Why does using 'ButtonDownFcn' function disable datatip?

I currently have a plot that has a custom data tip. My goal is to be able to have the user click on a point on the plot (which displays the datatip) and be able to store the coordinate of the datatip as well as create another plot. I went about this by creating a ButtonDownFcn function to store the coordinate and then create another figure; however, when this happens my custom datatip doesn't show up anymore.

So for clarity I need to be able to read when the user clicks on a point and then:

1. display a custom datatip
2. store the coordinates of the datatip
3. then create another plot

This is my code:

%Plots data

tbl = readtable("FINAL_898_AbdVagAntGast_FASCCILE1.xlsx");

s = scatter(tbl,'Var3','Var4','filled');

%%Creates custom datatip

datatip(s,'Visible','off');

s.DataTipTemplate.DataTipRows(1).Label = "X";

s.DataTipTemplate.DataTipRows(2).Label = "Y";

row = dataTipTextRow("Diameter",tbl.Var11);

row2 = dataTipTextRow("Myelin Thickness",tbl.Var13);

s.DataTipTemplate.DataTipRows(end+1) = row;

s.DataTipTemplate.DataTipRows(end+1) = row2;

%%Stores coordinate and creates second plot

set(s, 'ButtonDownFcn', @mousecon);

function mousecon(~,~)

p = get(gca,'CurrentPoint');

x = p(1);

y = p(2);

figure

tbl = readtable("Rawdata_898_AbdVagAntGast_FASCICLE1_UnmyelinatedAxons_2.xlsx");

scatter(tbl,"X","Y",'filled')

end

Answer 1

[Adam Danz]

> Why does using 'ButtonDownFcn' function disable datatip?

When you click on an object, the object has no idea of your intentions. All it knows is that there was a click. Suppose you have a ButtonDownFcn that is designed to delete the object. How should the object decide whether to delete itself after a click or assign a data tip to the location of the click? Thus, when a ButtonDownFcn is assigned, datatips are disabled.

You can, however, set the UpdateFcn of datacursormode. The function will execute every time a datatip is added. See this answer for more info and examples.

> My goal is to be able to have the user click on a point on the plot (which displays the datatip) and be able to store the coordinate of the datatip as well as create another plot.

This answer reviews 5 methods to access data tip content.