beloin@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Ron Beloin) (06/16/88)
I mentioned TS Graph to someone through mail, and they suggested that I
post a description. Since it has been over a year since I have done that
(I posted an announcement of its release in Apr. 87), I thought that
there were probably lots of readers out there who may benefit. I really
thing this a great example that good software doesn't have to be expen-
sive. Unfortunately, the author has no advertising budget, so not many
know the program exists. By the way, the author, Don Trimbur, is moving
and his new address is:
Dept. of Chemistry
University of British Columbia
2036 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Y6
Canada
TS Graph is a basic graphing program more appropriate for the sciences,
offering more flexibility and control with regard to the appearance of
graphs. It was written in response to the fact that existing graphing
packages always fell short in one way or another, and usually a trip
through MacDraw was necessary to produce a graph suitable for making
a slide, overhead, or manuscript figure.
Basic features:
o Input data through clipboard or type in data window. Multiple columns.
o Line, scatter, bar or column graphs, area, stacked bars/columns or a
combination.
o Up to 10 columns of data plotted at once with a second, independent
Y axis available.
o Graphs and data are stored in the same file. Multiple graphs per file.
o Actual size and reduced-to-fit views, with full functionality in both.
o Sort data, column math, column conversions (trig, logs, e^x, etc) and
averaging with st. dev.
o Text, boxes, lines, arrows placed anywhere.
o Linear, log and exponential curve fitting.
o Error bars for x or y, from various sources.
o Multiple files open. cut/copy/paste data segments. Copy graph for export.
o Print full page graphs to ImageWriter or LaserWriter.
o Graphs are updated to changes made in data.
Neat features often not found in other packages: (* this was written in
April '87, so things may have changed with other packages, I don't know *)
o Handles missing data correctly.
o Select data across columns, as in a spreadsheet.
o Text can have super/subscripts, can be arbitrary sizes, and can be
rotated.
o Column/Bar graphs can be forced into catagories by using text as the x
variable, or they can follow numbers for x, just as points do.
o Can control axis widths, tick mark lengths and widths, point sizes,
line widths, all by small increments.
o Exponential curves are real curves on LaserWriter output (not a whole
mess of itty-bitty straight lines).
o Axes can be moved anywhere. Ticks and/or numbers can be all around.
The program has been in use for over a year, and it has held up well,
therefore, I think it's probably free of serious bugs. It runs on all
macs from 512KE onward, but doesn't do color on the II. It is a basic
package, not a heavy duty engineering tool, so don't expect 3D plots,
graphing complex functions, or advanced curve fitting. It's pretty much
the equivalent of Cricket Graph, with more flexibility in how the graph
looks and minus some features, like saving formatting and multiple
graphs per page.
This program has made graphs from data that both Excel and Cricket
Graph have choked on. ("too many points..")
It can be purchased through BAKA Industries. Call them at 607/257-2070.
I pretty sure the price is less than $20. That's right, twenty ;-)
Disclaimer:I have no financial connection with TS Graph or BAKA Industries.
Ron Beloin, Ecosystems Research Center, Corson Hall, Cornell, Ithaca, NY 14850
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