ticklabelformat.m

function ticklabelformat(hAxes,axName,format)
%TICKLABELFORMAT  Sets axis tick labels format
%
%TICKLABELFORMAT enables setting the format of the tick labels
%
%	Syntax:
%		ticklabelformat(hAxes,axName,format)
%
%	Input Parameters:
%		hAxes  - handle to the modified axes, such as returned by the gca function
%		axName - name(s) of axles to modify: 'x','y','z' or combination (e.g. 'xy')
%		format - format of the tick labels in sprintf format (e.g. '%.1f V') or a
%				function handle that will be called whenever labels need to be updated
%
%		Note: Calling TICKLABELFORMAT again with an empty ([] or '') format will revert
%		^^^^  to Matlab's normal tick labels display behavior
%
%	Examples:
%		ticklabelformat(gca,'y','%.6g V') - sets y axis on current axes to display 6 significant digits
%	ticklabelformat(gca,'xy','%.2f')  - sets x & y axes on current axes to display 2 decimal digits
%	ticklabelformat(gca,'z',@myCbFcn) - sets a function to update the Z tick labels on current axes
%	ticklabelformat(gca,'z',{@myCbFcn,extraData}) - sets an update function as above, with extra data
%
% Warning:
%	This code heavily relies on undocumented and unsupported Matlab functionality.
%	It works on Matlab 7+, but use at your own risk!
%
% Technical description and more details:
%	http://UndocumentedMatlab.com/blog/setting-axes-tick-labels-format/
%
% Bugs and suggestions:
%	Please send to Yair Altman (altmany at gmail dot com)
%
% Change log:
%	2012-04-18: first version
%
% See also: sprintf, gca

	% Check # of args (we now have narginchk but this is not available on older Matlab releases)
	if nargin < 1
		help(mfilename)
		return;
	elseif nargin < 3
		error('YMA:TICKLABELFORMAT:ARGS','Not enough input arguments');
	end
	
	% Check input args
	if ~ishandle(hAxes) || ~isa(handle(hAxes),'axes')
		error('YMA:TICKLABELFORMAT:hAxes','hAxes input argument must be a valid axes handle');
	elseif ~ischar(axName)
		error('YMA:TICKLABELFORMAT:axName','axName input argument must be a string');
	elseif ~isempty(format) && ~ischar(format) && ~isa(format,'function_handle') && ~iscell(format)
		error('YMA:TICKLABELFORMAT:format','format input argument must be a string or function handle');
	end
	
	% normalize axes name(s) to lowercase
	axName = lower(axName);
	
	if strfind(axName,'x')
		install_adjust_ticklbl(hAxes,'X',format);
	end
	if strfind(axName,'y')
		install_adjust_ticklbl(hAxes,'Y',format);
	end
	if strfind(axName,'z')
		install_adjust_ticklbl(hAxes,'Z',format);
	end
end

% Install the new tick labels for the specified axes
function install_adjust_ticklbl(hAxes,axName,format)
	% If empty format was specified
	if isempty(format)
		% Remove the current format (revert to default Matlab format)
		set(hAxes,[axName 'TickLabelMode'],'auto');
		setappdata(hAxes,[axName 'TickListener'],[]);
		return
	end
	% Determine whether to use the specified format as a
	% sprintf format or a user-specified callback function
	if ischar(format)
		cb = {@adjust_ticklbl axName format};
	else
		cb = format;
	end
	% Now install axis tick listeners to adjust tick labels
	% (use undocumented feature for adjustments)
	ha = handle(hAxes);
	hp = findprop(ha,[axName 'Tick']);
	hl = handle.listener(ha,hp,'PropertyPostSet',cb);
	setappdata(hAxes,[axName 'TickListener'],hl);

	% Adjust tick labels now
	%eventData.AffectedObject = hAxes;
	%adjust_ticklbl([],eventData,axName,format)
	set(hAxes,[axName 'TickLabelMode'],'manual');
	set(hAxes,[axName 'TickLabelMode'],'auto');
end
% Default tick labels update callback function (used if user did not specify their own function)
function adjust_ticklbl(hProp,eventData,axName,format)	%#ok<INUSL>
	hAxes = eventData.AffectedObject;
	tickValues = get(hAxes,[axName 'Tick']);
	tickLabels = arrayfun(@(x)(sprintf(format,x)),tickValues,'UniformOutput',false);
	set(hAxes,[axName 'TickLabel'],tickLabels);
end