#### 15.3.3.10 Surface Properties ¶

Properties of `surface` objects (see surface):

#### Categories: ¶

Callback Execution | Color and Transparency | Coordinate Data | Creation/Deletion | Display | Faces Appearance | Legend Options | Lighting | Marker Appearance | Mouse Interaction | Object Identification | Outline Appearance | Parent/Children

#### Callback Execution ¶

`busyaction`: `"cancel"` | {`"queue"`} ¶

  Define how Octave handles the execution of this object’s callback properties when it is unable to interrupt another object’s executing callback. This is only relevant when the currently executing callback object has its `interruptible` property set to `"off"`. The `busyaction` property of the interrupting callback object indicates whether the interrupting callback is queued (`"queue"` (default)) or discarded (`"cancel"`). See Callbacks section.

`interruptible`: `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  Specify whether this object’s callback functions may be interrupted by other callbacks. By default `interruptible` is `"on"` and callbacks that make use of `drawnow`, `figure`, `waitfor`, `getframe` or `pause` functions are eventually interrupted. See Callbacks section.

#### Color and Transparency ¶

`alphadata`: scalar | matrix, def. `1` ¶

  Transparency is not yet implemented for surface objects. `alphadata` is unused.

`alphadatamapping`: `"direct"` | `"none"` | {`"scaled"`} ¶

  Transparency is not yet implemented for surface objects. `alphadatamapping` is unused.

`cdata`: array, def. 3-by-3 double ¶

  Color data values for surface vertices. Data is stored either as a 2-D matrix the same size as `"zdata"` where each element’s value determines that vertex’s color according to the current colormap, or as a 3-D array where the third dimension contains separate red, blue, and green components for each vertex.

`cdatamapping`: `"direct"` | {`"scaled"`} ¶

  Sets the method for mapping data from the `"cdata"` property to the current colormap. `"Direct"` mapping selects the color using the `"cdata"` value as an index to the current colormap. `"Scale"` mapping scales the `"cdata"` values to the range specified in the `"clim"` axes property.

`cdatasource`: string, def. `""` ¶

  The name of a workspace variable that contains data that will be used for the `"cdata"` property. Data is transferred into `"cdata"` using the refreshdata function.

#### Coordinate Data ¶

`xdata`: matrix, def. `[1 2 3]` ¶

  Data for the x-coordinate.

`xdatasource`: string, def. `""` ¶

  The name of a workspace variable that contains data that will be used for the `"xdata"` property. Data is transferred into `"xdata"` using the refreshdata function.

`ydata`: matrix, def. `[1; 2; 3]` ¶

  Data for the y-coordinate.

`ydatasource`: string, def. `""` ¶

  The name of a workspace variable that contains data that will be used for the `"ydata"` property. Data is transferred into `"ydata"` using the refreshdata function.

`zdata`: matrix, def. 3-by-3 double ¶

  Data for the z-coordinate.

`zdatasource`: string, def. `""` ¶

  The name of a workspace variable that contains data that will be used for the `"zdata"` property. Data is transferred into `"zdata"` using the refreshdata function.

#### Creation/Deletion ¶

`beingdeleted`: {`"off"`} | `"on"` ¶

  Property indicating that a function has initiated deletion of the object. `beingdeleted` is set to true until the object no longer exists.

`createfcn`: string | function handle, def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  Callback function executed immediately after surface has been created. Function is set by using default property on root object, e.g., `set (groot, "defaultsurfacecreatefcn", 'disp ("surface created!")')`.

  For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

`deletefcn`: string | function handle, def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  Callback function executed immediately before surface is deleted.

  For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

#### Display ¶

`clipping`: `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  If `clipping` is `"on"`, the surface is clipped in its parent axes limits.

`visible`: `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  If `visible` is `"off"`, the surface is not rendered on screen.

#### Faces Appearance ¶

`facealpha`: scalar | `"flat"` | `"interp"` | `"texturemap"`, def. `1` ¶

  Transparency level of the faces of the surface object. Only double values are supported at present where a value of 0 means complete transparency and a value of 1 means solid faces without transparency. Setting the property to `"flat"`, `"interp"` or `"texturemap"` causes the faces to not being rendered. Additionally, the faces are not sorted from back to front which might lead to unexpected results when rendering layered transparent faces.

`facecolor`: colorspec | `"none"` | {`"flat"`} | `"interp"` ¶

  Color of the faces of the surface object, specified as either a valid color specification or one of `"none"`, `"flat"`, or `"interp"`. `"flat"` and `"interp"` will set either a single color for each face or a color interpolated across the face’s vertices using the color value data stored in `"cdata"`. See colorspec.

`facelighting`: {`"flat"`} | `"gouraud"` | `"none"` | `"phong"` ¶

  When set to a value other than `"none"`, the faces of the object are drawn with light and shadow effects. Supported values are `"none"` (no lighting effects), `"flat"` (faceted look), and `"gouraud"` (linear interpolation of the lighting effects between the vertices). `"phong"` is deprecated and has the same effect as `"gouraud"`.

`facenormals`: def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  Face normals are used for lighting the edges or faces if the `edgelighting` or `facelighting` properties are set to `"flat"`. Setting `facenormals` also forces the `facenormalsmode` property to be set to `"manual"`.

`facenormalsmode`: {`"auto"`} | `"manual"` ¶

  If this property is set to `"auto"`, `facenormals` are automatically calculated if the `edgelighting` or `facelighting` property are set to `"flat"` and at least one `light` object is present and visible in the same axes.

#### Legend Options ¶

`displayname`: def. `""` ¶

  Text for the legend entry corresponding to this surface.

