text - Add text descriptions to data points - MATLAB (original) (raw)

Add text descriptions to data points

Syntax

Description

text([x](#f68-481090-x),[y](#f68-481090-y),[txt](#f68-481090-txt)) adds a text description to one or more data points in the current axes using the text specified by txt. To add text to one point, specifyx and y as scalars. To add text to multiple points, specify x and y as vectors with equal length.

example

text([x](#f68-481090-x),[y](#f68-481090-y),[z](#f68-481090-z),[txt](#f68-481090-txt)) positions the text in 3-D coordinates.

text(___,[Name,Value](#namevaluepairarguments)) specifies Text object properties using one or more name-value pairs. For example, 'FontSize',14 sets the font size to 14 points. You can specify text properties with any of the input argument combinations in the previous syntaxes. If you specify the Position and String properties as name-value pairs, then you do not need to specify the x, y, z, and txt inputs.

example

text([ax](#f68-481090-ax),___) creates the text in the Cartesian, polar, or geographic axes specified by ax instead of in the current axes (gca). The optionax can precede any of the input argument combinations in the previous syntaxes.

[t](#f68-481090-t) = text(___) returns one or more text objects. Use t to modify properties of the text objects after they are created. For a list of properties and descriptions, see Text Properties. You can specify an output with any of the previous syntaxes.

example

Examples

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Plot a sine curve. At the point (π,0), add the text description sin(π). Use the TeX markup \pi for the Greek letter π. Use \leftarrow to display a left-pointing arrow.

x = 0:pi/20:2*pi; y = sin(x); plot(x,y) text(pi,0,'\leftarrow sin(\pi)')

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 2 objects of type line, text.

For a list of Greek characters and other TeX markup, see the Interpreter property description.

Plot a line. Add the same text to two points along the line.

x = linspace(-5,5); y = x.^3-12*x; plot(x,y)

xt = [-2 2]; yt = [16 -16]; str = 'dy/dx = 0'; text(xt,yt,str)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 3 objects of type line, text.

Add different text to each point by specifying str as a cell array.

x = linspace(-5,5); y = x.^3-12*x; plot(x,y)

xt = [-2 2]; yt = [16 -16]; str = {'local max','local min'}; text(xt,yt,str)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 3 objects of type line, text.

Create a line plot and add one text description to the axes. Display multiline text by specifying str as a cell array.

plot(1:10) str = {'A simple plot','from 1 to 10'}; text(2,7,str)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 2 objects of type line, text.

Create a line plot and add two text descriptions to the axes. When adding multiple text descriptions to the axes, display multiline text by specifying nested cell arrays.

plot(1:10) str = {{'A simple plot','from 1 to 10'},'y = x'}; text([2 8],[7 7],str)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 3 objects of type line, text.

Create a line plot and add a text description to the axes. Use red, size 14 font.

plot(1:10) text(2,8,'A Simple Plot','Color','red','FontSize',14)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 2 objects of type line, text.

Create a line plot and add two text descriptions along the line. Return the text objects, t.

x = linspace(-5,5); y = x.^3-12*x; plot(x,y) t = text([-2 2],[16 -16],'dy/dx = 0')

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 3 objects of type line, text.

t = 2×1 Text array:

Text (dy/dx = 0) Text (dy/dx = 0)

The text function creates one text object for each text description. Thus, t contains two text objects.

Change the color and font size for the first text object using t(1). Use dot notation to set properties. If you are using an earlier release, use the set function instead.

t(1).Color = 'red'; t(1).FontSize = 14;

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 3 objects of type line, text.

Use the AffectAutoLimits property to include the anchor point of the Text object in the axes limits. Setting this property can help you to locate and fine-tune the position of your text.

Create a plot of a sine wave.

x = 0:0.1:10; y = sin(x); plot(x,y)

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains an object of type line.

Create a text object outside of the current _y_-axis limits. Set the AffectAutoLimits property to "on" so that the axes limits adjust to include the anchor point of the text.

text(1.1,1.1,"Peak",AffectAutoLimits="on")

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 2 objects of type line, text.

