README.TXT for LinePlot July 26, 1995 This is an informational file about LinePlot. It has been prepared to let you know what to expect from the program if you decide to down load it and try it out. After reading this, we hope you will decide to try it! About LinePlot LinePlot's purpose is to produce quality graphs of scientific and engineering data that are usable in both publications and presentations. The program is oriented towards X-Y type data, and produces only line and scatter type plots. LinePlot has a number of features that allow it to produce charts that are very difficult or impossible to do with other PC charting and graphing products, such as those found in spreadsheets. One example would be comparing different sized data sets on a log-log chart. A personal note about why I wrote LinePlot. In a previous career as a senior researcher, I found that I was continually preparing graphs on a spreadsheet, copying the graph to the clipboard, then pasting it into a drawing program, and finally doing a significant amount of editing with the drawing program to get the graph to the point where it could make the point that I wanted it to make. I often had to do this several times if the data sets were somewhat different. No more! LinePlot was written because there is a need! Sample graphs This archive contains a number of sample graphs in OS2 metafile format. You can view these graphs by using the OS2 "Picture Viewer" program that is part of the standard OS2 installation in the "Productivity" folder. Alternatively, you may import these files into any OS2 application that can import a metafile. One of the samples, SAMPLE1.MET, was done with an unregistered version of LinePlot, and shows the watermark that is placed behind the graph and data on unregistered versions. The remainder of the samples were produced with a registered version, and do not contain this watermark. LinePlot Capabilities The program can currently handle up to 25 different sets of data. The data sets need not be related in a computer sense - it is your graph or chart that is doing the relating. For example, there is no problem with one data set containing 1,000 points and another data set continuing only 2 points. A data set is an ASCII file that is easily prepared by you. We have found that the easiest method of preparing such a data set to use any ASCII capable editor, and pasting the data from a spreadsheet program. The ASCII data files can be commented, without interfering with the data in the file so you can fully document your data. Both the horizontal and vertical axis of LinePlot are handled in an identical manner. Currently, an axis can be either linear or logarithmic. (We are planning for the next release of the program to have the ability to use multiple vertical axis with independent scaling. Further into the future, we are looking at adding other axis types, such as a log normal distribution.) Scaling of the data on the graph is completely under your control, but does include a fully automatic capability. Axis marking is also fully under your control, and is highly flexible. Both major tick marking and minor tick marking is provided. Major tick marks are labeled with their values. Variable tick marking styles and sizing is provided. One unique feature of the program is that you can specify tick mark spacing based either on the number of marks that you want on the graph, or alternately, base them on the data that you are graphing. Formatting of the axis value labels can be either automatic, i.e. let the computer decide it, or you specify it. The program's manual formatting scheme is similar to, but simpler than, the scheme used on some popular spreadsheet programs. One program feature is that value labels can be displayed in true scientific notation, e.g. having 10 actually raised to the second power, rather than using the computer E02 style. The display of data itself is also flexible; lines, points, symbols, mixtures, etc.; are all provided. Control of the normally expected parameters such as color, widths, sizes, etc. is available. Each data set maintains its own, independent set of display parameters, and are not constrained in capabilities by other data sets. The program also allows you to add annotations to your graph. The annotations are independent of the data being plotted, and can optionally have leaders, a line with an arrow, to point out something on the graph that you want to highlight. Program Output Your final graph can be printed in hard copy to any printer connected to your system, including Fax programs that appear as printers. You can also save your graph as an OS/2 metafile, or copy the metafile to the system clipboard. Once you have the graph as a metafile, it can be inserted into any other OS/2 program that accepts metafiles, such as word processor or a drawing/presentation package. LinePlot also has the capability to export the graph in terms of an Autocad script file. A script file here, is the sequence of Autocad commands that will draw your graph into an Autocad drawing. You also have the capability to save to a file, the display parameters of the graph, i.e. the complete graph minus its data, so that you can easily create many similar graphs, such as might be needed following a series of experiments under different conditions. Documentation The program's documentation is contained in the program's on line help file. The on-line help is extensive, and includes both the general principles for operating the program as well as the details of the individual menu items and dialog boxes. Additionally, the program contains a number of sample graphs, including the data files and plotting parameters files, to give you ideas on program use, plus allowing you to examine the specific program settings that were used to create the graphs. Files containing the metafiles of some of these samples are included in this archive. To view any of these files, use the "Picture Viewer" program that is part of the standard OS/2 installation. Program installation Installation of LinePlot is by the IBM standard OS/2 installation program. (If you have installed any major OS/2 programs, you will probably recognize the installation program. In keeping with the IBM license requirements, the files for this installation program have been renamed.) We decided to use this installation program because it is has a good track record, and appears to be very trouble free. This actually was a tough decision for us, since the installation program is responsible for over 500K of the download file size. Shareware & Registration LinePlot is a shareware program. It is not public domain or "free", even though it is freely distributable. Shareware gives you the opportunity to fully evaluate the program's suitability before deciding to buy a license. To let you completely evaluate the program's capabilities, the unregistered version of LinePlot is full featured, i.e. none of the program's capabilities are disabled pending registration. Also, there are no "time out" features, nor any "nag" boxes. The only difference between registered and unregistered versions is that printed output and metafiles from the program, will have a light colored "watermark" inserted on a graph's background. Registered users are entitled to free upgrades to at least version 2.0. Note that we are planning to add a number of fairly substantial improvements to the program in the future, but that none of those planned improvements would take us to the 2.0 level. What does it cost? LinePlot's direct registration fee is $20 (US) or $27 (Canadian). Direct registration is a matter of sending us a check or money order, US or Canadian funds only please. When we receive the check, we will mail (electronic or regular) back to you, the registration information. Once the registration information is entered, the program is registered, and the watermark on the printed and metafile output goes away. We also offer on-line registration with Compuserve (GO SWREG, identification number 6753). The on-line registration fee is $24, slightly higher than the direct fee due to Compuserve's 15% service charge. This means of registration is probably the easiest for international customers, since Compuserve handles the details of currency conversion. Program support Neighborhood Business Services provides support to LinePlot users. The preferred way is through electronic mail. Our Compuserve address is 73447,2105. If you are on the Internet, you can address e-mail to: 73447.2105@compuserve.com. If you do not have access to electronic mail, please send your questions via normal mail. We are dedicated to producing a quality product that works right for you. We are genuinely interested in any and all suggestions that you may have to improve our product. We plan future releases with added capabilities. In subsequent releases, we plan to add WPS support to the program for various purposes, such as dragging in data and set-up objects. We are interested in your ideas. We are also interested in your ideas for new products. If you think that there is a need for an OS/2 program that does something that is not currently available, let us know about that too. Un-installing LinePlot LinePlot is friendly to your computer's environment. Installation of the program makes no changes to your CONFIG.SYS file, introduces no hidden files or directories, nor does it attach any un-wanted extended attributes (EAs) to any non LinePlot related files. The result is that uninstalling LinePlot is a simple matter of deleting all of the files that were installed, and the program object. When this is done, all trace of LinePlot is removed from your computer system. Thank You We thank you for your interest in LinePlot, and hope that you find our product suitable. George P. Nelson Chief of Practically Everything (CEO, CIO, CFO, etc.) at Neighborhood Business Services 6700 Huntsman Blvd. Springfield, VA 22152