CartesianAxesInteractionOptions Properties

Axes interaction behavior

Renamed from InteractionOptions in R2024a

CartesianAxesInteractionOptions properties control the behavior of axes interactions. By changing property values, you can customize the behavior of all associated axes interactions. Use dot notation to query and set properties.

f = figure;
ax = axes(f);
ax.InteractionOptions.LimitsDimensions = "x";

The options set by the CartesianAxesInteractionOptions object apply to these interactions on the associated axes:

• The built-in interactions specified by the Interactions property of the axes

• Interactions enabled by using mode functions, such as pan and zoom

• Interactions enabled using the axes toolbar

Before R2025a: The properties listed here are valid only for axes in App Designer and for axes in figures created with the uifigure function.

Bounding Limits

LimitsDimensions — Pan and zoom dimension constraint

"xyz" (default) | "x" | "y" | "z" | "xy" | "xz" | "yz"

Pan and zoom dimension constraint, specified as one of the values in this table.

Value	Description
"xyz"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the x-, y-, and z-dimensions.
"x"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the x-dimension.
"y"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the y-dimension.
"z"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the z-dimension.
"xy"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the x- and y-dimensions.
"xz"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the x- and z-dimensions.
"yz"	Constrain pan and zoom interactions to the y- and z-dimensions.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.LimitsDimensions = "x"

PanLimitsBounded — Bounded pan indicator

"off" (default) | on/off logical value

Bounded pan indicator, 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.

If PanLimitsBounded is "on", the pan interaction is bounded by the minimum and maximum limit values specified in the OuterXLimits, OuterYLimits, and OuterZLimits properties.

If the axes contains an image, then the default value of PanLimitsBounded is "on". Otherwise, the default value is "off".

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.PanLimitsBounded = "on"

ZoomLimitsBounded — Bounded zoom indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Bounded zoom indicator, 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.

If ZoomLimitsBounded is "off", the zoom interaction is not bounded by the minimum and maximum limit values specified in the OuterXLimits, OuterYLimits, and OuterZLimits properties.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.ZoomLimitsBounded = "off"

OuterXLimits, OuterYLimits, OuterZLimits — Minimum and maximum pan and zoom limits

[0 1] (default) | two-element vector of form [min max]

Minimum and maximum pan and zoom limits, specified as a two-element vector of the form [min max], where max is greater than min. You can specify the limits as numeric, datetime, or duration values. However, the type of values that you specify must match the type of values along the corresponding axis.

You can specify both limits, or specify one limit and let MATLAB^® automatically calculate the other. For an automatically calculated minimum or maximum limit, use -Inf or Inf, respectively. MATLAB uses the "tight" limit method to calculate the corresponding limit.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.OuterXLimits = [0 10]

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.OuterYLimits = [-10 10]

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.OuterZLimits = [-Inf 5]

Supported Interactions

PanSupported — Pan support indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Pan support indicator, 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.

If PanSupported is "off", the pan interaction is not included in the default interactions of the axes and the pan mode is not supported. For example, pan(ax,"on") is not supported.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.PanSupported = "off"

ZoomSupported — Zoom support indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Zoom support indicator, 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.

If ZoomSupported is "off", the zoom interaction is not included in the default interactions of the axes and the zoom mode is not supported. For example, zoom(ax,"on") is not supported.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.ZoomSupported = "off"

RotateSupported — Rotate support indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Rotate support indicator, 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.

If RotateSupported is "off", the rotate interaction is not included in the default interactions of the axes and the rotate mode is not supported. For example, rotate3d(ax,"on") is not supported.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RotateSupported = "off"

DatatipsSupported — Data tip support indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Data tip support indicator, 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.

If DatatipsSupported is "off", the data tip interaction is not included in the default interactions of the axes and the data tip mode is not supported. For example, datacursormode(ax,"on") is not supported.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.DatatipsSupported = "off"

BrushSupported — Brush support indicator

"on" (default) | on/off logical value

Brush support indicator, 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.

If BrushSupported is "off", the brush interaction is not included in the default interactions of the axes and the brush mode is not supported. For example, brushmode(ax,"on") is not supported.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.BrushSupported = "off"

Interaction Display

DatatipsPlacementMethod — Method for placing data tips

"vertex" (default) | "interpolate"

Method for placing data tips, specified as one of these values:

• "vertex" — Hover to preview or click to create a data tip at the closest data point to the cursor location. The closest data point depends on the type of plot. For example, on a plotted curve, the closest data point is the data point with the smallest Euclidean distance from the specified location.

• "interpolate" — Hover to preview or click to create a data tip at the closest interpolated location on the plot to the cursor location, even if it is between data points.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.DatatipsPlacementMethod = "interpolate"

RotateIndicator — Indicator for azimuth and elevation angles during rotation

"none" (default) | "azimuthelevation"

Indicator for azimuth and elevation angles during rotation, specified as "none" or "azimuthelevation". If RotateIndicator is "azimuthelevation", then the axes display the azimuth and elevation angles that define the camera line of sight while you interactively rotate the axes.

The azimuth is the angle of rotation around the z-axis, as measured from the negative y-axis. The elevation is the minimum angle between the line of sight and the xy-plane.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RotateIndicator = "azimuthelevation"

Restore View

RestoredXLimits, RestoredYLimits, RestoredZLimits — Minimum and maximum limits for restored view

[0 1] (default) | two-element vector of form [min max]

Minimum and maximum limits for the restored view of the axes, specified as a two-element vector of the form [min max], where max is greater than min. The axes limits are set to [min max] when you restore the axes view using zoom(fig,"out") or the Restore View button in the axes toolbar.

You can specify the limits as numeric, categorical, datetime, or duration values. However, the type of values that you specify must match the type of values along the corresponding axis.

You can specify both limits, or specify one limit and let MATLAB automatically calculate the other. For an automatically calculated minimum or maximum limit, use -Inf or Inf, respectively. MATLAB uses the "tight" limit method to calculate the corresponding limit.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RestoredXLimits = [0 5]

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RestoredYLimits = [0 10]

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RestoredZLimits = [-10 Inf]

RestoredView — Azimuth and elevation angles for restored view

[0 0] (default) | two-element vector of the form [az el]

Azimuth and elevation angles for the restored view of the axes, specified as a two-element vector of the form [az el], where az and el are the azimuth and elevation with respect to the axis origin. For more information about setting the camera line of sight, see Setting the Viewpoint with Azimuth and Elevation.

Example: ax.InteractionOptions.RestoredView = [45 25]

Version History

Introduced in R2023a

R2025a: Control behavior of axes interactions for any type of figure

You can now control the behavior of axes interactions for any figure using a CartesianAxesInteractionOptions object. Previously, you could use this object only with axes in App Designer and axes in figures created with the uifigure function.

R2024a: Renamed from InteractionOptions

The InteractionOptions object is now called CartesianAxesInteractionOptions. The behavior remains the same. The name of the InteractionOptions property of UIAxes objects has not changed. Starting in R2024a, set the InteractionOptions property of UIAxes objects using a CartesianAxesInteractionOptions object.

R2023b: Indicate azimuth and elevation angles using RotateIndicator

Indicate the azimuth and elevation angles that define the camera line of sight while you interactively rotate the axes by setting the RotateIndicator property to "azimuthelevation".

R2023b: Interpolate data tip location using DatatipsPlacementMethod

Hover to preview or click to create data tips at the closest interpolated location on the plot to the cursor location by setting the DatatipsPlacementMethod property to "interpolate".