Polar Properties
Control appearance and behavior of polar plot
Polar properties control the appearance and behavior of the polar plot function object. By changing property values, you can modify certain aspects of the polar plot. To change the default properties use:
p = polar(____,Name=Value)
To view all the properties of the polar plot function object use:
details(p)
Angle Properties
Angle at the top of the polar plot, specified as a scalar in degrees.
Data Types: double
Visible polar angle span, specified as a
1
-by-2
vector of real values.
Data Types: double
Show interactive angle limit cursors, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Direction of increasing angle, specified as either 'ccw'
(counterclockwise) or 'cw'
(clockwise).
Data Types: char
Number of degrees between radial lines depicting angles in the polar plot, specified as a scalar in degrees.
Data Types: double
Rotate angle tick labels, specified as either a 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Show angle tick labels, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Format for angle tick labels, specified as either 360
or
180
degrees.
Data Types: double
Scale factor of angle tick font, specified as a numeric value greater than zero.
Data Types: double
Show angle span measurement, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Highlight radial line at zero degrees, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Show gaps in line plots with nonuniform angle spacing, specified as either
0
or 1
.
Data Types: logical
Magnitude Properties
Angle of magnitude tick label radial line, specified as a real scalar in degrees.
Data Types: double
Magnitude ticks, specified as a 1
-by-N
vector,
where N
is the number of magnitude ticks.
Data Types: double
Show magnitude tick labels, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Minimum and maximum magnitude limits, specified as a two-element vector of real values.
Data Types: double
Determine magnitude dynamic range, specified as either 'auto'
or
'manual'
.
Data Types: char
Determine angle for magnitude tick labels, specified as either
'auto'
or 'manual'
.
Data Types: char
Determine magnitude tick locations, specified as either 'auto'
or
'manual'
.
Data Types: char
Magnitude units, specified as either 'db'
or
'dBLoss'
.
Data Types: char
Scale factor of magnitude tick font, specified as a numeric value greater than zero.
Data Types: double
Miscellaneous Properties
Normalize each data trace to maximum value, specified as either 0
or 1
.
Data Types: logical
Connect first and last angles, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Style of polar plot display, specified as either 'line'
or
'filled'
.
Data Types: char
Create a temporary cursor, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Show tool tips when you hover over a polar plot element, specified as either
0
or 1
.
Data Types: logical
Clip data to outer circle, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Directive on how to add next plot, specified as one of the values in the table:
Property Value | Effect |
---|---|
'replace' | Removes all axes objects and resets figure properties to their defaults before adding new graphics objects. |
'replacechildren' | Removes all prior plot but preserves all axes settings. |
'add' | Adds new graphics objects without clearing or resetting the current figure. |
Legend and Title Properties
Data tables for legend annotation, specified as a character vector or cell array of character vectors. Ⓐ denotes the active line for interactive operation.
Data Types: char
Show legend label, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Title to display above the polar plot, specified as a character vector.
Data Types: char
Title to display below the polar plot, specified as a character vector.
Data Types: char
Offset between top title and angle ticks, specified as a scalar. The value must be
in the range [-0.5
,0.5
].
Data Types: double
Offset between bottom title and angle ticks, specified as a scalar. The value must
be in the range [-0.5
,0.5
].
Data Types: double
Scale factor of top title font, specified as a numeric value greater than zero.
Data Types: double
Scale factor of bottom title font, specified as a numeric value greater than zero.
Data Types: double
Thickness of top title font, specified as either 'bold'
or
'normal
.
Data Types: char
Thickness of bottom title font, specified as either 'bold'
or
'normal
.
Data Types: char
Interpretation of top title characters, specified as one of the following:
'tex'
— Interpret using a subset of TeX markup'latex'
— Interpret using LaTeX markup'none'
— Display literal characters
TeX Markup
By default, MATLAB® supports a subset of TeX markup. Use TeX markup to add superscripts and subscripts, modify the text type and color, and include special characters in the text.
This table lists the supported modifiers when the
TickLabelInterpreter
property is set to 'tex'
,
which is the default value. Modifiers remain in effect until the end of the text,
except for superscripts and subscripts which only modify the next character or the
text within the curly braces {}
.
