Contour plot on top of surface plot

Hi all,

I want to achieve something like the attached picture. I have tried with a mesh on top of a surf plot without success. I am not sure if this can be achieved with the surfc function. Any hints?

Thanks

Answer 1

[PPM]

Thank you for your answers.

As Walter said, Jacob's answer works but I have to work out the way to have a proper colorbar.

I ended up using the tips on this link Surface plot with multiple colormaps

Cheers

PPM

Answer 2

[Jacob Wood]

You can get similar results with surf() and contourf()

[X,Y,Z] = peaks(25);
surf(X,Y,Z-10)
hold on
contourf(X,Y,Z)

Answer 3

[Walter Roberson]

Although it is possible to hack the properties of contour to change where the z values appear, it is typically much easier to create a hgtransform() group, and when you contour() use that group's handle as the first parameter to contour() (the position you would specify the axes). Then set the transform matrix of the hgtransform group to translate Z upwards by however many units are appropriate. If you use datatips, then they will reflect the original data values, not the translated values.

The code suggested by Jacob Wood does work for its purpose, and can be used with contour() as well as contourf(), but it relies upon subtracting enough from the Z coordinates that all of the Z coordinates passed to surf() are negative. Then you either have to live with the z axes be offset by that subtracted amount, or else you have to set the Z tick labels to hide the fact that your data is offset. Your ability to use datatips is affected when you use this approach.

[Geraldo Rebouças]

could you please provide an example explaining how to do it using hgtransform?

[Walter Roberson]

@Geraldo Rebouças

[X,Y,Z] = peaks(25);
surf(X,Y,Z)
hold on
hgt = hgtransform();
hgt.Matrix = makehgtform('translate', [0 0 7])

hgt = 
  Transform with properties:

    Children: [0×0 GraphicsPlaceholder]
     Visible: on
     HitTest: on
      Matrix: [4×4 double]

  Show all properties

contourf(X, Y, Z, 'parent', hgt)

[Geraldo Rebouças]

Thanks!

[Geraldo Rebouças]

@Walter Roberson, I was wondering if you could help me with this one:

https://se.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/2052507-how-to-project-a-contour-along-a-surface-plane