# How to label a path drawn using tikz with \draw plot?

Is there any workaround to use [pos=] or [midway] option in a node following a "plot" to annotate the path? The following minimal example will have the node text missing:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\draw[very thin,color=gray] (-0.1,-0.1) grid (2.9,4.1);
\draw[->] (-0.2,0) -- (3.2,0) node[right] {$x$};
\draw[->] (0,-0.2) -- (0,4.2) node[above] {$f(x)$};

\draw[domain=0:3] plot (\x,{\x^2}) node[midway, sloped] {midway?};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

-

I forgot decoration

last version

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{decorations.markings}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[domain=0:2,label/.style={%
postaction={ decorate,transform shape,
decoration={ markings, mark=at position .5 with \node #1;}}}]
\draw[very thin,color=gray] (-0.1,-1.1) grid (3.9,3.9);

\draw[red,label={[above]{$f(x)=x^2$}}] plot(\x,{\x^2}) ;

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


-
thanks for your quick answer. Using this, we however lost the nice /tikz/sloped option that puts the label along the path. – YIchun Jun 24 '11 at 17:32
@YIchun I forgot the decoration see my new answer – Alain Matthes Jun 24 '11 at 18:24
@YIchun Third version :( – Alain Matthes Jun 24 '11 at 18:32
@YIchun But I don't like the sloped' labels ! – Alain Matthes Jun 24 '11 at 18:36
@Chernoff You need only to remove transform shape` – Alain Matthes Sep 20 '12 at 4:51