How to use ga() without generating a prepopulated figure with stop and pause button with matlab app

I am trying to build a matlab app which uses the ga function for genetic optimization. It is possible to define an own plotfcn (in this case plotnd) which is called every time a generation is built.

options = optimoptions('ga');
%   Some Code
options = optimoptions(options,'PlotFcn', @plotnd);
%   Some Code
[x,fval,exitflag,output,population,score]=ga(..... ,options);

I use this function to plot the best individual inside of my matlab app UIAxes object:

function state = plotnd(options, state, flag)
    %   Some Code  (generate Data to plot out of state)
    
    % Find Running Matlab App
    app = get(findall(0, 'Name', 'MyMatlabApp'), 'RunningAppInstance');
    
    % Get UIAxes of Matlab App
    ax = app.OptimizationPlot;
    
    % Plot Data From state Within UIAxes
    plot(Data.X,Data.Y,'Parent', ax)
    
    %   Some Code 
end

The function plotnd is called and the Data (Data.X and Data.Y) is plotted correct in my matlab app.

However, everytime the plotnd function is called, matlab opens a UI Figure populated with a stop and a pause button.

Is there any way, that matlab is not opening this figure? I want to create my own stop and pause buttons within my matlab app.

Thank you in advance!

Answer 1

[Alan Weiss]

If you don't want the buttons, then use an output function instead of a plot function. See Custom Output Function for Genetic Algorithm.

Alan Weiss

MATLAB mathematical toolbox documentation

[Dominik Mair]

Thank you Alan! This solved it for me.

Answer 2

[Benjamin Kraus]

This looks like a limitation of the ga code that creates the buttons, as I can't see any way to control where those buttons are placed or whether they are created at all. I suggest contact MathWorks Technical Support to request this as an enhancement.

[Dominik Mair]

Thank you for your feedback!

[Benjamin Kraus]

Correction: See Alan Weiss's reply about using an output function instead of a plot function.