zlabel

Label z-axis

Syntax

zlabel(txt)
example
zlabel(txt,Name,Value)
example

zlabel(ax,___)

h = zlabel(___)

Description

zlabel(txt) labels the z-axis of the current axes with the text, txt. Reissuing the zlabel command causes the new label to replace the old label.

example

zlabel(txt,Name,Value) additionally specifies the text object properties using one or more Name,Value pair arguments.

zlabel(ax,___) adds the label to the axes specified by ax. This syntax allows you to specify the axes to which to add a label. ax can precede any of the input argument combinations in the previous syntaxes.

h = zlabel(___) returns the handle to the text object used as the z-axis label. The handle is useful when making future modifications to the label.

Examples

collapse all

Label z-Axis

Open Script

surf(peaks)
zlabel('Height')

Label z-Axis with Numeric Input

Open Script

figure
surf(peaks)
zlabel(123)

MATLAB® displays 123 beside the z-axis.

Create Multiline z-Axis Label

Open Script

Create a multiline label using a multiline cell array.

figure
surf(peaks)
zlabel({'First Line';'Second Line'})

Label z-Axis and Set Font Properties

Open Script

Use Name,Value pairs to set the font size, font weight, and text color properties of the z-axis label.

figure
surf(peaks)
zlabel('Elevation','FontSize',12,...
       'FontWeight','bold','Color','r')

'FontSize',12 displays the label text in 12-point font. 'FontWeight','bold' makes the text bold. 'Color','r' sets the text color to red.

Label z-Axis of Specific Axes

Open Script

Create two subplots and return the handles to the axes objects, s(1) and s(2).

figure
s(1) = subplot(2,1,1);
surf(peaks(30))
s(2) = subplot(2,1,2);
surf(peaks(45))

Label the z-axis of each plot by referring to the axes handles, s(1) and s(2).

zlabel(s(1),'Height1')
zlabel(s(2),'Height2')

Label z-Axis and Return Object Handle

Open Script

Label the z-axis and return the text object used as the label.

surf(peaks)
t = zlabel('Population Change');

Set the color of the label to red. Starting in R2014b, you can use dot notation to set properties. If you are using an earlier release, use the set function instead.

t.Color = 'red';

Related Examples

Add Text to Graph Interactively

Input Arguments

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`txt` — Axis label
character array | cell array | numeric value

Axis label, specified as a character array, cell array, or numeric value.

Example: 'my label'

Example: {'first line','second line'}

Example: 123

To include numeric variables with text in a label, use the num2str function. For example:

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

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 create multiline labels:

Use a cell array, where each cell contains a line of text, such as {'first line','second line'}.
Use a character array, where each row contains the same number of characters, such as ['abc'; 'ab '].
Use sprintf to create text with a new line character, such as sprintf('first line \n second line').

Numeric labels are converted to text using sprintf('%g',value). For example, 12345678 displays as 1.23457e+07.

Note: The words default, factory, and remove are reserved words that will not appear in a label when quoted as a normal characters. To display any of these words individually, precede them with a backslash, such as '\default' or '\remove'.

`ax` — Axes object
axes object

Axes object. If you do not specify an axes, then the zlabel function uses the current axes.

Name-Value Pair Arguments

Specify optional comma-separated pairs of Name,Value arguments. Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name must appear inside single quotes (' '). You can specify several name and value pair arguments in any order as Name1,Value1,...,NameN,ValueN.

Example: 'Color','red','FontSize',12 specifies red, 12-point font.

In addition to the following, you can specify other text object properties using Name,Value pair arguments. See Text Properties.

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`'FontSize'` — Font size
`11` (default) | scalar value greater than `0`

Font size, specified as a scalar value greater than 0 in point units. One point equals 1/72 inch. To change the font units, use the FontUnits property.

Setting the font size properties for the associated axes also affects the label font size. The label font size updates to equal the axes font size times the label scale factor. The FontSize property of the axes contains the axes font size. The LabelFontSizeMultiplier property of the axes contains the label scale factor. By default, the axes font size is 10 points and the scale factor is 1.1, so the z-axis label font size is 11 points.

`'FontWeight'` — Thickness of text characters
`'normal'` (default) | `'bold'`

Thickness of the text characters, specified as one of these values:

'normal' — Default weight as defined by the particular font
'bold' — Thicker character outlines than normal

MATLAB^® uses the FontWeight property to select a font from those available on your system. Not all fonts have a bold font weight. Therefore, specifying a bold font weight still can result in the normal font weight.

Note: The 'light' and 'demi' font weight values have been removed. Use 'normal' instead.

