Changing Curve Line Properties
To alter the appearance of a curve on the plot, click the right mouse button when the cursor is on the curve line. Using the menu that opens, you can hide the line, freeze the line, or change the appearance of the line. When you hide a line, it disappears from the plot. Freeze line is a useful feature for sensitivity analysis. When you freeze the line, and then alter some of the analysis data that the plot is based on, the frozen line will be displayed along with the analysis data.
Properties button Plot toolbar
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Using Freeze Line
Freeze Line is a very useful feature for sensitivity analysis. When a line is “frozen”, you can specify a unique name for the line that will be displayed in the legend. When the analysis data is changed, the frozen line will remain on the plot along with the new curve data. This enables easy comparison of results for sensitivity analysis.
Use line properties to change line color, width, and style.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Using the Plot Properties Tabs
This Plot Properties dialog has tabs for customizing the currently active pane or the currently active view within the pane, such as plots or tables.
You must have a view currently active before you can select this option.
Accessing the Plot Properties Tabs
This section describes how to configure, and customize plots. There are seven property tabs containing many different configuration options.
You may also customize a line or curve on the plot by moving the cursor over the line, and clicking the right mouse button.
You can access the Plot Properties tabs four ways:
z Click the right mouse button on the plot (but not over a line) a list of the associated plots, maximize/minimize options, graph/grid and an option to access plot properties will appear for your selection.
z Double-click on any plot.
z Use Edit > Properties when a plot is active.
z Click on the plot and then selecting the Properties button on the Plot toolbar.
Use the Plot Properties tabs to change many aspects of an active plot or table.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Changing the Scale
Use the Plot Properties > Scale tab to define axis limits.
Configuring the Axis
Use the Plot Properties > Axis tab to define how and where the axis will be displayed.
Click Use the same scale for both axes to choose the largest of the two specified (X and Y) scales, and use this scale for both axis.
Click Auto to allow the axis range to be calculated based on the limits of the data being displayed. This is the default.
Click Fixed Range to specify range limits.
Click Fixed Scale to specify a fixed number of units per inch (or cm) on the printed page for the X and Y axis.
Click Draw axis at the edges of the graph to keep the axis lines at the edges of the graph.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Changing the Grid
Use the Plot Properties > General/Grid tab to define the grid, tick marks, and graph border.
Mark Show Grid to display a grid on the plot.
Mark Border around the graph to include a thin black line around the outside of the plot area.
Specify the spacing of the major tick marks when printing the plot.
Specify the number of minor tick marks.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Changing the Axis Labels
Use the Plot Properties > Labels tab to specify axis labels (text).
Changing the Font
Use the Font tab to specify fonts for axis labels, and tick labels.
Type labels for the X and Y axes in their respective fields.
Click Axis Label to specify axis label font.
Click Tick Label to specify tick font.
Click Data Labels to specify data label font.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Changing the Line Styles
Use the Plot Properties > Line Styles tab to specify color, style and width of lines used for the axis and the grid.
You can specify one set of lines for displaying on the screen and another set for printing.
Click... to display available colors.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Using Data Markers
Use the Plot Properties > Markers tab to specify the use, size and frequency of data point markers.
Click Every to specify the frequency of the data markers. You must specify a numeric value to indicate the frequency to place data markers.
Mark Show Data Markers to turn on data markers or symbols. The default setting is unchecked (no data symbols).
Mark Always one at the end to assure the last point on the curve always has a marker even if the frequency specified means the point would not have a marker.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Configuring the Legend
Use the Legend tab to specify whether a legend should be displayed, and to customize legends, including title, font, and location.
Specify the number of columns the legend box should use. This is only relevant if several curves are represented in the legend.
Mark Show all lines to specify that all lines should be shown.
Mark Show Legend to display a legend.
Click Font to customize the font used for the legend.
Specify the title displayed in the legend.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools
Changing the Plot Background Color
Use the Plot Properties > Background tab to specify the background color or a bitmap for plots. This tab is only available when a plot is the currently active view.
Check this box if you want the background color or bitmap applied only to the grid area of the plot.
Click Color to select a color for the background.
Click Bitmap to use a bitmap as the
background. You must specify the location of the bitmap.
Mark Center to display the bitmap in the center of the plot.
Mark Stretch to Fit to stretch the bitmap to fill the plot.
Mark Maintain Aspect Ratio if you want to stretch the bitmap to fit the grid or graph but maintain the same dimension ratio.
Chapter 4: Concepts and Tools