Input Arguments

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First coordinate, specified in one of these forms:

Scalar — Add text to a single point.
Vector — Add text to multiple points.

The interpretation of the first coordinate depends on the type of axes:

For Cartesian axes, the first coordinate is_x_-axis position in data units. To change units, set the Units property for theText object.
For polar axes, the first coordinate is the polar angle_θ_ in radians.
For geographic axes, the first coordinate is latitude in degrees.

x and y must be equal sizes.

To control the placement of the text with relation to the specified point, use the HorizontalAlignment, VerticalAlignment, and Extent properties of the Text object.

Second coordinate, specified in one of these forms:

Scalar — Add text to a single point.
Vector — Add text to multiple points.

The interpretation of the second coordinate depends on the type of axes:

For Cartesian axes, the second coordinate is_y_-axis position in data units. To change units, set the Units property for theText object.
For polar axes, the second coordinate is the radius in data units.
For geographic axes, the second coordinate is longitude in degrees.

x and y must be equal sizes.

To control the placement of the text with relation to the specified point, use the HorizontalAlignment, VerticalAlignment, and Extent properties of the Text object.

Third coordinate, specified in one of these forms:

Scalar — Add text to a single point.
Vector — Add text to multiple points.

The interpretation of the third coordinate depends on the type of axes:

For Cartesian axes, the third coordinate is_z_-axis position in data units. To change units, set the Units property for theText object.
For polar and geographic axes, the third coordinate affects the layering of text on the axes.

x, y, andz must be equal sizes.

To control the placement of the text with relation to the specified point, use the HorizontalAlignment, VerticalAlignment, and Extent properties of the Text object.

Text to display, specified as a character vector, string scalar, character array, string array, cell array, or categorical array.

Text for Single Data Point

To add text to a single point, specify txt as a character vector or string scalar. For example, text(.5,.5,'my text').

For multiline text:

Use a cell array, where each cell contains a line of text. For example, text(.5,.5,{'first','second'}).
Use a string array, where each element is a line of text. For example,text(.5,.5,["first","second"]).
Use a character array with multiple rows, where each row contains the same number of characters. For example, text(.5,.5,['first '; 'second']).
Use sprintf to create a new line character. For example, text(.5,.5,sprintf('first \nsecond')).

If you specify the text as a categorical array, MATLAB® uses the values in the array, not the categories.

Text for Multiple Data Points

To display the same text at each location, specify txt as a character vector or string. For example, text([0 1],[0 1],'my text').

To display different text at each location, use a cell array. For example, text([0 1],[0 1],{'first','second'}).

For multiline text, use nested cell arrays. For example, text([0 1],[0 1],{{'first','new line'},'second'}).

Greek Letters, Special Characters, and Numeric Variables

To include special characters, such as superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, or mathematical symbols, use TeX markup. For a list of supported markup, see the Interpreter property.

To include numeric variables in the text, use the num2str function.

v = 42; txt = ['The value is ',num2str(v)];

Target axes, specified as an Axes object, aPolarAxes object, or aGeographicAxes object. If you do not specify the axes, then text uses the current axes.

Name-Value Arguments

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Specify optional pairs of arguments asName1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Before R2021a, use commas to separate each name and value, and enclose Name in quotes.

Example: text(.5,.5,'my text','FontSize',14,'Color','red')

Note

The properties listed here are only a subset. For a full list, see Text Properties.

Output Arguments

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Text objects. Use the elements of t to modify a specific Text object after it is created. For a list of properties, see Text Properties.

Tips

By default, the Clipping property for text objects is set to "off" so the text might appear outside the axes. To clip the text to the axes boundaries, set the property to"on".
The words "default", "remove", and"factory" are reserved words in MATLAB. To create text using one of these words, append a backslash (\) before the word; for example,text(.5,.5,"\default").

Version History

Introduced before R2006a