MATLAB GUI - Set transparent background color for components

When I'm adding a MATLAB GUI component (e.g., text, button group, etc.), the default background is gray, which makes it look dissonant. How do I set them transparent?

Answer 1

[Matt Fig]

For example....

F = figure;
B = uicontrol('style','text','string','hello');
pause(.75)  % Pause to see the change....
set(B,'backgroundcolor',get(F,'color'))

[YIMING]

Thanks for your reply. But what if I'm using GUIDE to create my GUI?

[Matt Fig]

Put in your OpeningFcn:

set(handles.pushbutton1,'backgroundc',get(handles.figure1,'color'))

Or similar.

[YIMING]

Thanks for your suggestion. But your approach only sets the component's background the same as that of the figure's. However what I want is something really "transparent". For example, if I have added a background image (texture) to the feature, your method doesn't work.

[Matt Fig]

To do that you will have to use Java, as Daniel suggest below. However, this is always a little dangerous because what works with Java in one release of MATLAB may not work with another, and may not work on different platforms. It is usually better to use a workaround like I show if you plan on sharing or possibly demonstrating your GUI on another machine...

[Matt Fig]

Actually, you can do similar with an image... look for example at GUI_40 here:

http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/24861-41-complete-gui-examples

[shalu vijay]

The GUI_40 is working only for push buttons. It is not making other objects like text and check boxes transparent.

Answer 2

[Daniel Shub]

You cannot easily have the uicontrols (i.e., gui components) be transparent. You can force it with java:

http://undocumentedmatlab.com/blog/transparent-matlab-figure-window/

but probably not directly from guide wth mouse clicks.

You can set it to the figure background color like Matt suggests.

This can be done in guide by right clicking the object, selecting object properties, and then setting the background color property.

Answer 3

[Robert Cumming]

I know this is an old post - but if anyone comes across this you may be interested in this blog on undocumentedmatlab