plotboxpos.m

function pos = plotboxpos(h)

%PLOTBOXPOS Returns the position of the plotted axis region
%
% pos = plotboxpos(h)
%
% This function returns the position of the plotted region of an axis,
% which may differ from the actual axis position, depending on the axis
% limits, data aspect ratio, and plot box aspect ratio.  The position is
% returned in the same units as the those used to define the axis itself.
% This function can only be used for a 2D plot.
%
% Input variables:
%
%   h:      axis handle of a 2D axis (if ommitted, current axis is used).
%
% Output variables:
%
%   pos:    four-element position vector, in same units as h
% Copyright 2010 Kelly Kearney

% Check input
if nargin < 1
  h = gca;
end

if ~ishandle(h) || ~strcmp(get(h,'type'), 'axes')
  error('Input must be an axis handle');
end

% Get position of axis in pixels
currunit = get(h, 'units');
set(h, 'units', 'pixels');
axisPos = get(h, 'Position');
set(h, 'Units', currunit);

% Calculate box position based axis limits and aspect ratios
darismanual  = strcmpi(get(h, 'DataAspectRatioMode'),    'manual');
pbarismanual = strcmpi(get(h, 'PlotBoxAspectRatioMode'), 'manual');



if ~darismanual && ~pbarismanual
  pos = axisPos;
else
  dx = diff(get(h, 'XLim'));
  dy = diff(get(h, 'YLim'));
  dar = get(h, 'DataAspectRatio');
  pbar = get(h, 'PlotBoxAspectRatio');
  limDarRatio = (dx/dar(1))/(dy/dar(2));
  pbarRatio = pbar(1)/pbar(2);
  axisRatio = axisPos(3)/axisPos(4);
  
  if darismanual
    if limDarRatio > axisRatio
      pos(1) = axisPos(1);
      pos(3) = axisPos(3);
      pos(4) = axisPos(3)/limDarRatio;
      pos(2) = (axisPos(4) - pos(4))/2 + axisPos(2);
    else
      pos(2) = axisPos(2);
      pos(4) = axisPos(4);
      pos(3) = axisPos(4) * limDarRatio;
      pos(1) = (axisPos(3) - pos(3))/2 + axisPos(1);
    end
  elseif pbarismanual
    if pbarRatio > axisRatio
      pos(1) = axisPos(1);
      pos(3) = axisPos(3);
      pos(4) = axisPos(3)/pbarRatio;
      pos(2) = (axisPos(4) - pos(4))/2 + axisPos(2);
    else
      pos(2) = axisPos(2);
      pos(4) = axisPos(4);
      pos(3) = axisPos(4) * pbarRatio;
      pos(1) = (axisPos(3) - pos(3))/2 + axisPos(1);
    end
  end
end

% Convert plot box position to the units used by the axis
temp = axes('Units', 'Pixels', 'Position', pos, 'Visible', 'off', 'parent', get(h, 'parent'));
set(temp, 'Units', currunit);
pos = get(temp, 'position');
delete(temp);