scatter3

Arguments

x, y, z

columns or rows vectors of n real numbers specifying the x, y and z coordinates of the centers of markers.

msizes

Specifying the sizes of the markers. To plot each marker with equal size, specify msizes as a scalar. To plot each marker with a different size, specify msizes as a vector with n components. The units for msizes is points squared, with a default value of 36 points squared. The size equals the area of the circle surrounding the marker.

mcolors

Specifying the colors of the markers. To plot each marker with the same color, specify mcolors as a string representing a known color: see color_list. A color can also be specified by a vector of 3 RGB values. RGB values correspond to red, green and blue intensity between 0 and 1. To plot each marker with a different color, specify mcolors as a vector with n components. The values of mcolors are linearly mapped to the colors in the current colormap. Colors can also by specified by a matrix of RGB values or a vector of strings representing known colors. A matrix of RGB values has 3 columns and n rows. The default color is "blue".

"fill"

This string indicates that the markers are filled with some colors. By default the filling colors of markers are the same as their shape ones. However, both colors can be set independently by using the properties "markerFaceColor" or "markerBackgroundColor".

marker

Select the type of the marker. The same marker shape is used for all specified points. The figure below shows the 15 different marker types.

Marker types are specified by strings: see the table below.

String	Marker type
"."	Point
"+"	Plus sign
"x"	Cross
"circle plus"	Circle with plus
"filled diamond"	Filled diamond
"d" or "diamond"	Diamond
"^"	Upward-pointing triangle
"v"	Downward-pointing triangle
"diamond plus"	Diamond with plus
"o"	Circle (default)
"*"	Asterisk
"s" or "square"	Square
">"	Right-pointing triangle
"<"	Left-pointing triangle
"pentagram" or "p"	Five-pointed star

<marker_property, value>

A sequence of property value pairs can be used to specify type, color and line width of the markers.

<"marker", value> or <"markerStyle", value>

Specify the type of the marker, see the table above.

<"markerEdgeColor", value> or <"markerForeground", value>

Specify the foreground color of the marker. A color can be specified by a string representing a known color: see color_list. A color can also be specified by a vector of 3 RGB values. RGB values correspond to red, green and blue intensity between 0 and 1. This option is superseded by the mcolors argument.

<"markerFaceColor", value> or <"markerBackground", value>

Specify the background color of the marker. A color can be specified by a string representing a known color: see color_list. A color can also be specified by a vector of 3 RGB values. RGB values correspond to red, green and blue intensity between 0 and 1. This option is superseded by argument mcolors.

<"linewidth", value> or <"thickness", value>

Specify the thickness of the edge of the marker. The unit for the value is one point.

axes_handle

This optional argument forces the scatter plot to appear inside the selected axes given by axes_handle rather than inside the current axes, see gca.

polyline

Handle of the created polyline.

Description

scatter3(x,y,z) creates a scatter plot with markers at the locations specified by x, y, and z. The default type of the marker is a circle, the default color is "blue" and the default marker size is 36. This means the circle surrounding the marker has an area of 36 points squared.

Using scatter3(x,y,z,s,c) different sizes and colors for each marker can be specified. There are many different ways to specify marker types, marker colors and marker sizes. For more details see the description of the arguments and the examples.

To skip an argument, just replace it with [] as in scatter3(x,y,z,[],mcolors). When the axes is rotated, the markers are automatically rotated as well in order to show always the same face to the observer.

Examples

Create 3D scatter plot

// x, y and z initialisation
t = 1:200;
x = t .* cos(t) .* sin(t);
y = t .* sin(t) .* sin(t);
z = t .* cos(t);
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Vary marker size

// x, y and z initialisation
t = 1:200;
x = t .* cos(t) .* sin(t);
y = t .* sin(t) .* sin(t);
z = t .* cos(t);
// size according to radius
s = linspace(50, 1, length(t));
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z, s);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Vary marker size and color

// x, y and z initialisation
t = 1:200;
x = t .* cos(t) .* sin(t);
y = t .* sin(t) .* sin(t);
z = t .* cos(t);
// size according to radius
s = linspace(50, 1, length(t));
// set color map
gcf().color_map = coolcolormap(64);
// color according to radius
c = t;
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z, s, c);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Fill the markers

// x, y and z initialisation
z = linspace(0, 25, 200);
x = z .* cos(z);
y = z .* sin(z);
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z, "fill");
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Specify marker symbol

// x, y and z initialisation
z = linspace(0, 25, 200);
x = z .* cos(z);
y = z .* sin(z);
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z, "*");
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Change marker edge and face color

// x, y and z initialisation
z = linspace(0, 25, 200);
x = z .* cos(z);
y = z .* sin(z);
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z,...
        "markerEdgeColor", "black",...
        "markerFaceColor", [0 .8 .8]);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60, 45];

Specify subplot for scatter plot

// x, y and z initialisation
n = 20;
[x, y] = meshgrid(linspace(-2, 2, n));
z = exp(-x.^2 - y.^2);
// create 3D scatter subplot
subplot(2,1,1)
scatter3(gca(), x(:), y(:), z(:));
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60,45];
// create 3D scatter subplot
subplot(2,1,2)
scatter3(gca(), x(:), y(:), z(:), "markerFaceColor", [0 .8 .8]);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60,45];

Modify scatter plot after creation

// x, y and z initialisation
t = 1:200;
x = t .* cos(t) .* sin(t);
y = t .* sin(t) .* sin(t);
z = t .* cos(t);
// size according to radius
s = linspace(50, 1, length(t));
// create 3D scatter plot
scatter3(x, y, z, s);
// modify rotation angles
gca().rotation_angles = [60,45];

// modify polyline
p.mark_foreground = color(0.5, 0, 0);
p.mark_background = color(0.5, 0.5, 0);

See also

• scatter — 2D scatter plot
• param3d — plots a single curve in a 3D cartesian frame
• gca — Return handle of current axes.
• gcf — Return handle of current graphic window.
• color_list — list of named colors
• polyline_properties — description of the Polyline entity properties

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