Naming 3D axes in pgfplots

Question

I want to label the axes in a 3D plot with pgfplots. Using the anchors .right of origin and .above origin, I can label the axes as "x" and "y" in 2D with ease. In 3D, the labels must be tweaked to appear in the correct place, and I have no simple way of labeling the x-axis. Is there an anchor that directly relates to these positions? The MWE below shows what I've produced so far.

\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}%
[width=175pt,tick label style={font=\scriptsize},axis on top,
axis lines=center,
y dir=reverse,
name=myplot,
ymin=-1.1,ymax=1.1,
xmin=-1.1,xmax=1.1,
zmin=-1.1, zmax=1.1
]
\end{axis}
\node [right] at (myplot.right of origin)[shift={(-20pt,-8pt)}] {\scriptsize $y$};
\node [above] at (myplot.above origin) [shift={(0,-20pt)}] {\scriptsize $z$};
\end{tikzpicture}

enter image description here

Why don’t you use the options xlabel, ylabel and zlabel? Although they are bugged in the current version (Axis label placement in 3d plot far out but why?), this should be much better. To avoid updating you can use the axis cs coordinate system as in pgfplots: labels and width issues in non-boxed 3d plot with oblique projection. Not related to your question, but you might be interested in the enlargelimits option. — Qrrbrbirlbel, Feb 28 '13 at 18:37
I didn't know the xlabel, etc., options existed (and I do read the manuals... apparently just not very well). I do get the bugs you alluded to; I'll see if the workarounds provided there help or will wait for a stable pgfplots update. — GregH, Feb 28 '13 at 18:52

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 09 '13 at 10:36

With pgfplots, version 1.8, and

\pgfplotsset{compat=1.8}

it is possible to use the options

xlabel,
ylabel as well as
zlabel.

As you have reversed the direction of the y axis with

y dir=reverse

it is necessary to correct the position of every axis y label with

every axis y label/.append style={at=(ticklabel* cs:0)}

(previously (ticklabel* cs:1)).

In the example below, I have resized the whole plot so that it isn’t as cramped as before.

Code

\documentclass[tikz]{standalone}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=1.8}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[
  width=2*175pt,
  tick label style={font=\scriptsize},
  axis on top,
  axis lines=center,
  y dir=reverse,
  name=myplot,
  enlargelimits=.1,
  ymin=-1, ymax=1, xmin=-1, xmax=1, zmin=-1, zmax=1,
  xlabel=$x$, ylabel=$y$, zlabel=$z$,
  every axis y label/.append style={at=(ticklabel* cs:0)}]
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Output

enter image description here

Naming 3D axes in pgfplots

1 Answers1

Code

Output