How to Maximize a MATLAB Figure to Full Screen Duplicate

Are you looking to maximize a MATLAB figure to full screen and create duplicates effortlessly? In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of expanding your MATLAB figures to full screen and creating exact replicas for further analysis. Whether you’re a seasoned MATLAB user or just getting started, these techniques will help you enhance your plotting capabilities and improve your data visualization skills.

Maximizing MATLAB Figures Programmatically

To maximize a MATLAB figure programmatically and make it full screen, you have a couple of options:

1. Using the WindowState Property (Recommended):
   Starting from MATLAB R2018a, you can utilize the WindowState property to maximize, minimize, or display a figure in full-screen mode. Here’s how you can do it:

   figure('WindowState', 'maximized');
   

   This command will create a figure that fills the entire screen.

2. Legacy Approach (for older MATLAB versions):
   If you’re using an older version of MATLAB, you can achieve a similar effect by setting the figure’s position to cover the entire screen. Here’s an example:

   figure('units', 'normalized', 'outerposition', [0 0 1 1]);
   

   This command creates a figure with normalized units and an outer position that spans the entire screen.

Creating Duplicate MATLAB Figure

Let’s tackle both tasks:

1. Expanding a MATLAB Figure to Full Screen:
   Starting in MATLAB R2018a, you can use the WindowState property to maximize, minimize, or display a figure in full-screen mode. To make a figure the same size as your screen, you can use the following command:

   figure('units', 'normalized', 'outerposition', [0 0 1 1])
   

   This will create a figure that fills the entire screen. If you want to account for the taskbar, you can use:

   fh = figure();
   fh.WindowState = 'maximized';
   

   For older versions of MATLAB, you can achieve a similar effect using:

   set(gcf, 'Position', get(0, 'Screensize'));
   

   You can adjust the figure properties as needed to match your requirements.

2. Creating a Duplicate of a MATLAB Figure:
   To create a duplicate of an existing figure, including its properties and data, you can use the copyobj function. For example, if you have a figure with plotted data (let’s call it fig1), you can create a new figure (fig2) and copy the contents from fig1 to fig2:

   fig1 = figure;  % Your original figure
   % ... Add your data and customize fig1 ...
   
   fig2 = figure;  % Create a new figure
   a2 = copyobj(gca, fig2);  % Copy the axes from fig1 to fig2
   % Now fig2 contains a duplicate of the data and properties from fig1
   

   Adjust the above code to match your specific use case, and you’ll have a duplicated figure ready for further modifications.

MATLAB Figure Manipulation Techniques

Let’s break this down into two steps:

1. Expanding the MATLAB Figure Size:
   To change the size of a figure in MATLAB, you can adjust its properties. The Position property specifies the figure’s size and position. Here’s an example of how to set the figure size to 4 inches wide and 2 inches tall:

   set(gcf, 'PaperUnits', 'inches');
   set(gcf, 'PaperSize', [4 2]);
   set(gcf, 'PaperPositionMode', 'manual');
   set(gcf, 'PaperPosition', [0 0 4 2]);
   

   Replace the plot(t, y) section in your code with the above snippet to modify the figure size.

2. Duplicating the Figure for Comparative Analysis:
   To create multiple copies of a figure, you can encapsulate the code that generates the base figure into a function. This function will return the graphics handles for the figure and its axes. You can then call this function with different data sets to create clones of the base figure.

   Here’s an example:

   function [hFigure, hAxes] = make_my_figure(dataX, dataY)
       hFigure = figure('Color', 'r', 'Position', [100 100 500 500]);
       hAxes = axes('Parent', hFigure);
       plot(hAxes, dataX, dataY);
       % Customize other properties as needed
   end
   
   % Example usage:
   x = rand(1, 100);
   y = rand(1, 100);
   [hFigure1, hAxes1] = make_my_figure(x, y);
   [hFigure2, hAxes2] = make_my_figure(x, y);
   % Modify each figure as required
   

   In this example, make_my_figure creates a figure with specified properties, and you can call it multiple times to generate clones with different data.

