uifigure() laggy with multiple axes, figure() does not support scrollable components

I made an interface to display data from multiple measurement channels. It's using a Grid Layout Manager, so the first column with fixed pixel width contains channel options, and the second column with "1x" width has axes displaying data. It is Y-scrollable so it can display many channels no matter the window size.

But it gets laggy and possibly unusable when displaying just 10 channels. But I actually found that displaying the same amount of channels in a figure() window is not laggy at all.

But figure() does not support Grid Layout Manager, nor scrollable uipanel...

nb_points = 50e3;
nb_linesperaxes = 1;
nb_axes = 15;

fig = figure("Name","figure()");
fig_ax = arrayfun(@(k)axes(fig,"OuterPosition",[0,1-k/nb_axes,1,1/nb_axes]),...
    1:nb_axes);
arrayfun(@(ax)plot(ax,linspace(0,1,nb_points),randn(nb_points,nb_linesperaxes)),...
    fig_ax,'UniformOutput',false);
linkaxes(fig_ax,'x')
zoom(fig_ax(1),'xon')
pan(fig_ax(2),'xon')

uifig = uifigure("Name","uifigure()");
uifig_ax = arrayfun(@(k)axes(uifig,"OuterPosition",[0,1-k/nb_axes,1,1/nb_axes]),...
    1:nb_axes);
arrayfun(@(ax)plot(ax,linspace(0,1,nb_points),randn(nb_points,nb_linesperaxes)),...
    uifig_ax,'UniformOutput',false);
linkaxes(uifig_ax,'x')
zoom(uifig_ax(1),'xon')
pan(uifig_ax(2),'xon')

The figure() window works wells, whereas the uifigure() window is laggy. Once compiled as app, it's even unusable on some not-too-old computers.

• Is there an alternative to Grid Layout Manager or scrollable Panel for figure() windows ?
• Is there any way to prevent uifigure() window being this laggy ?

[William Dean]

I'm confused, this doesn't look like a complete example based on your description. Where exactly are you using a grid layout manager or scrollable container? Your uifigure() code isn't laggy for me

Also, based on how you are defining the axes OuterPosition with normalized units, they are going to exactly fill the space in the parent container. That's fine, but then you won't be able to scroll.

Are you placing the axes inside a fixed height panel in a scrollable grid? Or are you placing them in a scrollable panel inside the second column of your grid?

Why not just use a scrollable grid layout manager with one row per axes?

[Guillaume]

The example I described, with measurement channels, is part of a large app I made with the App Designer. The problematic part is navigating data with multiple axes, each on a row of a grid layout and linked on X (linkaxes).

I actually tested the short code above on a laptop with R2024a, and a quite powerful desktop PC with R2023b. It is especialy when chaning the X range with the pan tool.

[William Dean]

I see, it sounds like your problem might lie with linking the axes, rather than the scrolling. In my experience, linking more than a few axes with linkaxes() can cause issues, especially if it is part of a more complicated app with many components.

However, when I tested your uifigure code section, it ran just fine. Didn't seem laggy to me. But if you have more than 15 axes I can see how it could be.

You might just have to find another method that doesn't use linkaxes().

Answer 1

[Sandeep Mishra]

Hello Guillaume,

I understand that you are trying to make an interface to display data from multiple measurement channels and seeking assistance regarding the following queries:

• Is there an alternative to Grid Layout Manager or scrollable Panel for “figure” windows?
• Is there any way to prevent “uifigure” window being this laggy?

Addressing your first query regarding the MATLAB “figure” component.

• To implement scrollable functionality in the "figure" component, the component should be placed in a scrollable container, such as a "uifigure" or another panel.
• Refer to the following MATLAB Answers post on using scrollable panel in the “figure” component: https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/593221-how-can-i-efficiently-plot-a-large-amount-of-graphs-stacked-in-a-scrollable-manner-within-a-panel#answer_494146

Regarding your second query, to use the “uifigure” component without laggy nature.

• I ran the provided code snippet in MATLAB R2024a and observed similar laggy nature of the “uifigure” component.
• As @William Dean already explained in the comments, the issue came around due to the multiple axes linked using “linkaxes” function.
• You can refer to the below workaround to fix the laggy nature by using “listener” and “callback” functions instead of the “linkaxes” function.

% Function to synchronize XLim of all axes
function syncXLim( ~, event, uifig_ax)
    newXLim = event.AffectedObject.XLim; 
    for ax = uifig_ax
        if ~all(ax.XLim == newXLim)
            ax.XLim = newXLim;
        end
    end
end

% Add listener to each axis 
for ax = uifig_ax     
    addlistener(ax, 'XLim', 'PostSet', @(src,evnt)syncXLim(src,evnt, uifig_ax)); 
end

Refer to the following documentations for more details on the functions used.

1. “addlistener”: https://www.mathworks.com/help/releases/R2024a/matlab/ref/handle.addlistener.html
2. “Listener Callback Syntax”: https://www.mathworks.com/help/releases/R2024a/matlab/matlab_oop/listener-callback-functions.html

I hope this helps.