`'FontName'` — Font name
system supported font name | `'FixedWidth'`

Font name, specified as the name of the font to use or 'FixedWidth'. To display and print properly, the font name must be a font that your system supports. The default font depends on the specific operating system and locale.

To use a fixed-width font that looks good in any locale, use 'FixedWidth'. The 'FixedWidth' value relies on the root FixedWidthFontName property. Setting the root FixedWidthFontName property causes an immediate update of the display to use the new font.

Example: 'Cambria'

`'Color'` — Text color
`[0.15 0.15 0.15]` (default) | RGB triplet | character vector of color name | `'none'`

Text color, specified as a three-element RGB triplet, a character vector of a color name, or 'none'. If you set the color to 'none', then the text is invisible.

An RGB triplet is a three-element row vector whose elements specify the intensities of the red, green, and blue components of the color. The intensities must be in the range [0,1]; for example, [0.4 0.6 0.7]. This table lists the long and short color name options and the equivalent RGB triplet values.

Long Name	Short Name	RGB Triplet
`'yellow'`	`'y'`	`[1 1 0]`
`'magenta'`	`'m'`	`[1 0 1]`
`'cyan'`	`'c'`	`[0 1 1]`
`'red'`	`'r'`	`[1 0 0]`
`'green'`	`'g'`	`[0 1 0]`
`'blue'`	`'b'`	`[0 0 1]`
`'white'`	`'w'`	`[1 1 1]`
`'black'`	`'k'`	`[0 0 0]`

Example: [0.5 0.6 0.7]

Example: 'blue'

`'Interpreter'` — Interpretation of text characters
`'tex'` (default) | `'latex'` | `'none'`

Interpretation of text characters, specified as one of these values:

'tex' — Interpret characters using a subset of TeX markup.
'latex' — Interpret characters using LaTeX markup.
'none' — Display literal characters.

TeX Markup

By default, MATLAB supports a subset of TeX markup. Use TeX markup to add superscripts and subscripts, modify the font type and color, and include special characters in the text.

This table lists the supported modifiers with the Interpreter property set to 'tex'. Modifiers remain in effect until the end of the text. Superscripts and subscripts are an exception because they only modify the next character or the characters within the curly braces.

Modifier	Description	Example
`^{ }`	Superscript	`'text^{superscript}'`
`_{ }`	Subscript	`'text_{subscript}'`
`\bf`	Bold font	`'\bf text'`
`\it`	Italic font	`'\it text'`
`\sl`	Oblique font (usually the same as italic font)	`'\sl text'`
`\rm`	Normal font	`'\rm text'`
`\fontname{specifier}`	Font name — Set `specifier` as the name of a font family. You can use this in combination with other modifiers.	`'\fontname{Courier} text'`
`\fontsize{specifier}`	Font size — Set `specifier` as a numeric scalar value in point units to change the font size.	`'\fontsize{15} text'`
`\color{specifier}`	Font color — Set `specifer` as one of these colors: `red`, `green`, `yellow`, `magenta`, `blue`, `black`, `white`, `gray`, `darkGreen`, `orange`, or `lightBlue`.	`'\color{magenta} text'`
`\color[rgb]{specifier}`	Custom font color — Set `specifier` as a three-element RGB triplet.	`'\color[rgb]{0,0.5,0.5} text'`

This table lists the supported special characters with the Interpreter property set to 'tex'.

Character Sequence	Symbol	Character Sequence	Symbol	Character Sequence	Symbol
`\alpha`	α	`\upsilon`	υ	`\sim`	~
`\angle`	∠	`\phi`	Φ	`\leq`	≤
`\ast`	`*`	`\chi`	χ	`\infty`	∞
`\beta`	β	`\psi`	ψ	`\clubsuit`	♣
`\gamma`	γ	`\omega`	ω	`\diamondsuit`	♦
`\delta`	δ	`\Gamma`	Γ	`\heartsuit`	♥
`\epsilon`	ɛ	`\Delta`	Δ	`\spadesuit`	♠
`\zeta`	ζ	`\Theta`	Θ	`\leftrightarrow`	↔
`\eta`	η	`\Lambda`	Λ	`\leftarrow`	←
`\theta`	Θ	`\Xi`	Ξ	`\Leftarrow`	⇐
`\vartheta`	ϑ	`\Pi`	Π	`\uparrow`	↑
`\iota`	ι	`\Sigma`	Σ	`\rightarrow`	→
`\kappa`	κ	`\Upsilon`	ϒ	`\Rightarrow`	⇒
`\lambda`	λ	`\Phi`	Φ	`\downarrow`	↓
`\mu`	µ	`\Psi`	Ψ	`\circ`	º
`\nu`	ν	`\Omega`	Ω	`\pm`	±
`\xi`	ξ	`\forall`	∀	`\geq`	≥
`\pi`	π	`\exists`	∃	`\propto`	∝
`\rho`	ρ	`\ni`	∍	`\partial`	∂
`\sigma`	σ	`\cong`	≅	`\bullet`	•
`\varsigma`	ς	`\approx`	≈	`\div`	÷
`\tau`	τ	`\Re`	ℜ	`\neq`	≠
`\equiv`	≡	`\oplus`	⊕	`\aleph`	ℵ
`\Im`	ℑ	`\cup`	∪	`\wp`	℘
`\otimes`	⊗	`\subseteq`	⊆	`\oslash`	∅
`\cap`	∩	`\in`	∈	`\supseteq`	⊇
`\supset`	⊃	`\lceil`	⌈	`\subset`	⊂
`\int`	∫	`\cdot`	·	`\o`	ο
`\rfloor`	⌋	`\neg`	¬	`\nabla`	∇
`\lfloor`	⌊	`\times`	x	`\ldots`	...
`\perp`	⊥	`\surd`	√	`\prime`	´
`\wedge`	∧	`\varpi`	ϖ	`\0`	∅
`\rceil`	⌉	`\rangle`	〉	`\mid`	\|
`\vee`	∨	`\langle`	〈	`\copyright`	©

