Why do plotting commands delete axes UserData?

If I store data in the UserData property of an open axes object and then plot something on the axes, the UserData is deleted. Does this happen for a good reason, and is there any way to prevent it?

Here is sample code to illustrate this:

>> myAx = axes;
>> myAx.UserData = 1:10;
>> myAx.UserData

ans =

     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10

>> plot(rand(5))
>> myAx.UserData

ans =

     []

I'd like to have UserData persist after adding more graphics objects to the axes.

Answer 1

[Bruce Elliott]

This was a silly question - I just need to call

>> hold on

before plotting. I knew that about graphics objects, but hadn't realized that all the axes properties are replaced by new plot commands.

[Steven Lord]

See this documentation page.

Not all properties are reset. Units and Position keep their values.