MultiPlot manual

The Graph window


[ Graphs | Graph window menu ]

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Graphs

The data can be plotted in several different formats, for example:

The format of the Graph can be changed at any time, and the layout fine tuned, using the Graph window menu, described below.


The Graph window menu

The Graph window menu is shown below.

Annotate...
This opens a dialogue that allows the graph annotation to be added and edited. The window is shown below.

An overall graph title, and titles for the x and y axis can be added. The six text effect buttons facilitate the inclusion of effects, such as italic or bold, and greek or symbol characters. These effect styles are set up in the choices font section. Text can also be moved up and down to create superscript and subscript text.

The axis text is normally placed centrally on the appropriate axis. The option Right justify legends will place the text at the right or top of the axis. The images below demonstrate these settings.

  

The option Y axis title text horizontal will place the text at the top of the graph, drawn horizontally, as shown in the second of the example graphs in the first section, Graphs, above.

The four buttons at the foot of the window control the display action. Display is used to show the text on the graph. Delete will clear the writable fields and remove the text from the graph. Hide will temporarily remove the text but not delete it. Hidden text can be recovered using the Display button. Cancel will simply close the window without making any change.

Once text has been added for graph annotation, it will be saved with the data, and will be reloaded when the data is reloaded into MultiPlot.

Layout...
This opens a dialogue that allows a range of layout options to be changed. Any changes will apply only to that specific graph, any other graphs displaying will be unchanged. The range of options available is described on a separate page.
Axis type
This leads to a submenu (shown right) which allows the type of axis used to plot the graph to be changed. By default, graphs will be plotted using linear axes. However, there may be occasions when the data is better displayed using logarithmic axes. The submenu allows either the X or the Y, or both X and Y to be changed to logarithmic. MultiPlot will refuse to set a logarithmic axis if the corresponding data includes zero or negative values.
Axis range...
When MultiPlot draws a graph it normally automatically calculates a suitable axis range to use.

There may be the very occasional situation where manual adjustment is required. This is possible, but should be used with care.

Selecting this option will open the dialogue shown below.

By default the options Automatic Xaxis range and Automatic Yaxis range will be selected and the writable icons shaded. If either of these options is unticked, then the corresponding writable icons will become active, and alternative minimum and maximum values for the axis values can be entered. It is also necessary to enter the number of intervals to be used on the axis to cover the range.

Remember - the values you enter will completely override the auto settings, no further processing of them will be done by the program. Therefore take care in choosing the values. There is some 'sanity checking', e.g. the max and min values must be different, and the min value must be less than the max value, but apart from that the program will use the entered values when plotting the graph.

Selecting Set range will result in the graph being replotted with the axis range being based on the new values.

To return to automatic axis range selection, simply open the dialogue and tick one or both of the automatic axis range buttons as required. Selecting Set range will then result in the graph being replotted using automatic axis range(s).

Save as
This leads to a small submenu offering the options to save as a draw file or as a multiplot file. The graph can be saved as a drawfile to disc or directly to another suitable application. Alternatively, the data for the points and lines can be saved in MultiPlot format. The setting in the Choices-Load/Save tab will determine whether the MultiPlot file is saved in version 1 or version 2 format.
Print...
This leads to a small dialogue.

This will show the currently active printer in the window title, and allows the number of copies to be selected. Clicking Print will print the Graph, using the print format setting in the print tab of choices. If there is not an active printer, the Print button will be shaded, and the window title will include 'no printer'.


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Larr.gif - 145 bytes Choices   |   Index  |   Graph display options Rarr.gif - 141 bytes

MultiPlot is © Chris Johnson, 2014
Email:chris@chris-johnson.org.uk

This document last modified on 15th August 2015