How to put a colorbar between the columns in tiledlayout?

Hello,

I cannot figure out how to put a colorbar between the columns in tiledlayout. I searched for possible answers but unfortunately could not solve my problem. Please give me a link if there is an answer already.

Here is the chunk of code I use:

figSlices = figure('Position', [0, 0, 2 * 300, 3 * 250], 'Units', 'pixels', ...
    'Name', ['nFreqs ' num2str(length(Geometry.freqsVec))]);
tlo = tiledlayout(3, 2, "TileSpacing", "compact", "Padding", "compact", ...
    "TileIndexing", "columnmajor");
for i = 1:3
    hAbs(i) = nexttile(tlo);
    imagesc(0.5*ones(50,50), [0 1]);

end
set(hAbs, 'Colormap', hot, 'CLim', [0 1]);
cbAbs = colorbar(hAbs(end)); 
cbAbs.Layout.Tile = 'west';
for i = 1:3
    hSca(i) = nexttile(tlo);
    imagesc(1.2*ones(50, 50), [1 2]);
end
set(hSca, 'Colormap', hot, 'CLim', [1 2]);
cbSca = colorbar(hSca(end)); 
cbSca.Layout.Tile = 'east';

And I get something like looking below.

I want, however, that the top colorbar is near the left column in the image and stretched over all the 3 tiles in the first column. While the bottom colorbar must go on the right of the second column and also stretched across all rows.

Changing

cbAbs.Layout.Tile = 'east'; to cbAbs.Layout.Tile = 'west';

I get the image like this:

This is close to what I want, but the left colormap must be in between the figure, on the right side of the left column. How to do it?

Thanks!

Answer 1

[Voss]

One solution is to use nested tiledlayouts; in this case a 1x2 tiledlayout containing two 3x1 tiledlayouts.

figSlices = figure('Units', 'pixels', 'Position', [0, 0, 2 * 300, 3 * 250]);
outer_tl = tiledlayout(1, 2, "TileSpacing", "compact", "Padding", "compact");

N = 3;
inner_tl = tiledlayout(outer_tl,N,1,"TileSpacing", "compact", "Padding", "compact");
inner_tl.Layout.Tile = 1;
ax = gobjects(N,1);
for ii = 1:N
    ax(ii) = nexttile(inner_tl);
    imagesc(ax(ii), 0.5*ones(50,50), [0 1]);
end
set(ax, 'Colormap', hot, 'CLim', [0 1]);
cb = colorbar(ax(end)); 
cb.Layout.Tile = 'east';

N = 3;
inner_tl = tiledlayout(outer_tl,N,1,"TileSpacing", "compact", "Padding", "compact");
inner_tl.Layout.Tile = 2;
ax = gobjects(N,1);
for ii = 1:N
    ax(ii) = nexttile(inner_tl);
    imagesc(ax(ii), 1.2*ones(50,50), [1 2]);
end
set(ax, 'Colormap', hot, 'CLim', [1 2]);
cb = colorbar(ax(end)); 
cb.Layout.Tile = 'east';

[Konstantin]

Thank you! I did not consider before the nested layouts and from now on will use them when needed.

[Voss]

You're welcome!