Customizing MATLAB Plot Colors

Customizing the visual appearance of your MATLAB plots can significantly enhance their readability and overall appeal. Let’s dive into some techniques to make your figures more engaging:

1. Setting Up the MATLAB Environment for Plotting:

   • Before delving into color customization, ensure you have MATLAB installed and open a new script or command window.
   • Verify that you’re running a version of MATLAB that supports the plotting functions and features you intend to use. To check your MATLAB version, simply type version in the command window and hit Enter.
   • Additionally, check which toolboxes you have installed using the ver command. Some specialized plotting features might require additional toolboxes.

2. Basic Color Schemes Using Predefined Colors:

   • MATLAB provides predefined color names (e.g., ‘red’, ‘blue’, ‘green’) that you can use directly in your plots.
   • For example, to set the color of a line, use the 'Color' property with a predefined color name: plot(x, y, 'Color', 'blue').

3. Customizing Colors with RGB Values:

   • For more fine-grained control, use RGB values to specify custom colors. RGB values range from 0 to 1 and are arranged as a three-element vector [R, G, B].
   • Example: plot(x, y, 'Color', [0.5, 1.0, 0.0], 'LineStyle', '--') sets the line color to yellow.

4. Using Predefined Color Maps:

   • Colormaps allow you to map data values to specific colors. They are three-column arrays containing RGB triplets, where each row defines a distinct color.
   • You can apply a predefined colormap using functions like colormap or caxis.

5. Applying Gradient Colors to Plots:

   • In line plots, you can create gradients by interpolating between colors.
   • For example, use interp1 to smoothly transition between colors along a curve.

6. Setting Alpha Values for Transparency:

   • Adjust transparency using the 'Alpha' property. A value of 1 is fully opaque, while 0 is completely transparent.
   • Useful for overlaying multiple plots or emphasizing specific data points.

Remember, the goal is to strike a balance between aesthetics and effective data representation. Experiment with different color schemes, gradients, and transparency levels to create visually appealing MATLAB figures that convey your data clearly.

Optimizing MATLAB Figure Appearance

When creating MATLAB figures for sharing and saving, there are several strategies you can employ to optimize their appearance. Let’s explore some techniques:

1. Customize Figure Appearance Before Saving:

   • Figure Size: To adjust the figure size, use the Export Setup window. You can specify the desired dimensions (e.g., 5-by-4 inches) and even make the axes fill the entire figure. This ensures that your plot fits well within the chosen dimensions.
   • Background Color: Set the figure background color using the Rendering property in the Export Setup window. You can choose from predefined colors or specify a custom RGB triplet.
   • Font Size and Line Width: Customize font properties (size, name, weight, angle) and line width to enhance readability.
   • Apply Settings: Click Apply to Figure to see the changes on-screen.
   • Save to File: After customization, click Export to specify a file name, location, and format for saving the figure.

2. Minimize White Space:

   • Use the axes toolbar to minimize white space when saving or copying the contents of a plot. Hover over the upper right corner of the axes to access this toolbar.
   • Alternatively, consider using the exportgraphics and copygraphics functions, which provide more flexibility.

3. Programmatic Customization:

   • If you prefer to customize figures programmatically, set properties of the graphics objects. Graphics functions often return output arguments that allow you to access and modify various aspects of the plot.

In conclusion, mastering the art of maximizing a MATLAB figure to full screen and creating duplicates opens up a world of possibilities in data analysis and visualization. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can seamlessly optimize your figures for a more immersive viewing experience and streamline your analytical workflow. Whether you choose to utilize the WindowState property for full-screen display or the traditional method of adjusting figure positions, the key is to tailor your approach to suit your specific needs.

Now armed with the knowledge to customize and duplicate your MATLAB figures effectively, you can elevate the impact of your visual presentations and make informed decisions based on your data analysis. Experiment with different techniques, customize your figure settings, and unleash the full potential of MATLAB for creating dynamic and insightful visualizations.