Modifier | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
^{ } | Superscript | 'text^{superscript}' |
_{ } | Subscript | 'text_{subscript}' |
\bf | Bold font | '\bf text' |
\it | Italic font | '\it text' |
\sl | Oblique font (rarely available) | '\sl text' |
\rm | Normal font | '\rm text' |
\fontname{specifier} | Set specifier as the name of a font family to change
the font style. You can use this with other modifiers. | '\fontname{Courier} text' |
\fontsize{specifier} | Set specifier as a scalar numeric value to change
the font size. | '\fontsize{15} text' |
\color{specifier} | Set specifer as one of these colors:
red , green ,
yellow , magenta ,
blue , black ,
white , gray ,
darkGreen , orange , or
lightBlue . | '\color{magenta} text' |
\color[rgb]{specifier} | Set specifier as a three-element RGB triplet to
change the font color. | '\color[rgb]{0,0.5,0.5} text' |
LaTeX Markup
To use LaTeX markup, set the TickLabelInterpreter
property to
'latex'
. The displayed text uses the default LaTeX font style.
The FontName
, FontWeight
, and
FontAngle
properties do not have an effect. To change the font
style, use LaTeX markup within the text.
The maximum size of the text that you can use with the LaTeX interpreter is 1200 characters. For multiline text, the maximum size reduces by about 10 characters per line.
Data Types: char
Interpretation of bottom title characters, specified as one of the following:
'tex'
— Interpret using a subset of TeX markup'latex'
— Interpret using LaTeX markup'none'
— Display literal characters
TeX Markup
By default, MATLAB supports a subset of TeX markup. Use TeX markup to add superscripts and subscripts, modify the text type and color, and include special characters in the text.
This table lists the supported modifiers when the
TickLabelInterpreter
property is set to 'tex'
,
which is the default value. Modifiers remain in effect until the end of the text,
except for superscripts and subscripts which only modify the next character or the
text within the curly braces {}
.
Modifier | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
^{ } | Superscript | 'text^{superscript}' |
_{ } | Subscript | 'text_{subscript}' |
\bf | Bold font | '\bf text' |
\it | Italic font | '\it text' |
\sl | Oblique font (rarely available) | '\sl text' |
\rm | Normal font | '\rm text' |
\fontname{specifier} | Set specifier as the name of a font family to change
the font style. You can use this with other modifiers. | '\fontname{Courier} text' |
\fontsize{specifier} | Set specifier as a scalar numeric value to change
the font size. | '\fontsize{15} text' |
\color{specifier} | Set specifer as one of these colors:
red , green ,
yellow , magenta ,
blue , black ,
white , gray ,
darkGreen , orange , or
lightBlue . | '\color{magenta} text' |
\color[rgb]{specifier} | Set specifier as a three-element RGB triplet to
change the font color. | '\color[rgb]{0,0.5,0.5} text' |
LaTeX Markup
To use LaTeX markup, set the TickLabelInterpreter
property to
'latex'
. The displayed text uses the default LaTeX font style.
The FontName
, FontWeight
, and
FontAngle
properties do not have an effect. To change the font
style, use LaTeX markup within the text.
The maximum size of the text that you can use with the LaTeX interpreter is 1200 characters. For multiline text, the maximum size reduces by about 10 characters per line.
Data Types: char
Grid Properties
Draw grid over data plots, specified as either 0
or
1
.
Data Types: logical
Draw radial lines within innermost circle of the polar plot, specified as either
0
or 1
.
Data Types: logical
Increase angle resolution in the polar plot, specified as either a
0
or 1
. This property increases angle resolution
by doubling the number of radial lines outside each magnitude.
Data Types: logical
Width of grid lines, specified as a positive scalar.
Data Types: double
Show grid lines, including magnitude circles and angle radii, specified as either
0
or 1
.
Data Types: logical
Color of foreground grid lines, specified as an RGB triplet, character vector of
color names, or 'none'
.
RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes are useful for specifying custom colors.
