How do I print a figure such that the printout has the true scale of my axes units?

I would like to make a plot where the space between two axis ticks is true to the units. For example, I would like the space between ticks 0 and 1 to be exactly one centimeter. I would then like to print this figure so that I can measure this distance manually on the paper.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

When printing a figure, there are several details that you can use to control the size and scale.

The following is an example on how to set up a plot such that the figure printout has the true scale of the axes units. In this example, the units are centimeters.

% Make a plot

x=7:0.05:15;

y=sin(x);

plot(x,y)

% Force MATLAB to render the figure so that the axes 

% are created and the properties are updated

drawnow  

% Define the axes' 'units' property

% Note: this does not mean that one cm of the axes equals 

%  one cm on the axis ticks.  The 'position' property 

%  will also need to be adjusted so that these match

set(gca,'units','centimeters')

% Force the x-axis limits and y-axis limits to honor your settings, 

% rather than letting the renderer choose them for you

set(gca,'xlimmode','manual','ylimmode','manual')

% Get the axes position in cm, [locationX locationY sizeX sizeY]

% so that we can reuse the locations

axpos = get(gca,'position');

% Use the existing axes location, and map the axes size (in cm) to the

%  axes limits so there is a true size correspondence

set(gca,'position',[axpos(1:2) abs(diff(xlim)) abs(diff(ylim))])

% Optional: Since we are forcing the x-axis limits and y-axis limits,

% the print out may not display the desired tick marks. In order to keep 

% these, you can select "File-->Preferences-->Figure Copy Template".  Then

% choose "Keep axes limits and tick spacing" in the "Uicontrols and axes"

% Frame.  Click on "Apply to Figure" and then "OK".

% Print the figure to paper in real size.

print

% Print to a file in real size and look at the result

print(gcf,'-dpng','-r0','sine.png')

winopen('sine.png')

[Cam Salzberger]

Hey Joseph, I tested this, and get the right dimensions. Maybe the defaults settings for your figures' paper-related properties have changed? Check the default properties for all of the "Printing and Saving" related properties on this page.

For example:

get(groot,'defaultFigurePaperPosition')

You can also reset all of these properties with commands like this:

set(groot,'defaultFigurePaperPosition','default')

Hope this helps!

-Cam