Save figures systematically to keep clean organization. See Using_SaveFiles.mlx for a notebook with examples.
Syntax
auto_save(fig_name)
auto_save(fig_name, Name=Value)
Description
A
auto_save(fig_name) saves the current figure as fig_name in a folder labeled with the current date and closes the figure. example
B
auto_save(fig_name, Name=Value) saves current figure in folder of current date with additional options specified by one or more name-value pair arguments. For example, you can opt to not close the figure. example
Examples
Basic save
Create figure
x = linspace(0, 2*pi, 100); % to evaluate
% visualize
figure()
plot(x, sin(x), 'linewidth', 2);
Save figure
auto_save('testFig1') % normal folder
Do not close after saving
Save figure and don’t close it.
Create figure
x = linspace(0, 2*pi, 100); % to evaluate
figure()
plot(x, cos(x), 'linewidth', 2);
Save figure
best_save('testFig2', 'close_after', false)
fig_name
Name of file figure should be saved as.
File name for figure. Extension will default as .png.
Data Types: (str)
Name-Value Arguments
Specified optional pairs of Name=Value arguments. Name is the is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. You can specify several name and value pair arguments in any order as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN.
Example: 'close_after', true, 'bg_color', 'w'' specifies the function to save the figure with a white background and close the figure after it has been saved.
close_after
Close figure after saved. (default=true)
Whether or not to close figure after it has been saved in appropriate location.
Data Types: (boolean)
fig_handle
Figure handle to be saved. (default=gcf())
Which figure handle to save. Useful if multiple figures are being created in odd orders.
extension
File extension (defualt=’.png’)
What extension to give figure file.
Data Types: (char)
bg_color
Background color for figure (default=’current’)
The background color for the saved figure.
Data Types: (char)
custom_folder
Name of custom folder to save figure in (default=’’)
Folder name that will store the figure that is being saved.
Data Types: (char)
folder_level
Directory level to create the custom folder (default=3)
The level on directory to save the custom folder with saved figure inside.
The levels are as follows:
1 = working directory
2 = working directory > figures folder
3 = working directory > figures folder > date folder
Data Types: (int, x >=1 & x <=3)
More About
When the function is called for the first time in a new directory, it will create a figures folder (code_folder/figures). When the function is called for the first time in a day in a directory where it has already been called previously, it will create a folder labeled with the current date below the figures folder (code_folder/figures/DD_MMM_YYYY).
To fully understand how the custom_folder and folder_level arguments work, it’s best to run the example notebook on your device and look at the directory aftermath. It is helpful to change the names to see where figures end up. One can also see this on the repo that hosts this function.
Tips
If you get an error or pause execution while this function is working, you will need to reset your directory. If you do not, it will look like it is not working, but most likely it is working, it’s just saving your figures in a place you do not realize.
I would suggest adding both auto_save.m and functionSignatures.json to a folder that is in your MATLAB path. The auto_save.m contains the function and the functionSignatures.json will give custom suggestions and code completion for when you call auto_save in a script or notebook.
If you already have a functionSignatures.json file in your folder, just add the pertinent code to your functionSignatures.json.
See also
writeGif
Issues and Discussion
Issues and Discussion.
If you don’t know how to use github (or don’t want to), just send me an email.