LaTeX Markup

To use LaTeX markup, set the Interpreter property to 'latex'. Use dollar symbols around the text, for example, use '$\int_1^{20} x^2 dx$' for inline mode or '$$\int_1^{20} x^2 dx$$' for display mode.

The displayed text uses the default LaTeX font style. The FontName, FontWeight, and FontAngle properties do not have an effect. To change the font style, use LaTeX markup.

The maximum size of the text that you can use with the LaTeX interpreter is 1200 characters. For multiline text, this reduces by about 10 characters per line.

For more information about the LaTeX system, see The LaTeX Project website at http://www.latex-project.org/.

Output Arguments

collapse all

`h` — Text object
text object

Text object used as the z-axis label. Use h to access and modify properties of the label after its created.

Documentation

zlabel

Syntax

Description

Examples

Label z-Axis

Label z-Axis with Numeric Input

Create Multiline z-Axis Label

Label z-Axis and Set Font Properties

Label z-Axis of Specific Axes

Label z-Axis and Return Object Handle

Related Examples

Input Arguments

`txt` — Axis label
character array | cell array | numeric value

`ax` — Axes object
axes object

Name-Value Pair Arguments

`'FontSize'` — Font size
`11` (default) | scalar value greater than `0`

`'FontWeight'` — Thickness of text characters
`'normal'` (default) | `'bold'`

`'FontName'` — Font name
system supported font name | `'FixedWidth'`

`'Color'` — Text color
`[0.15 0.15 0.15]` (default) | RGB triplet | character vector of color name | `'none'`

`'Interpreter'` — Interpretation of text characters
`'tex'` (default) | `'latex'` | `'none'`

TeX Markup

LaTeX Markup

Output Arguments

`h` — Text object
text object

See Also

Functions

Properties

Introduced before R2006a

MATLAB Documentation

Other Documentation

Support

Documentation

zlabel

Syntax

Description

Examples

Label z-Axis

Label z-Axis with Numeric Input

Create Multiline z-Axis Label

Label z-Axis and Set Font Properties

Label z-Axis of Specific Axes

Label z-Axis and Return Object Handle

Related Examples

Input Arguments

txt — Axis labelcharacter array | cell array | numeric value

ax — Axes objectaxes object

Name-Value Pair Arguments

'FontSize' — Font size11 (default) | scalar value greater than 0

'FontWeight' — Thickness of text characters'normal' (default) | 'bold'

'FontName' — Font namesystem supported font name | 'FixedWidth'

'Color' — Text color[0.15 0.15 0.15] (default) | RGB triplet | character vector of color name | 'none'

'Interpreter' — Interpretation of text characters'tex' (default) | 'latex' | 'none'

TeX Markup

LaTeX Markup

Output Arguments

h — Text objecttext object

See Also

Functions

Properties

Introduced before R2006a

MATLAB Documentation

Other Documentation

Support

`txt` — Axis label
character array | cell array | numeric value

`ax` — Axes object
axes object

`'FontSize'` — Font size
`11` (default) | scalar value greater than `0`

`'FontWeight'` — Thickness of text characters
`'normal'` (default) | `'bold'`

`'FontName'` — Font name
system supported font name | `'FixedWidth'`

`'Color'` — Text color
`[0.15 0.15 0.15]` (default) | RGB triplet | character vector of color name | `'none'`

`'Interpreter'` — Interpretation of text characters
`'tex'` (default) | `'latex'` | `'none'`

`h` — Text object
text object