Figure Subplot Tiles Customization

I want to create a figure containing subplots such that there are 3 columns. The first two columns are supposed to have three subplots each row wise but the last column should have 2 tiles only. How can I do this using the subplot command? I've attached a sample picture of the figure that I want.

Answer 1

[Benjamin Kraus]

I don't see an attached picture, but I think I understand what you are trying to do.

First, I recommend trying tiledlayout instead of subplot, but both can handle what you are trying to do. tiledlayout and nexttile are newer than subplot and provide a few new features that should make this tast easier.

Conceptually, what you want is a grid that is 6 rows and 3 columns, then you want tiles in the grid to be either 2 or 3 rows tall.

For example, using tiledlayout and nexttile:

t = tiledlayout(6,3);
ax11 = nexttile(1,[2 1]); % First column, top two rows
ax21 = nexttile(2,[2 1]); % Second column, top two rows
ax31 = nexttile(3,[3 1]); % Third column, top three rows
ax12 = nexttile(7,[2 1]); % First column, next two rows
ax22 = nexttile(8,[2 1]); % Second column, next two rows
ax32 = nexttile(12,[3 1]); % Third column, bottom three rows
ax13 = nexttile(13,[2 1]); % First column, bottom two rows
ax23 = nexttile(14,[2 1]); % Second column, bottom two rows

If you prefer subplot you do this with that as well:

figure
ax11 = subplot(6,3,[1 4]); % First column, top two rows
ax21 = subplot(6,3,[2 5]); % Second column, top two rows
ax31 = subplot(6,3,[3 6 9]); % Third column, top three rows
ax12 = subplot(6,3,[7 10]); % First column, next two rows
ax22 = subplot(6,3,[8 11]); % Second column, next two rows
ax32 = subplot(6,3,[12 15 18]); % Third column, bottom three rows
ax13 = subplot(6,3,[13 16]); % First column, bottom two rows
ax23 = subplot(6,3,[14 17]); % Second column, bottom two rows

[Fawad Khan]

Thank you so much.

[Benjamin Kraus]

With both subplot and tiledlayout, the tiles are numbered from left to right, then top to bottom.

This ASCII art shows the tiles, along with the tile numbers for both tiledlayout and subplot.

+----+----+----+
|  1 |  2 |  3 |
|    |    |    |
|  4 |  5 |  6 |
+----+----+    |
|  7 |  8 |  9 |
|    |    +----+
| 10 | 11 | 12 |
+----+----+    |
| 13 | 14 | 15 |
|    |    |    |
| 16 | 17 | 18 |
+----+----+----+

When using tiledlayout and nexttile:

• The tiledlayout command dictates the overall dimensions of the grid.
• You then use nexttile to create tiles at varying locations and with varying dimensions. The command takes two inputs: first is the starting tile number, and the second is the "span" or shape/size of the tile (how many rows and columns it should occupy).
• The upper-left corner starts at tile number 1, and is 2 tiles tall and 1 tile wide, hence nexttile(1, [2 1]).
• The bottom-left corner starts at tile number 13, and is 2 tiles tall and 1 tille wide, hence nexttile(13, [2 1]).
• The top-right corner starts at tile number 3, and is 3 tiles talla nd 1 tile wide, hence nexttile(3, [3 1]).
• The bottom-right corner starts at tile number 12, and is 3 tiles talla nd 1 tile wide, hence nexttile(12, [3 1]).

When using subplot:

• The subplot command specifies both the dimensions of the grid and the location of the tiles. The command takes three inputs, the number of rows, the number of columns, then a list of what tile numbers should each tile occupy.
• The upper-left corner starts at tile number 1 and extends into tile number 4, hence subplot(6,3,[1 4])
• The bottom-left corner starts at tile number 13 and extends into tile number 16, hence subplot(6,3,[13 16])
• The top-right corner starts at tile number 3 and extends into tile number 6 and 9, hence subplot(6,3,[3 6 9])
• The bottom-right corner starts at tile number 12 and extends into tile number 15 and 18, hence subplot(6,3,[12 15 18])

[Fawad Khan]

Thank you. However, by doing it this way, the individual xlabels of the subplots are now hidden behind other subplots below them. How can I fix that?

[Benjamin Kraus]

@Fawad Farooq Ashraf: You shouldn't have that problem with either subplot or tiledlayout, but out of curiosity: Which one are you using?

It should be fairly difficult to have that issue with tiledlayout.

There are lots of ways to accidentally cause an axes to "break out" of a subplot, which can cause this issue. I suggest using tiledlayout if you are not already.

Either way, if you want assistance fixing that issue, post your code so I can get a better idea of what might be happening.