Plotting multiple data files on 1 plot

Sounds simple enough. I know I can just use plot, hold on, plot, hold on, etc, to overlay multiple data files in one plot figure.

The problem is, I have a variable number of multi-column data files. I can easily figure out how many files that need to be plotted, but I don't want to have to do a case by case basis: if files=1, plot 1, if files=2, plot 1 & 2, etc.

Is there any way to store all of the data in 1 matrix, and just plot whatever data is in the matrix?

Ex (data columns): x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3

That way, it doesn't matter how many sets of data are in the matrix, I will just have to call that matrix with the plot command.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Use a cell array

Ex = {x1 y1 x2 y2 x3 y3};

Then,

plot(Ex{:})

Or just go ahead and plot them on the fly as you outlined. You only need the "hold on" after the first one. Your plot does not need to know how many you will be plotting (unless there is something you have not mentioned.)