# datetick

Sets date formatted ticks on axis.

## Syntax

datetick()

datetick(fmt)

datetick(axisStr, fmt)

datetick(..., option)

datetick(hAxes, ...)

## Inputs

fmt
The format of the date tick labels. The value can be either the index of one of the predefined formats or a string. For more information on date formats, see datestr.
Type: integer | string
axisStr
The axis string ('x' or 'y') to set the date ticks. Default value is 'x'.
Type: string
option
Specifies if the axis range or the axis ticks are preserved. Valid values are:
• 'keeplimits' - The axis limits are preserved and datestr is applied only on visible tick labels.
• 'keepticks' - datestr is applied on the ticks defined by setting a vector value for the 'xtick' or 'ytick' property of the axis.
If no option is given, the axis autoscales and datestr is applied only on visible tick labels.
Type: string
hAxes
Axis handle.
Type: double
Dimension: scalar

## Examples

Simple datetick example:

clf;
x = datenum(2000:2:2020, 1, 1);
y = [10 50 80 60 70 60 40 90 80 80 60];
plot (x, y);
datetick(2)

Option 'keeplimits' preserves the axis range set:

clf;
x = datenum(2000:2:2020, 1, 1);
y = [10 50 80 60 70 60 40 90 80 80 60];
plot (x, y);
xlim([x(3) x(8)])
datetick(2, 'keeplimits')

For a better visual result, set the tick position and axis limits before calling datetick with the 'keepticks' option:

clf;
x = datenum(2000:2:2020, 1, 1);
y = [10 50 80 60 70 60 40 90 80 80 60];
plot (x, y);
set(gca,'xtick', x(1:2:end));
datetick(2, 'keepticks')

Set a custom format for the date or time:

clf;
t = datenum(2022,1,1,0:23,0,0);
y = rand(length(t), 1);
plot (t, y);
set(gca,'xtick', t(1:2:end));
xlim([t(1), t(end)]);
datetick('HH:MM PM', 'keepticks')

Set date ticks on y axis:

clf;
x = datenum(2022,1,1:7,0,0,0);
t = datenum(2022,1,1,[15 15 14 14 20 12 21],0,0);
stem(x, t);
set(gca,'xtick', x);
yAxisTicks = datenum(2022,1,1,10:23,0,0);
ylim([yAxisTicks(1), yAxisTicks(end)])
set(gca,'ytick', yAxisTicks);
datetick(1,'keepticks');
datetick('y', 'HH:MM PM', 'keepticks');