CaptureFigVid.m

function CaptureFigVid(ViewZ, FileName,OptionZ)
% CaptureFigVid(ViewZ, FileName,OptionZ) 
% Captures a video of the 3D plot in the current axis as it rotates based
% on ViewZ and saves it as 'FileName.mpg'. Option can be specified.
% 
% ViewZ:     N-rows with 2 columns, each row are the view angles in 
%            degrees, First column is azimuth (pan), Second is elevation
%            (tilt) values outside of 0-360 wrap without error, 
%            *If a duration is specified, angles are used as nodes and
%            views are equally spaced between them (other interpolation
%            could be implemented, if someone feels so ambitious). 
%            *If only an initial and final view is given, and no duration,
%            then the default is 100 frames. 
% FileName:  Name of the file of the produced animation. Because I wrote
%            the program, I get to pick my default of mpg-4, and the file
%            extension .mpg will be appended, even if the filename includes
%            another file extension. File is saved in the working
%            directory.
% (OptionZ): Optional input to specify parameters. The ones I use are given
%            below. Feel free to add your own. Any or all fields can be
%            used 
% OptionZ.FrameRate: Specify the frame rate of the final video (e.g. 30;) 
% OptionZ.Duration: Specify the length of video in seconds (overrides
%    spacing of view angles) (e.g. 3.5;) 
% OptionZ.Periodic: Logical to indicate if the video should be periodic.
%    Using this removed the final view so that when the video repeats the
%    initial and final view are not the same. Avoids having to find the
%    interval between view angles. (e.g. true;) 
% 
% % % % Example (shown in published results, video attached) % % % %
% figure(171);clf;
% surf(peaks,'EdgeColor','none','FaceColor','interp','FaceLighting','phong')
% daspect([1,1,.3]);axis tight;
% OptionZ.FrameRate=15;OptionZ.Duration=5.5;OptionZ.Periodic=true;
% CaptureFigVid([-20,10;-110,10;-190,80;-290,10;-380,10],'WellMadeVid',OptionZ)
% 
% Known issues: MPEG-4 video option only available on Windows machines. See
% fix where the VideoWriter is called.
% 
% Getframe is used to capture image and current figure must be on monitor 1
% if multiple displays are used. Does not work if no display is used.
% 
% Active windows that overlay the figure are captured in the movie.  Set up
% the current figure prior to calling the function. If you don't specify
% properties, such as tick marks and aspect ratios, they will likely change
% with the rotation for an undesirable effect.

% Cheers, Dr. Alan Jennings, Research assistant professor, 
% Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Air Force Institute of Technology

%% preliminaries 

% initialize optional argument
if nargin<3;     OptionZ=struct([]); end

% check orientation of ViewZ, should be two columns and >=2 rows
if size(ViewZ,2)>size(ViewZ,1); ViewZ=ViewZ.'; end
if size(ViewZ,2)>2
warning('AJennings:VidWrite',...
    'Views should have n rows and only 2 columns. Deleting extraneous input.');
ViewZ=ViewZ(:,1:2); %remove any extra columns
end

% Create video object 
daObj=VideoWriter(FileName,'MPEG-4'); %my preferred format
% daObj=VideoWriter(FileName); %for default video format. 
% MPEG-4 CANNOT BE USED ON UNIX MACHINES
% set values: 
% Frame rate
if isfield(OptionZ,'FrameRate')
    daObj.FrameRate=OptionZ.FrameRate;
end
% Durration (if frame rate not set, based on default)
if isfield(OptionZ,'Duration') %space out view angles
    temp_n=round(OptionZ.Duration*daObj.FrameRate); % number frames
    temp_p=(temp_n-1)/(size(ViewZ,1)-1); % length of each interval
    ViewZ_new=zeros(temp_n,2);
    % space view angles, if needed
    for inis=1:(size(ViewZ,1)-1)
        ViewZ_new(round(temp_p*(inis-1)+1):round(temp_p*inis+1),:)=...
            [linspace(ViewZ(inis,1),ViewZ(inis+1,1),...
             round(temp_p*inis)-round(temp_p*(inis-1))+1).',...
             linspace(ViewZ(inis,2),ViewZ(inis+1,2),...
             round(temp_p*inis)-round(temp_p*(inis-1))+1).'];
    end
    ViewZ=ViewZ_new;
end
% space view angles, if needed
if length(ViewZ)==2 % only initial and final given
    ViewZ=[linspace(ViewZ(1,1),ViewZ(end,1)).',...
           linspace(ViewZ(1,2),ViewZ(end,2)).'];
end
% Periodicity
if isfield(OptionZ,'Periodic')&&OptionZ.Periodic==true 
ViewZ=ViewZ(1:(end-1),:); %remove last sample
end
% open object, preparatory to making the video
open(daObj);

%% rotate the axis and capture the video
for kathy=1:size(ViewZ,1)
    view(ViewZ(kathy,:)); drawnow;
    writeVideo(daObj,getframe(gcf)); %use figure, since axis changes size based on view
end

%% clean up
close(daObj);