function fig = ObserveFigureNextPlot(fig, hsave)

%

% Helper fcn for preparing figure for nextplot, optionally

% preserving specific existing descendants.

% GUARANTEED to return a figure, even if some crazy combination

% of create / delete fcns deletes it.

switch fig.NextPlot 

    case 'new' 

        % if someone calls plot(x,y,'parent',h) and h is an axes

        % in a figure with NextPlot 'new', ignore the 'new' and

        % treat it as 'add' - just add the axes to that figure.

        if isempty(hsave)

            fig = figure;

        end

    case 'replace' 

        clf(fig, 'reset', hsave);

    case 'replacechildren' 

        clf(fig, hsave);

    case 'add' 

        % nothing 

end 

if ~any(ishghandle(fig)) && isempty(hsave) 

    fig = figure;

end