[Matlab] bar/tube plot along a 3d path

function hbarplot=barplot(x,y,z,varargin) % plot a 3d surface/tube centered at (x,y,z) % usage: %           hbarplot=barplot(x,y,z,varargin) %           varargin: %                       'v' : the cdata values, same size as z %                       'n' : N-isogon as the basic shape %                       'r' : radius of the N-isogon %    e.g., %          zz=0:0.5:10; %          hh=barplot(cos(zz/10*pi),5,zz,'v',randn(1,numel(zz))+sin(zz/10*pi),'n',4,'r',sin(zz/10*pi)); view(3) %          http://scriptdemo.blogspot.com clc; myN=3; myR=0.5; isV=0; if nargin>3    while(size(varargin,2)>0)       switch lower(varargin{1})       case {'v','cdata','colordata','facecolordata'}           v=varargin{2};           varargin(1:2)=[];           isV=1;       case {'n','nshape'}           myN=varargin{2};           varargin(1:2)=[];       case {'r','radius'}           myR=varargin{2};           varargin(1:2)=[];       otherwise           error(['Not defined properties!',varargin{1}])       end    end elseif nargin==0    % demo case    zz=0:0.5:10;    hbarplot=barplot(cos(zz/10*pi),5,zz,'v',randn(1,numel(zz))+sin(zz/10*pi),'n',4,'r',sin(zz/10*pi));    view(-150,30);    return elseif nargin<3    help barplot    return end [xx,yy,zz]=getMeshN(x,y,z,myR,myN); if isV==0    hbarplot=surface(xx',yy',zz'); else    if numel(v)==numel(z)       vv=repmat(reshape(v,[],1),1,size(xx,2));    end    hbarplot=surface(xx',yy',zz');    set(hbarplot,'cdata',vv'); end set(hbarplot,'tag','barplot','linestyle','none','facecolor','interp'); axis off equal set(gcf,'color','w'); function [xx,yy,zz]=getMeshN(x0,y0,z,myR,N) if nargin==3    myR=0.5;    N=3; elseif nargin==4    N=3; elseif nargin~=5    error('Usage: [xx,yy,zz]=getMeshN(x,y,z,myR,N)'); end z=reshape(z,[],1); numZ=numel(z); myAng=linspace(0,2*pi,N+1); xslab=cos(myAng); yslab=sin(myAng); %N=numel(xslab)-1; % could be other shape as well. if numel(x0)==1    x0=repmat(x0,numZ,N+1); elseif numel(x0)==numZ    x0=repmat(reshape(x0,[],1),1,N+1); end if numel(y0)==1    y0=repmat(y0,numZ,N+1); elseif numel(y0)==numZ    y0=repmat(reshape(y0,[],1),1,N+1); end if numel(myR)==1    xx=repmat(xslab*myR,numZ,1)+x0;    yy=repmat(yslab*myR,numZ,1)+y0; else    myR=repmat(reshape(myR,[],1),1,N+1);    xx=repmat(xslab,numZ,1).*myR+x0;    yy=repmat(yslab,numZ,1).*myR+y0; end zz=repmat(z,1,N+1);