legend draw graph legend

## Syntax

    hl=legend([h,] string1,string2, ... [,pos] [,boxed])
                hl=legend([h,] strings [,pos] [,boxed])

## Parameters

h

  graphic handle on an Axes entity or vector of handles on polyline entities. The default value is the handle on `current_axes`.

string1,string2, ...

  character strings `stringi` is the legend of the ith curve

  Starting from Scilab 5.2, it is possible to write LaTeX or MathML expression.

strings

  n vector of strings, `strings(i)` is the legend of the ith curve

  Starting from Scilab 5.2, it is possible to write LaTeX or MathML expression.

pos

  (optional) specify where to draw the legend; this parameter may be a string (or equivalent but obsolete an integer). It can also be a vector `[x,y]` which gives the coordinates (in user units) of the upper left corner of the legend box.

  In the first case the possible valuesare:

  - 1 or "in_upper_right": the legend is drawn in the upper right-hand corner (default). This is the default value.

  - 2 or "in_upper_left":the legend is drawn in the upper left-hand corner.

  - 3 or "in_lower_left": the legend is drawn in the lower left-hand corner.

  - 4 or "in_lower_right": the legend is drawn in the lower right-hand corner.

  - 5 or "by_coordinates": interactive placement with the mouse .

  - -1 or "out_upper_right": the legend is drawn at the right of the upper right-hand corner.

  - -2 or "out_upper_left": the legend is drawn at the left of the upper left-hand corner.

  - -3 or "out_lower_left": the legend is drawn at the left of the lower left-hand corner.

  - -4 or "out_lower_right": the legend is drawn at the right of the lower right-hand corner.

  - -5 or "upper_caption": the legend is drawn above the upper left-hand corner.

  - -6 or "lower_caption": the legend is drawn below the lower left-hand corner.

boxed

  a boolean (default value %t) which sets ot not the drawing of the box.

hl

  a handle, points to the Compound containing all the legend .

## Description

Puts a legend on the current plot using the specified strings as labels. legend prepends labels by a recall of the corresponding line or patch. The recall type and properties are recovered from the given handles:

when called without handle argument (or with a handle on an axes entity) the function first build the vectors of handle on polylines entities which are the children of the given axes.

In the interactive placement mode (opt=5) move the legend box with the mouse and press the left button to release it.

## Examples

    t=linspace(0,%pi,20);
    a=gca();
    a.data_bounds=[t(1) -1.8;t($) 1.8];

    plot2d(t,[cos(t'),cos(2*t'),cos(3*t')],[-5,2 3]);
    e=gce();
    e1=e.children(1);
    e1.thickness=2;
    e1.polyline_style=4;
    e1.arrow_size_factor = 1/2;
    e.children(2).line_style=4;
    e3=e.children(3);
    e3.line_mode='on';
    e3.mark_background=5;

    hl=legend(['cos(t)';'cos(2*t)';'cos(3*t)']);

t=linspace(0,%pi,20); a=gca(); a.data_bounds=[t(1) -1.8;t($) 1.8]; plot2d(t,[cos(t'),cos(2*t'),cos(3*t')],[-5,2 3]); e=gce(); e1=e.children(1); e1.thickness=2; e1.polyline_style=4; e1.arrow_size_factor = 1/2; e.children(2).line_style=4; e3=e.children(3); e3.line_mode='on'; e3.mark_background=5; hl=legend(['cos(t)';'cos(2*t)';'cos(3*t)']);

## See also

- xstring
- captions
- polyline_properties