An RGB triplet is a three-element row vector whose elements specify the intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the color. The intensities must be in the range
[0,1]
; for example,[0.4 0.6 0.7]
.A hexadecimal color code is a character vector or a string scalar that starts with a hash symbol (
#
) followed by three or six hexadecimal digits, which can range from0
toF
. The values are not case sensitive. Thus, the color codes"#FF8800"
,"#ff8800"
,"#F80"
, and"#f80"
are equivalent.
Alternatively, you can specify some common colors by name. This table lists the named color options, the equivalent RGB triplets, and hexadecimal color codes.
Color Name | Short Name | RGB Triplet | Hexadecimal Color Code | Appearance |
---|---|---|---|---|
"red" | "r" | [1 0 0] | "#FF0000" | |
"green" | "g" | [0 1 0] | "#00FF00" | |
"blue" | "b" | [0 0 1] | "#0000FF" | |
"cyan"
| "c" | [0 1 1] | "#00FFFF" | |
"magenta" | "m" | [1 0 1] | "#FF00FF" | |
"yellow" | "y" | [1 1 0] | "#FFFF00" | |
"black" | "k" | [0 0 0] | "#000000" | |
"white" | "w" | [1 1 1] | "#FFFFFF" |
This table lists the default color palettes for plots in the light and dark themes.
Palette | Palette Colors |
---|---|
Before R2025a: Most plots use these colors by default. |
|
|
|
You can get the RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes for these palettes using the orderedcolors
and rgb2hex
functions. For example, get the RGB triplets for the "gem"
palette and convert them to hexadecimal color codes.
RGB = orderedcolors("gem");
H = rgb2hex(RGB);
Before R2023b: Get the RGB triplets using RGB =
get(groot,"FactoryAxesColorOrder")
.
Before R2024a: Get the hexadecimal color codes using H =
compose("#%02X%02X%02X",round(RGB*255))
.
Data Types: double
| char
Color of background grid lines, specified as an RGB triplet, character vector of
color names, or 'none'
.
RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes are useful for specifying custom colors.
An RGB triplet is a three-element row vector whose elements specify the intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the color. The intensities must be in the range
[0,1]
; for example,[0.4 0.6 0.7]
.A hexadecimal color code is a character vector or a string scalar that starts with a hash symbol (
#
) followed by three or six hexadecimal digits, which can range from0
toF
. The values are not case sensitive. Thus, the color codes"#FF8800"
,"#ff8800"
,"#F80"
, and"#f80"
are equivalent.
Alternatively, you can specify some common colors by name. This table lists the named color options, the equivalent RGB triplets, and hexadecimal color codes.
Color Name | Short Name | RGB Triplet | Hexadecimal Color Code | Appearance |
---|---|---|---|---|
"red" | "r" | [1 0 0] | "#FF0000" | |
"green" | "g" | [0 1 0] | "#00FF00" | |
"blue" | "b" | [0 0 1] | "#0000FF" | |
"cyan"
| "c" | [0 1 1] | "#00FFFF" | |
"magenta" | "m" | [1 0 1] | "#FF00FF" | |
"yellow" | "y" | [1 1 0] | "#FFFF00" | |
"black" | "k" | [0 0 0] | "#000000" | |
"white" | "w" | [1 1 1] | "#FFFFFF" |
This table lists the default color palettes for plots in the light and dark themes.
Palette | Palette Colors |
---|---|
Before R2025a: Most plots use these colors by default. |
|
|
|
You can get the RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes for these palettes using the orderedcolors
and rgb2hex
functions. For example, get the RGB triplets for the "gem"
palette and convert them to hexadecimal color codes.
RGB = orderedcolors("gem");
H = rgb2hex(RGB);
Before R2023b: Get the RGB triplets using RGB =
get(groot,"FactoryAxesColorOrder")
.
Before R2024a: Get the hexadecimal color codes using H =
compose("#%02X%02X%02X",round(RGB*255))
.
Data Types: double
| char
Marker, Color, Line, and Font Properties
Marker symbol, specified as either 'none'
or one of the symbols
in this table. By default, a line does not have markers. Add markers at selected points
along the line by specifying a marker.
