Where can I find code that is written to plot functions better than the built-in MATLAB plotting functions?

Where can I find code that is written to plot functions better than the built-in MATLAB plotting functions?

[Star Strider]

What don't you like about the built-in MATLAB plotting functions?

What would you like them to do differently?

What version of MATLAB are you using?

[Christine]

The built in MATLAB plotting functions are quite boring, and they do not retain their features when imported into a powerpoint document.

I'd like some tips on making a plot really graphically appealing and how to be able to have it still be resizable in a ppt presentation.

It would be on 2010 version.

[Walter Roberson]

Could you specify particular features you are looking for? Cross-fades? Video in a window? Plot markers should look like cute kittens?

[Jan]

Matlab's PLOTs do reatin their features when imported to PowerPoint, if you do it right and define "their features" accordingly.

While "boring" and "graphically appealing" is vague, an efficient answer is more likely, if you explain any details.

[Christine]

Matlab has the regular plot(x,y) command when x and y are both defined. I am wondering if anyone knows about any kind of routines or code that will plot any kind of function in MATLAB, but without using any regular built-in MATLAB plotting function.

[Walter Roberson]

It would have to use Java or something like that, as the primitives such as line() and surface() are built-in MATLAB plotting functions.

When you say "any kind of function", are you referring to data matrices (such as plot() currently uses), or are you referring to function handles, or are you referring to symbolic expression of the functions? Does it need to be commandible like "plot the first 10 non-trivial zeros of the Riemmann Zeta function", or "plot the first 5 odd perfect numbers" ?

[Christine]

Sorry to be so round-about with this question. I'm looking for some subroutines that will alter the built-in Matlab plot command (for simple 2D plotting functions, ie x = -pi:.1:pi; y = sin(x)) so that when the figure is copied into powerpoint and resized, the axes do not be come stretched.

[Daniel Shub]

It seems like your problem is not with the MATLAB figures, but rather what they look like when you import them into powerpoint.If so, please edit your question accordingly. If not, post an example plot and a description of what you would like to be different.

[Walter Roberson]

What steps are you currently using to export from MATLAB into Powerpoint ?

[Walter Roberson]

Please read the guide to tags and retag this question; see http://www.mathworks.co.uk/matlabcentral/answers/43073-a-guide-to-tags

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

A lot of people find the MATLAB File Exchange contribution "plt" to be useful.

Answer 2

[Jan]

Can PowerPoint import SVGs? If so, FEX: Plot2SVG is a nice solution. If not, PowerPoint is a kind of boring.

Answer 3

[owr]

Ive been creating alot of ppt presentations lately with snapshots of figures from MATLAB. To facilitate this, I created a short cut with the following commands:

set(gcf,'Color',[1 1 1]);
imclipboard('copy', export_fig());

Both "imclipboard" and "export_fig" can be found on the File exchange (big thanks to the authors).

My process is simple:

1) Generate the plot I want in MATLAB. 2) Maximize the figure window 3) Click on my shortcut (or whatever method you want to run those 2 lines of code) 4) Open PPT to the slide I want 5) Ctrl-V to paste the image (I'm on a PC with Windows 7) 6) Position/resize the image in appropriately PPT.

Maybe this will help?

Ive also used this trick hundreds of times to embed images in (Outlook) emails for my colleagues.

Answer 4

[Robert Cumming]

Sounds like you want to perform a copy that is vector graphics - rather than a snapshot.

I used to export images to PPT but due to this issue I stopped exporting (via publish) to PPT and now produce .ps files via the print command and convert the postscript (ps) file to a PDF - that way I get my images into a file and the user can zoom in as far as they want and quality is not lost. :)

I use the standard print command for the job - or Jan has already linked a FEX which can save files as SVG - according to this link it should be possible to copy into office - but I've not tested it.