MATLAB: Given handle to graphics object, determine which properties are read-only

graphicshandlepropertiesread-onlysmall furry creatures

Sometimes I find I'd like to copy all properties of a graphics object to another object, excluding the ones that are read-only. I.e., I would like to avoid errors like the following where h1 and h2 are both text object handles,
   >> set(h2,get(h1))
Error using set
Attempt to modify a property that is read-only.
Object Name: text
Property Name: 'Annotation'.
Is there an easy way to filter out the read-only properties?

Best Answer

Yes
    set_properties = set( h2 );
    get_properties = get( h2 );
    read_only_properties = setdiff( fieldnames( get_properties ) ...
                                  , fieldnames( set_properties ) );
See documentation on set, Set Handle Graphics object properties
    a = set(h) returns the user-settable properties and possible values
    for the object identified by h. [...]
and on get
    a = get(h) returns a structure whose field names are the object's
    property names and whose values are the current values of the 
    corresponding properties. [...]
.
In response to comment:
The hack cssm below does nearly implement set(h2,gp). (The functions isflint and dbs are attached.)
    function    cssm(  )
        figure; 
        subplot(121); plot(1:5);    h1=gca; 
        subplot(122); plot(5:-1:1); h2=gca; 
        sp = set( h1 );
        gp = get( h1 );
        rop = setdiff( fieldnames( gp ), fieldnames( sp ) );
        for ii=1:length(rop) %get rid of read-only properties of h1
           gp = rmfield( gp, rop{ii} );
        end
        for name = transpose( fieldnames( gp ) )
            try
                if not(isempty( gp.(name{:}) ))  ...
                   &&  all(all(ishghandle( gp.(name{:}) )))
                    if not(any(isflint( gp.(name{:}) )))
                        copyobj( gp.(name{:}), h2 )
                    else
                        set( h2, name{:}, gp.(name{:}) )
                    end
                else
                    if not(any( strcmpi( name, {'Position' ...
                                               ,'OuterPosition'} ) ))
                        set( h2, name{:}, gp.(name{:}) )
                    end
                end
            catch me 
                dbs
                17;
            end
        end
    end
.
Many properties have the value 0 or 1. ishghandle returns true for both of these (given that figure 1 exists). if not(any(isflint( gp.(name{:}) ))) spots these values.
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