text (MATLAB Function Reference)

text	Examples See Also

Create Text object in current Axes

Syntax

text(x,y,'string')
text(x,y,z,'string')
text(...'PropertyName',PropertyValue...)
h = text(...)

Description

text is the low-level function for creating Text graphics objects. Use text to place character strings at specified locations.

text(x,y,'string')

adds the string in quotes to the location specified by the point (x,y).

text(x,y,z,'string')

adds the string in 3-D coordinates.

text(x,y,z,'string','PropertyName',PropertyValue....)

adds the string in quotes to location defined by the coordinates and uses the values for the specified Text properties. See the "Text Properties" section for a list of Text object properties.

text('PropertyName',PropertyValue....)

omits the coordinates entirely and specifies all properties using property name/property value pairs.

h = text(..)

returns a column vector of handles to Text objects, one handle per object. All forms of the text function optionally return this output argument.

See the String property for a list of symbols, including Greek letters.

Remarks

Specify the Text location coordinates (the x, y, and z arguments) in the data units of the current Axes (see "Examples"). The Extent, VerticalAlignment, and HorizontalAlignment properties control the positioning of the character string with regard to the Text location point.

If the coordinates are vectors, text writes the string at all locations defined by the list of points. If the character string is an array the same length as x, y, and z, text writes the corresponding row of the string array at each point specified.

When specifying strings for multiple Text objects, the string can be

a cell array of strings
a padded string matrix
a string vector using vertical slash characters (`|') as separators.

Each element of the specified string array creates a different Text object.

When specifying the string for a single Text object, cell arrays of strings and padded string matrices result in a Text object with a multiline string, while vertical slash characters are not interpreted as separators and result in a single line string containing vertical slashes.

text is a low-level function that accepts property name/property value pairs as input arguments, however, the convenience form,

text(x,y,z,'string')

is equivalent to:

text('XData',x,'YData',y,'ZData',z,'String','string')

You can specify other properties only as property name/property value pairs. See the "Text Properties" section for a description of each property. You can specify properties as property name/property value pairs, structure arrays, and cell arrays (see the set and get reference pages for examples of how to specify these data types).

text does not respect the setting of the Figure or Axes NextPlot property. This allows you to add Text objects to an existing Axes without setting hold to on.

Examples

The statements,

plot(0:pi/20:2*pi,sin(0:pi/20:2*pi))
text(pi,0,' \leftarrow sin(\pi)','FontSize',18)

annotate the point at (pi,0) with the string sin(

):

The statement,

text(x,y,'\ite^{i\omega\tau} = cos(\omega\tau) + i sin(\omega\tau)')

uses embedded TeX sequences to produce:

See Also

gtext, int2str, num2str, title, xlabel, ylabel, zlabel

The Axes chapter in the Using MATLAB Graphics manual discusses positioning text.

Object Hierarchy

Setting Default Properties

You can set default Text properties on the Axes, Figure, and Root levels:

set(0,'DefaulttextProperty',PropertyValue...)
set(gcf,'DefaulttextProperty',PropertyValue...)
set(gca,'DefaulttextProperty',PropertyValue...)

Where Property is the name of the Text property and PropertyValue is the value you are specifying. Use set and get to access Text properties.

Property List

The following table lists all Text properties and provides a brief description of each. The property name links take you to an expanded description of the properties.


Property Name	Property Description	Property Value
Defining the character string
Editing	Enable or disable editing mode.	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `off`
`Interpreter`	Enable or disable TeX interpretation	Values: `tex`, `none` Default: `tex`
`String`	The character string (including list of TeX character sequences)	Value: character string
Positioning the character string
`Extent`	Position and size of Text object	Values: [left, bottom, width, height]
`HorizontalAlignment`	Horizontal alignment of Text string	Values: `left`, `center`, `right` Default: `left`
Position	Position of Text `Extent` rectangle	Values: [x, y, z] coordinates Default: `[]` empty matrix
Rotation	Orientation of Text object	Values: scalar (degrees) Default: `0`
Units	Units for Extent and Position properties	Values: `pixels, normalized`, `inches`, `centimeters`, `points`, `data` Default: `data`
VerticalAlignment	Vertical alignment of Text string	Values: `top`, `cap`, `middle`, `baseline`, `bottom` Default: `middle`
Specifying the Font
`FontAngle`	Select italic-style font	Values: `normal`, `italic`, `oblique` Default: `normal`
`FontName`	Select font family	Values: font name Default: `Helvetica`
`FontSize`	Size of font	Values: size in `FontUnits` Default: `10` points
`FontUnits`	Units for `FontSize` property	Values: `points`, `normalized`, `inches`, `centimeters`, `pixels` Default: `points`
`FontWeight`	Weight of text characters	Values: `light`, `normal`, `demi`, `bold` Default: `normal`
Controlling the Appearance
Clipping	Clipping to Axes rectangle	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on`
EraseMode	Method of drawing and erasing the Text (useful for animation)	Values: `normal`, `none`, `xor`, `background` Default: `normal`
`SelectionHighlight`	Highlight Text when selected (`Selected` property set to `on`)	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on`
`Visible`	Make the Text visible or invisible	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on`
Color	Color of the Text	`ColorSpec`
Controlling Access to Text Objects
`HandleVisibility`	Determines if and when the the Text's handle is visible to other functions	Values: `on`, `callback`, `off` Default: `on`
`HitTest`	Determines if the Text can become the current object (see the Figure `CurrentObject` property)	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on`
General Information About Text Objects
`Children`	Text objects have no children	Values: `[]` (empty matrix)
`Parent`	The parent of a Text object is always an Axes object	Value: Axes handle
`Selected`	Indicate whether the Text is in a "selected" state.	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on`
`Tag`	User-specified label	Value: any string Default: `''` (empty string)
`Type`	The type of graphics object (read only)	Value: the string `'text'`
`UserData`	User-specified data	Values: any matrix Default: `[]` (empty matrix)
Controlling Callback Routine Execution
`BusyAction`	Specify how to handle callback routine interruption	Values: `cancel`, `queue` Default: `queue`
`ButtonDownFcn`	Define a callback routine that executes when a mouse button is pressed on over the Text	Values: string Default: `''` (empty string)
`CreateFcn`	Define a callback routine that executes when an Text is created	Values: string Default: `''` (empty string)
`DeleteFcn`	Define a callback routine that executes when the Text is deleted (via `close` or `delete`)	Values: string Default: `''` (empty string)
`Interruptible`	Determine if callback routine can be interrupted	Values: `on`, `off` Default: `on` (can be interrupted)
`UIContextMenu`	Associate a context menu with the Text	Values: handle of a Uicontrextmenu

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