Marker | Description | Resulting Marker |
---|---|---|
"o" | Circle |
|
"+" | Plus sign |
|
"*" | Asterisk |
|
"." | Point |
|
"x" | Cross |
|
"_" | Horizontal line |
|
"|" | Vertical line |
|
"square" | Square |
|
"diamond" | Diamond |
|
"^" | Upward-pointing triangle |
|
"v" | Downward-pointing triangle |
|
">" | Right-pointing triangle |
|
"<" | Left-pointing triangle |
|
"pentagram" | Pentagram |
|
"hexagram" | Hexagram |
|
"none" | No markers | Not applicable |
Marker size, specified as a positive value in point units.
Data Types: double
Colors to use for multiline plots, specified as a three-column matrix of RGB triplets. Each row of the matrix defines one color in the color order.
Data Types: double
Next color to use in color order, specified as a positive integer. New plots added to the axes use colors based on the current value of the color order index.
Data Types: double
Color of data lines, specified as a character vector of color names or RGB triplet vector.
RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes are useful for specifying custom colors.
An RGB triplet is a three-element row vector whose elements specify the intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the color. The intensities must be in the range
[0,1]
; for example,[0.4 0.6 0.7]
.A hexadecimal color code is a character vector or a string scalar that starts with a hash symbol (
#
) followed by three or six hexadecimal digits, which can range from0
toF
. The values are not case sensitive. Thus, the color codes"#FF8800"
,"#ff8800"
,"#F80"
, and"#f80"
are equivalent.
Alternatively, you can specify some common colors by name. This table lists the named color options, the equivalent RGB triplets, and hexadecimal color codes.
Color Name | Short Name | RGB Triplet | Hexadecimal Color Code | Appearance |
---|---|---|---|---|
"red" | "r" | [1 0 0] | "#FF0000" | |
"green" | "g" | [0 1 0] | "#00FF00" | |
"blue" | "b" | [0 0 1] | "#0000FF" | |
"cyan"
| "c" | [0 1 1] | "#00FFFF" | |
"magenta" | "m" | [1 0 1] | "#FF00FF" | |
"yellow" | "y" | [1 1 0] | "#FFFF00" | |
"black" | "k" | [0 0 0] | "#000000" | |
"white" | "w" | [1 1 1] | "#FFFFFF" |
This table lists the default color palettes for plots in the light and dark themes.
Palette | Palette Colors |
---|---|
Before R2025a: Most plots use these colors by default. |
|
|
|
You can get the RGB triplets and hexadecimal color codes for these palettes using the orderedcolors
and rgb2hex
functions. For example, get the RGB triplets for the "gem"
palette and convert them to hexadecimal color codes.
RGB = orderedcolors("gem");
H = rgb2hex(RGB);
Before R2023b: Get the RGB triplets using RGB =
get(groot,"FactoryAxesColorOrder")
.
Before R2024a: Get the hexadecimal color codes using H =
compose("#%02X%02X%02X",round(RGB*255))
.
Data Types: double
| char
Line style of the plot, specified as one of the symbols in the table:
Symbol | Line Style | Resulting Line |
---|---|---|
'-' | Solid line |
|
'--' | Dashed line |
|
':' | Dotted line |
|
'-.' | Dash-dotted line |
|
'none' | No line | No line |
Line width of the plot, specified as a positive scalar or vector.
Font size of text in the plot, specified as a positive scalar.
Set font size, specified as either 'auto'
or
'manual'
.
Data Types: char
MATLAB Command
You clicked a link that corresponds to this MATLAB command:
Run the command by entering it in the MATLAB Command Window. Web browsers do not support MATLAB commands.
Select a Web Site
Choose a web site to get translated content where available and see local events and offers. Based on your location, we recommend that you select: .
You can also select a web site from the following list
How to Get Best Site Performance
Select the China site (in Chinese or English) for best site performance. Other MathWorks country sites are not optimized for visits from your location.
Americas
- América Latina (Español)
- Canada (English)
- United States (English)
Europe
- Belgium (English)
- Denmark (English)
- Deutschland (Deutsch)
- España (Español)
- Finland (English)
- France (Français)
- Ireland (English)
- Italia (Italiano)
- Luxembourg (English)
- Netherlands (English)
- Norway (English)
- Österreich (Deutsch)
- Portugal (English)
- Sweden (English)
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom (English)