BAXTER_A@wehi.dn.mu.oz (06/15/90)
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT MULTIPLOT The email survey on data plotting prompted a number of queries about Multiplot which I will now answer. When is the next version out? It is finished, and is entering the final beta. I usually get it tested by an enthusiastic local for a week or to before distributing to overseas beta testers. Does Multiplot support high quality output? It supports the highest possible resolution of any preferences printer via PLT:. It can also output HPGL, Draw, mCAD, IntroCAD formats. Postscript support is slated for the next version. Does it clip at plot margins? Yes, the new version clips properly. Does it cut and paste to other programs? Multiplot uses the clipboard to transfer data as ascii codes so that data may be entered very easily from documents, spreadsheets etc. It does not export the graphics either as vector or bit map via the clip- board. This can be achieved by saving as a data file in the appropriate format. Does it use different line types? Yes. Does it plot differential equations/quadratics etc? No. Multiplot does not plot formulae, but data. If the formula is used in a spreadsheet or simple program (basic/rexx) the input file format for Multiplot is easy to create. Does it have default settings to enable quick visualisation of data? Yes. The orriginal "How to plot" window has been removed. Is it commercial or PD? Neither. Multiplot is freely distributable under specific conditions including that it must not be distributed for profit. All rights to program and code are retained by its authors. Does it handle scientific notation? Yes. Does it have 2 Y axes? No. This is the second request for this feature. I'll give it some thought. Can you colour the dots by a third parameter? The way I suggest you do this is load the data into a spread sheet, sort on the 3rd parameter, choose you ranges for the third parameter and place a blank line between each of the ranges. Save or clip the other two parameters, and load into Multiplot. Each range will appear as a different data set in a different colour. Does it handle error bars properly? Yes. Can it handle >2000 points? I think so. I don't have any data that big. Expect it to be slow. Can it superimpose plots on the screen? So long as they use the same axes, Yes. Does it handle histograms? No. It does handle survival (step) curves. Bar plots are slated for the next version. Can it read ascii files? Yes. Any plans for 3D/Contour/Polar/Wankfarnuncle Plots? Not unless people pay me lots of money. Can it plot log data? No. It does not support log axes. Next version. Can the user specify the minimum and maximum vales on the axes? Yes. Does it have interactive editing of title/axis labels/ extra text? Yes. Multiplot has a Select/action stype interface. That's it. Thanks for the interest. Regards Alan