How to add common legend at the end (Bottom Side) of the whole image

figure (1)
subplot(2,2,1)
plot(rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b','linewidth', 1)
hold on
hx = xlabel('Maximum Storey Acceleration (in g)', 'Fontsize', 12);
hy = ylabel('Storey Number', 'Fontsize', 12);
title('GM,FN Comp-Rup Dist. 5 km')
axis([0 1.5 0 9])
set(gcf,'position',[ 140 370 850 770])
set(findall(gcf,'-property','Fontsize'),'Fontsize',12)
print('DT300','-dpng','-r300');
subplot(2,2,2)
plot(rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b','linewidth', 1)
hold on
hx = xlabel('Maximum Storey Acceleration (in g)', 'Fontsize', 12);
hy = ylabel('Storey Number', 'Fontsize', 12);
title('GM,FP Comp-Rup Dist. 5 km')
axis([0 1 0 9])
set(gcf,'position',[ 140 370 850 770])
set(findall(gcf,'-property','Fontsize'),'Fontsize',12)
hold on
subplot(2,2,3)
plot(rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b','linewidth', 1)
hold on
hx = xlabel('Maximum Storey Acceleration (in g)', 'Fontsize', 12);
hy = ylabel('Storey Number', 'Fontsize', 12);
title('GM,FN Comp-Rup Dist. 15 km')
axis([0 1.5 0 9])
set(gcf,'position',[ 140 370 850 770])
set(findall(gcf,'-property','Fontsize'),'Fontsize',12)
print('DT300','-dpng','-r300');
subplot(2,2,4)
plot(rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b',rand(3,1),rand(3,1),'b','linewidth', 1)
hold on
hx = xlabel('Maximum Storey Acceleration (in g)', 'Fontsize', 12);
hy = ylabel('Storey Number', 'Fontsize', 12);
title('GM,FP Comp-Rup Dist. 15 km')
axis([0 1 0 9])
set(gcf,'position',[ 140 370 850 770])
set(findall(gcf,'-property','Fontsize'),'Fontsize',12)
hold on
legh = legend('Station 1','Station 2','Station 3','Station 4','Station 5','Location','southoutside');

Warning: Ignoring extra legend entries.

set(legh, 'fontsize', 12)
% add legend
%Lgnd = legend('show');
%Lgnd.Position(1) = 0.4;
%Lgnd.Position(2) = 0.0;
print('DT300','-dpng','-r300');

How can I insert common legend at the outside (south) of the pic ?

[Sumit Saha]

@Image Analyst Can you please help me with this ?

[Adam Danz]

I updated your question to display the result of your code. Note the warning that is produced by supplying 5 labels for 4 objects. Remove the fifth label or add a fifth object to fix that issue.

Answer 1

[Adam Danz]

Use TiledLayout instead of subplot to create the axes. Then, after adding the legend, position it on the bottom using the tiled layout object.

Example with 2x2 axes

Answer 2

[DGM]

Adam's answer is the elegant solution, but if you're using something older than R2020b, or if you're not using tiledlayout, you can do something like this:

p = get(gca,'position'); % store axes geometry before creating legend
legh = legend('Station 1','Station 2','Station 3','Station 4','Station 5','Location','southoutside');
set(legh, 'fontsize', 12)

set(gca,'position',p) % restore axes geometry
legh.Position(1:2) = [0.5-legh.Position(3)/2 0.02]; % roughly center legend

% shift all the axes up a bit to make room for the legend
offset = 0.05; % vertical offset per row
scale = 0.9; % amount to scale each axes vertically

gh = gcf;
h = gh.Children;
h = flipud(h(isgraphics(h,'axes')));
for ax = 1:numel(h)
	h(ax).Position(2) = h(ax).Position(2) + offset*ceil(ax/2); % assumes 2 columns
	h(ax).Position(4) = h(ax).Position(4) * scale;
end

If you want to make better use of the space, you can reorient the legend:

p = get(gca,'position'); % store axes geometry before creating legend
legh = legend('Station 1','Station 2','Station 3','Station 4','Station 5','Location','southoutside');
set(legh, 'fontsize', 12,'orientation','horizontal')

set(gca,'position',p) % restore axes geometry
legh.Position(1:2) = [0.5-legh.Position(3)/2 0.03]; % roughly center legend

% shift all the axes up a bit to make room for the legend
offset = 0.02; % vertical offset per row
scale = 0.95; % amount to scale each axes vertically

gh = gcf;
h = gh.Children;
h = flipud(h(isgraphics(h,'axes')));
for ax = 1:numel(h)
	h(ax).Position(2) = h(ax).Position(2) + offset*ceil(ax/2);
	h(ax).Position(4) = h(ax).Position(4) * scale;
end

[Lidia Irene Benitez]

I am using R2017b and it worked perfect! Thank you!