#### Lighting ¶

`ambientstrength`: scalar, def. `0.3000` ¶

  Strength of the ambient light. Value between 0.0 and 1.0.

`backfacelighting`: `"lit"` | {`"reverselit"`} | `"unlit"` ¶

  `"lit"`: The normals are used as is for lighting. `"reverselit"`: The normals are always oriented towards the point of view. `"unlit"`: Faces with normals pointing away from the point of view are unlit.

`diffusestrength`: scalar, def. `0.6000` ¶

  Strength of the diffuse reflection. Value between 0.0 (no diffuse reflection) and 1.0 (full diffuse reflection).

`specularcolorreflectance`: scalar, def. `1` ¶

  Reflectance for specular color. Value between 0.0 (color of underlying face) and 1.0 (color of light source).

`specularexponent`: scalar, def. `10` ¶

  Exponent for the specular reflection. The lower the value, the more the reflection is spread out.

`specularstrength`: scalar, def. `0.9000` ¶

  Strength of the specular reflection. Value between 0.0 (no specular reflection) and 1.0 (full specular reflection).

`vertexnormals`: def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  Vertex normals are used for lighting the edges or faces if the `edgelighting` or `facelighting` properties are set to `"gouraud"`. Setting `vertexnormals` also forces the `vertexnormalsmode` property to be set to `"manual"`.

`vertexnormalsmode`: {`"auto"`} | `"manual"` ¶

  If this property is set to `"auto"`, `vertexnormals` are automatically calculated if the `edgelighting` or `facelighting` property are set to `"gouraud"` and at least one `light` object is present and visible in the same axes.

#### Marker Appearance ¶

`marker`: `"*"` | `"+"` | `"."` | `"<"` | `">"` | `"^"` | `"_"` | `"d"` | `"diamond"` | `"h"` | `"hexagram"` | {`"none"`} | `"o"` | `"p"` | `"pentagram"` | `"s"` | `"square"` | `"v"` | `"x"` | `"|"` ¶

  See Marker Styles.

`markeredgecolor`: {`"auto"`} | `"flat"` | `"none"` ¶

  See line markeredgecolor property.

`markerfacecolor`: `"auto"` | `"flat"` | {`"none"`} ¶

  See line markerfacecolor property.

`markersize`: scalar, def. `6` ¶

  See line markersize property.

#### Mouse Interaction ¶

`buttondownfcn`: string | function handle, def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  For information on how to write graphics listener functions see Callbacks section.

`contextmenu`: graphics handle, def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  Graphics handle of the uicontextmenu object that is currently associated to this surface object.

`hittest`: `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  Specify whether surface processes mouse events or passes them to ancestors of the object. When enabled, the object may respond to mouse clicks by evaluating the `"buttondownfcn"`, showing the uicontextmenu, and eventually becoming the root `"currentobject"`. This property is only relevant when the object can accept mouse clicks which is determined by the `"pickableparts"` property. See pickableparts property.

`pickableparts`: `"all"` | `"none"` | {`"visible"`} ¶

  Specify whether surface will accept mouse clicks. By default, `pickableparts` is `"visible"` and only visible parts of the surface or its children may react to mouse clicks. When `pickableparts` is `"all"` both visible and invisible parts (or children) may react to mouse clicks. When `pickableparts` is `"none"` mouse clicks on the object are ignored and transmitted to any objects underneath this one. When an object is configured to accept mouse clicks the `"hittest"` property will determine how they are processed. See hittest property.

`selected`: {`"off"`} | `"on"` ¶

  Property indicates whether this surface is selected.

`selectionhighlight`: `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  If `selectionhighlight` is `"on"`, then the surface’s selection state is visually highlighted.

#### Object Identification ¶

`tag`: string, def. `""` ¶

  A user-defined string to label the graphics object.

`type` (read-only): string ¶

  Class name of the graphics object. `type` is always `"surface"`.

`userdata`: Any Octave data, def. `[](0x0)` ¶

  User-defined data to associate with the graphics object.

#### Outline Appearance ¶

`edgealpha`: scalar, def. `1` ¶

  Transparency is not yet implemented for surface objects. `edgealpha` is unused.

`edgecolor`: colorspec | `"none"` | `"flat"` | `"interp"`, def. `[0 0 0]` ¶

  Color of the edges of the surface object, specified as either a valid color specification or one of `"none"`, `"flat"`, or `"interp"`. `"flat"` and `"interp"` will set either a single color for each edge or a color interpolated between two adjacent vertices using the color value data stored in `"cdata"`. See colorspec.

`edgelighting`: `"flat"` | `"gouraud"` | {`"none"`} | `"phong"` ¶

  When set to a value other than `"none"`, the edges of the object are drawn with light and shadow effects. Supported values are `"none"` (no lighting effects), `"flat"` (faceted look), and `"gouraud"` (linear interpolation of the lighting effects between the vertices). `"phong"` is deprecated and has the same effect as `"gouraud"`.

`linestyle`: {`"-"`} | `"--"` | `"-."` | `":"` | `"none"` ¶

  See Line Styles.

`linewidth`: scalar, def. `0.5000` ¶

  See line linewidth property.

`meshstyle`: {`"both"`} | `"column"` | `"row"` ¶

  Specifies whether to display the edges associated with the surface data’s rows, columns, or both.

#### Parent/Children ¶

`children` (read-only): vector of graphics handles, def. `[](0x1)` ¶

  Child objects for Surfaces is not yet implemented for surface objects. `children` is unused.

`handlevisibility`: `"callback"` | `"off"` | {`"on"`} ¶

  If `handlevisibility` is `"off"`, the surface’s handle is not visible in its parent’s `"children"` property.

`parent`: graphics handle ¶

  Handle of the parent graphics object.