3,[1 2 4 5]);
plot( [Hypo2.lon], [Hypo2.lat], 'r.' );
axis square;
xlim( lonLimits );
ylim( latLimits );
set(gca,'ytick',[]);

subplot(4,3,[3 6]);
plot( [Hypo2.dep], [Hypo2.lat], 'r.' );
xlim( depLimits );
ylim( latLimits );

subplot(4,3,[7 8]);
plot( [Hypo2.lon], [Hypo2.dep], 'r.' );
xlim( lonLimits );
ylim( depLimits );
set( gca, 'YDir', 'reverse' );

And the result:

Is there a way to make the edges of the subplots line up exactly with each other and the two depth axes to be exactly the same size? I suppose I could carefully specify every corner of each plot, but that might make it painful if I want to make changes - such as the subplot going in the bottom row.

Answer 1

[Star Strider]

I was hoping that the 'Position' (actually 'InnerPosition') of the first and last subplot axes would automatically be set correctly, however they return the same values in spite of appearing to be different. The result is that it will be necesary to adjust them manually —

Hypo2.lon = linspace(-62.20, -62.14, 250);
Hypo2.lat = linspace(16.69, 16.77, 250);
Hypo2.dep = [randn(1,numel(Hypo2.lon)); randn(1,numel(Hypo2.lat))];
lonLimits = [min(Hypo2.lon) max(Hypo2.lon)];
latLimits = [min(Hypo2.lat) max(Hypo2.lat)];
depLimits = [min(Hypo2.dep,[],'all') max(Hypo2.dep,[],'all')];

subplot(4,3,[1 2 4 5]);
plot( [Hypo2.lon], [Hypo2.lat], 'r.' );
axis square;
xlim( lonLimits );
ylim( latLimits );
set(gca,'ytick',[]);
Pos = get(gca,'InnerPosition')

Pos = 1×4

0.1300 0.5482 0.4942 0.3768

subplot(4,3,[3 6]);
plot( [Hypo2.dep], [Hypo2.lat], 'r.' );
xlim( depLimits );
ylim( latLimits );

subplot(4,3,[7 8]);
plot( [Hypo2.lon], [Hypo2.dep], 'r.' );
xlim( lonLimits );
ylim( depLimits );
set( gca, 'YDir', 'reverse' );
Pos2 = get(gca,'InnerPosition')

Pos2 = 1×4

0.1300 0.3291 0.4942 0.1577

set(gca,'InnerPosition',[Pos(1)+0.1 Pos2(2) Pos(3)-0.2 Pos2(4)])    % Adjust First & Third Elements Manually

.

[dormant]

Many thanks.

[Star Strider]

As always, my pleasure!

Answer 2

[Adam Danz]

This is much easier to do using tiledlayout instead of subplot.

Here's a similar demo/template you can use.

x = randn(1,1000); 
y = randn(1,1000).*1.5; 

figure()
tcl = tiledlayout(3,3);  % 3x3 layout

ax1 = nexttile([2,2]);   % Consumes the first 2x2 area
plot(ax1, x, y, 'r.')
grid(ax1,'on')

ax2 = nexttile([2,1]);   % Consumes the next 2x1 area
histogram(ax2, y, 10, 'orientation', 'horizontal','FaceColor','r')
linkaxes([ax1,ax2],'y')
grid(ax2,'on')

ax3 = nexttile([1,2]);   % Consumes the next 1x2 area
histogram(ax3, x, 10, 'FaceColor','r')
ax3.YDir = 'reverse';
linkaxes([ax1,ax3],'x')
grid(ax3,'on')

[dormant]

Thanks. My first attempt to use tiledlayout didn't work.

I'll try again, but time pressure makes me use the answer from Star Strider.