Observing 3-D Data

The following controls on the left-hand side of the display determine the characteristics of the scatter graph.

Projection

Ortho: The projection is orthographic. A given XY distance displays with the same screen distance whatever the Z value.
Perspective: The projection has perspective. A given XY distance displays with a shorter screen distance for more distant Z values.

Symbol size

Enter a number for the symbol size. Bigger numbers display as bigger dots.

Back col

The coloured block shows the colour of the background to the graph. To change the colour, click on the block and select a new colour from the dialog.

Rotation

None: The graph cannot be rotated.
Mouse: The graph can be rotated by dragging with the mouse.
Auto Y: The graph rotates automatically about the Y axis.
Auto X: The graph rotates automatically about the X axis.
Auto speed: Enter a number to set the relative speed of automatic rotation.
Default: Click this button to set the orientation of the graph to its default position.
Side:Click this button view the graph from the side.
Front: Click this button view the graph from the front.
Top: Click this button view the graph from the top.

Make AVI

Click this to make a video (AVI) file of the scatter graph while it rotates. This first displays the Video properties dialog box, in which you set the rotation properties. It then asks you to give a save file name, followed by the video codec. The RLE codec is recommended, because this is lossless and gives good compression for images with large areas of the same colour.

Scales

Autoscale X,Y,Z: Selecting these check boxes scales the graph to the maximum data values in the selected dimensions.
Min, Max X,Y,Z: Enter the maximum and minimum values of the scales of the particular axes.

Selection

Make: To select data points on the graph click this button, and then drag around the data points with the mouse. A closed loop will draw around the points as you move the mouse.
Cancel: Click this button to remove the selection line from the graph.
Zoom: Click this button to zoom the graph so that the axes scale to reflect the maximum and minimum data values of the points selected on the graph.

Copy graph

Click this button to place a bitmap image of the graph on the clipboard.