pretty_xyplot.m

% script to tidy up x-y plots using the example of http://blogs.mathworks.com/loren/2007/12/11/making-pretty-graphs/

function pretty_xyplot(ah)

if exist('ah','var')
    if isempty(ah)
        ah = gca;
    end
else
    ah = gca;
end

for i =1:numel(ah)
    
    %% TICKS
    % move ticks on to the outside of the axes
    set(findobj(ah(i),'TickDir','in'),'TickDir','out');
    
    %% OTHER BITS n'PIECES
    set(ah(i), ...
        'Box'         , 'off'     , ...
        'TickDir'     , 'out'     , ...
        'TickLength'  , [.02 .02] , ...
        'XMinorTick'  , 'on'      , ...
        'YMinorTick'  , 'on'      , ...
        'ZMinorTick'  , 'on'      , ...
        'YGrid'       , 'on'      , ...
        'XColor'      , [.3 .3 .3], ...
        'YColor'      , [.3 .3 .3], ...
        'ZColor'      , [.3 .3 .3], ...
        'LineWidth'   , 1         );
end