MATLAB Creating Graphical User Interfaces

Method Description Requirements and Trade-Offs

“Create Nested

Callback

Functions

(Programmatic

Apps)” on page

11-12

Nest your callback functions inside

your main function. This gives

your callback functions access to

all the variables in the main

function.

• Requires callback functions to
  be coded in the same file as the
  main function.


• Not recommended for GUIDE
  apps.


• Can share multiple variables.
  “Store Data
  Using the
  guidata
  Function” on
  page 11-13

Share data with the figure window

using the guidata function.

• Stores or retrieves the data
  through any UI component.


• Stores only one variable at a
  time, but you can store multiple
  values as a struct array or
  cell array.

Store Data in UserData or Other Object Properties

UI components contain useful information in their properties. For example, you can find
the current position of a slider by querying its Value property. In addition, all
components have a UserData property, which can store any MATLAB variable. All
callback functions can access the value stored in the UserData property as long as those
functions can access the component.

Share UserData in Apps Created Programmatically

Use dot notation, component.propertyname, to get or set property values
programmatically. Dot notation works in R2014b and later releases. This code gets and
sets the name of a figure.

hfig = figure;
figname = hfig.Name;
hfig.Name = 'My Window';

If you are using an earlier release, use the get and set functions instead:

hfig = figure;
figname = get(hfig,'Name');
set(hfig,'Name','My Window');

Share Data Among Callbacks