How to insert a saved .png figure into a subplot which is being created in a for loop?

Hello Friends,

I have the following code

for k = 1:2
subplot(1,3,k)
plot(randi(10,k));
end

I want to insert a saved .png (I prefer .png, but if it is easier for .fig, it is also ok) into this subplot which is being created in for loop at position subplot(1,3,1). This way, the inserted figure will come at the first position moving other two subfigures to the next available positions.

I will appreciate any advise!

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

subplot(1,3,1)
image( imread('ThePNGFile.png') );

for k = 1:2
  subplot(1,3,k+1)
  plot(randi(10,k));
end

See also the XData and YData properties of image() and imshow() if you want to draw an image at a particular location in an axes that has other graphics.

[hello_world]

Thanks!

This works fine for .png but makes it blurry after insertion in the subplot, and it does not work for MATLAB's .fig. Is there any way to make it work for .fig as well?

[Walter Roberson]

You cannot insert a .fig into anything. A .fig is a complete figure. The best you could do would be to extract something from the .fig and put it into an axes.

If the .png becomes blurry then it is because you have not given it the amount of space it needs to look sharp -- you have either given too much space or too little space.

Also, just to be sure, after the image() command use

   axis image

[hello_world]

Thanks. Could you please show an example of extracting something from the .fig and put it into an axes?

Adding axis image shrinks the .png image to it's normal size while other two images are quite big in height which makes it look odd.

[Walter Roberson]

ax = subplot(1, 3, 1);

fig = openfig('MyFile.fig', 'visible', 'off');

imh = findobj(fig, 'type', 'image');
copyobj(imh, ax);

delete(fig);

Answer 2

[Image Analyst]

Try this:

for k = 1:3
    subplot(1,3,k)
    % Insert image into subplot.
    filename = whatever......
    thisImage = imread(filename);
    imshow(thisImage);
    hold on;
    % Now draw the plot over it.
    plot(x, y);
    drawnow;
end

[hello_world]

Thanks! What are x and y please?

Using your code as follows gives the same .png subfigure in all subplots:

for k = 1:3
    subplot(1,3,k)
    % Insert image into subplot.
    filename = 'myFig.png';
    thisImage = imread(filename);
    imshow(thisImage);
    hold on;
    % Now draw the plot over it.
    plot(randi(10,k));
    %plot(x, y);
    drawnow;
end

It does not insert anything from plot(randi(10,k)); for subplot position 2 and 3.