How could I use "batteryChart" to plot Simscape battery objects on UIAxes in AppDesigner?

Hi @Hartmuth,

You mentioned, “Any help or workaround would be highly appreciated!”

After reviewing your comments, it sounds like that the challenge you are facing arises from the fact that the batteryChart function is designed to work with Figure objects, while AppDesigner primarily utilizes UIAxes for plotting. However, there are workarounds that can help you achieve your goal. One effective method is to create a hidden Figure object in the background, plot the battery chart there, and then transfer the visual output to the UIAxes. Below is a detailed step-by-step guide along with a complete code example.

Create a Hidden Figure: This figure will serve as the parent for the batteryChart.

Plot the Battery Chart: Use the batteryChart function to plot the battery data on the hidden figure.

Copy the Chart to UIAxes: Extract the chart data and render it on the UIAxes.

Here is a complete example that demonstrates how to implement this workaround in AppDesigner:

 classdef BatteryApp < matlab.apps.AppBase

    % Properties that correspond to app components
    properties (Access = public)
        UIFigure  matlab.ui.Figure
        UIAxes    matlab.ui.control.UIAxes
        PlotButton matlab.ui.control.Button
    end

    properties (Access = private)
        Cell % Battery cell object
    end

    methods (Access = private)

        % Button pushed function: PlotButton
        function PlotButtonPushed(app, event)
            % Create a hidden figure
            hiddenFig = figure('Visible', 'off');

            % Create a battery cell object (example parameters)
            app.Cell = simscape.battery.Cell('NominalVoltage', 3.7, ...
                                              'Capacity', 2.5, ...
                                              'InternalResistance', 0.05);

            % Plot the battery chart on the hidden figure
            batteryChart(hiddenFig, app.Cell);

            % Get the current axes from the hidden figure
            ax = hiddenFig.CurrentAxes;

            % Copy the chart data to the UIAxes
            copyobj(allchild(ax), app.UIAxes);

            % Close the hidden figure
            close(hiddenFig);
        end
    end

    % Construct app
    methods (Access = public)

        % Create UI components and initialize the app
        function app = BatteryApp
            % Create and configure components
            createComponents(app)
        end

        % Create UI components
        function createComponents(app)
            % Create UIFigure
            app.UIFigure = uifigure('Visible', 'off');
            app.UIFigure.Position = [100 100 400 300];
            app.UIFigure.Name = 'Battery Chart App';

            % Create UIAxes
            app.UIAxes = uiaxes(app.UIFigure);
            app.UIAxes.Position = [50 50 300 200];

            % Create PlotButton
            app.PlotButton = uibutton(app.UIFigure, 'push');
            app.PlotButton.Position = [150 10 100 30];
            app.PlotButton.Text = 'Plot Battery';
            app.PlotButton.ButtonPushedFcn = @(src, event) PlotButtonPushed(app, 
            event);

            % Show the figure after all components are created
            app.UIFigure.Visible = 'on';
        end
    end
  end

So, in the above code, the main application class inherits from matlab.apps.AppBase. The app contains properties for the UI components and the battery cell object. PlotButtonPushed Method is triggered when the button is pressed. It creates a hidden figure, plots the battery chart, and then copies the chart to the UIAxes and createComponents Method initializes the UI components, including the figure, axes, and button.

By following the above steps and utilizing the provided code, you can successfully plot battery objects using batteryChart within AppDesigner. This workaround will allow you to leverage the capabilities of batteryChart while adhering to the UI design principles of AppDesigner.

Hope this helps.

If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to ask!