meshgrid (MATLAB Function Reference)

Generate X and Y matrices for three-dimensional plots

[X,Y] = meshgrid(x,y)
[X,Y] = meshgrid(x)
[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(x,y,z)

Description

[X,Y] = meshgrid(x,y)

transforms the domain specified by vectors x and y into arrays X and Y, which can be used to evaluate functions of two variables and three-dimensional mesh/surface plots. The rows of the output array X are copies of the vector x; columns of the output array Y are copies of the vector y.

[X,Y] = meshgrid(x)

is the same as [X,Y] = meshgrid(x,x).

[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(x,y,z)

produces three-dimensional arrays used to evaluate functions of three variables and three-dimensional volumetric plots.

Remarks

The meshgrid function is similar to ndgrid except that the order of the first two input and output arguments is switched. That is, the statement

[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(x,y,z)

produces the same result as

[Y,X,Z] = ndgrid(y,x,z)

Because of this, meshgrid is better suited to problems in two- or three-dimensional Cartesian space, while ndgrid is better suited to multidimensional problems that aren't spatially based.

meshgrid is limited to two- or three-dimensional Cartesian space.

Examples

The function

[X,Y] = meshgrid(1:3,10:14)

produces two output arrays, X and Y:

X =
     1     2     3
     1     2     3
     1     2     3
     1     2     3
     1     2     3
Y =
    10    10    10
    11    11    11
    12    12    12
    13    13    13
    14    14    14