Plotting Data

There are a number of controls on the plot window:

Change Plot Size

Place the cursor over the bottom right corner of the plot window; the cursor should change from a ‘+’ to a double-ended arrow. To resize the plot, hold down the left mouse button while dragging the lower right corner of the plot window to a different position (just as you would resize most windows on your computer).

Move Plot Labels

Plot labels can be placed on a plot window with the Add Label command. The text is initially placed in the center of the plot window, but it can be moved to any position. To move the text item, place the cursor over the text item. Hold the mouse down while dragging the text to its new location.

Cross Hairs

Hold the Shift key down to display cross hair lines on the plot. The coordinates of the cross hairs (in units corresponding to the plot axes) are displayed at the top of the plot.

Zoom

Click and drag the mouse to create a box. When the mouse button is released, the plot within the box will become the new plotting area. To zoom out, click ‘Zoom Out’ on the Plot Menu, or type ‘Ctrl-O’ (hold down the ‘control’ button, labeled ‘Ctrl’, and press the letter ‘O’). To return to the original, un-zoomed plot, click ‘Zoom Full Frame’ on the Plot Menu, or press ‘Ctrl-F’ (hold down the ‘control’ button, labeled ‘Ctrl’, and press the letter ‘F’).

Modify Plot Characteristics

Double click the mouse anywhere within the plot rectangle. The Modify Plot dialog appears, just as if the Modify Plot command were issued.

Add a Point to a Table

When the right mouse button is clicked within the plotting area, the spot will be marked with a circle, and the values of the properties at the selected state point will appear on the most recently used table (created from Specified State Points). If no table is active, the right mouse button marks the spot with a circle only. Points added to the plot in this fashion can then be connected with lines or deleted by entering the Modify Plot option.