Labels in xtick with pgfplots

Question

I am using Pgfplots to make a very simple graph. I already have the code below

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz,pgfplots}
\pagestyle{empty}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[>=latex]
\begin{axis}[
  axis x line=center,
  axis y line=center,
  xtick={-5,-4,...,5},
  ytick={-5,-4,...,5},
  xlabel={$x$},
  ylabel={$y$},
  xlabel style={below right},
  ylabel style={above left},
  xmin=-10.5,
  xmax=10.5,
  ymin=-10.5,
  ymax=10.5]
\addplot [mark=none,domain=-4:4] {x};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

What I need is to be able to use symbols other than numbers in the axes. So, instead of 1 2 3 4... I would like to have, for instance, + + _ _ + + or other symbols for each point in the axes. How can I do that? I hope my question is clear!

Do you mean something like xticklabels={$-$, $-$, $-$, $-$, $-$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$}? — Jake, Feb 07 '13 at 13:43
Yes, I meant that. I used that but then I got only 4 points in the x axis. Then I added your suggestion after xtick={-5,-4,...,5}, and it worked. Do you know how to add those same symbols to the diagonal axis? — EduDominic, Feb 07 '13 at 13:55
@Eduardo.D: With "diagonal axis", do you mean the plot you added using \addplot ...? — Jake, Feb 07 '13 at 13:58
@Jake: Yes, I mean that plot. I just thought that I would use that because I could not get the extra axis (z). — EduDominic, Feb 07 '13 at 14:05
@Claudio: Thanks! Struggling with a small plot here. First question and excited about my new account! — EduDominic, Feb 07 '13 at 14:06
If you want to do a 3D plot, use \addplot3 and take a look at Section 4.5 of the pgfplots manual. — Psirus, Feb 07 '13 at 14:24

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 07 '13 at 14:30

Maybe you'd be better served with a "real" 3D axis. Here's a small example that shows how to create one (the key point is that you need an \addplot3 command with at least one coordinate:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}
\pgfplotsset{compat=newest}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[
    scale=1.5,
    x={(1,0)}, y={(0.6,0.4)}, z={(0,1)},
    axis lines=middle, 
    axis equal image,
    xmin=-4.5, xmax=4.5,
    ymin=-4.5, ymax=4.5,
    zmin=-4.5, zmax=4.5,
    xtick={-5,...,5}, xticklabels={$-$, $-$, $-$, $-$, $-$,, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$},
    ytick={-5,...,5}, yticklabels={$-$, $-$, $-$, $-$, $-$,, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$},
    ztick={-5,...,5}, zticklabels={$-$, $-$, $-$, $-$, $-$,, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$, $+$},
    xticklabel style={anchor=north},
    yticklabel style={anchor=north west, inner sep=1pt},
    zticklabel style={anchor=east},
]
\addplot3  [draw=none] coordinates {(0,0,0)};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

This is exactly what I had in mind! Thanks a lot Jake! Also thanks to @Psirus. I am a newbie but I will try to learn something from that long manual. — EduDominic, Feb 07 '13 at 14:44
@Eduardo.D: You're welcome, I'm glad it helps. If you consider this question answered, you can mark it as such by clicking the tick mark next to the answer and upvoting it by clicking the upward-pointing triangle. — Jake, Feb 07 '13 at 14:45

Labels in xtick with pgfplots

1 Answers1

Linked