Simtel MSDOS 1992 September/Simtel20_Sept92.cdr/msdos/plot/grafdemo.arc/HELP.DOC

Text File | 1989-03-28 | 18KB | 414 lines

                               GraF Version 1.0



GRAPHING BASICS:
               GraF requires a two dimensional data point - a point
          specified by an X and Y coordinate. Traditionally, X is the
          controlled variable, and Y is the measured variable.
               Due to the computers internal number representation, some
          weird things can happen at very large or very small scales.
          This can be remedied by scaling your data before entering it
          into GraF.
               GraF has the ability to plot many different lines on the
          same graph.  In addition to your data, the error data can also
          be plotted.  Data Fitting, Spline, and Calculator can each
          have one line plotted.  The lines are drawn automatically when
          you choose a command from their sub-menus, and can be removed
          from the plot by choosing either Clear or Remove Plot.



MENUS EXPLAINED

               When you run the program, the first thing you will see is
          an introductory screen.  After hitting any key, the program
          will display an empty plot on the screen, and produce a pop up
          menu bar.
          The Menu options include:

            File/Data   This has everything to do with Editing, Loading,
                        and Saving the data.  It also lets you change
                        directories and view text files.

            GraF        This controls all the aspects of plotting your
                        data, such as how your data is printed. Other
                        options include Auto-Scaling your data, as well as
                        changing the scale, sorting your data, and
                        printing.

            Data Fit    This menu allows you to choose what kind of Data
                        Fitting to perform, as well as Auto-Scaling the
                        Fit, and Clearing it from your plots.

            Splines     This option allows you to choose the Spline
                        Interpolation or one of its derivatives,
                        as well as Auto-Scaling the spline, and Removing
                        it from your plots.

            Calculator  This will pop up a sub-menu has all the options
                        dealing with the mathematical expressions you
                        would type in.  You can evaluate an expression,
                        as well as Differentiating or Intergrating that
                        expression at any point.  The plot function
                        option will graph your function on the screen.
                        Auto-Scale and Remove plot will scale your
                        function, or remove it from the plot.

            Quit        Returns you to DOS.

               Picking things from the menus is easy.  Just move with the
          arrow keys until the desired item is highlighted (NumLock must
          be off), then press <RETURN>. A faster way is to just type the
          first character of the command choosen.  To return at any time
          to your graph, just press the <ESC> key.  A help document will
          appear on the screen when you type <F1>.


FILE/DATA
      Edit/Create Data  This command found in the File/Data menu is used
                        to edit or enter data into the computer. The
                        commands for operating the Data Editor are found
                        in the Appendix.

      Load / Save       These two commands will let you save the data
                        you entered into the diskette, or read it from
                        the diskette after you've saved it.  When you're
                        Loading data into the computer, it will let you
                        pick the name of the file from the Directory
                        chooser.  The File Selector and File Format
                        are discussed in the Appendix.

      New/Erase Data
                        New/Erase Data will erase all of the data that
                        is stored in the computer's memory.

      Directory         Directory will let you examine the files
                        contained on the specified diskette.

      Change dir        Change dir displays the current drive and
                        directory, and allows you to change to a
                        specified drive and/or directory.

      View ASCII File   This routine will let you list ASCII files to
                        the screen.  The commands it understands are
                        <UP>, <DOWN>, <PGUP>, <PGDN>, <BEGIN> and <END>.
                        Press <ESC> will return you to the program.


GraF
      Line Types

                        Y Data/Hide Y data controls whether lines are
                        used to connect each data point.

                        Symbols/No Symbols controls whether the box
                        symbols are placed on every data point.

                        Valid Error Bars/Invalid Error Bars controls the
                        use of Error Bars on your plot.

                        Error Data/Remove Error Data controls whether
                        the Error data is also plotted.  This allows you
                        to display two lines at the same time, but you
                        have no control over the attributes of the Error
                        Data Line.

      Auto-Scaling      The program will automatically scale a plot.
                        Entering this command will scale the data
                        currently being used.  For instance, Auto-Scaling
                        in the Calculator menu will automatically scale
                        the current Calculator Function.

      Changing Scale    This option will let you change the limits of
                        the plot.  You can also choose to have your data
                        plotted on a logarithmic scales.

          IMPORTANT     Since logarithms aren't defined for numbers
                        less than or equal to zero, make sure your data
                        and plotting limits are all positive numbers
                        larger than zero.

      Title/Axis Labels This option lets you change your X and Y
                        axis labels and plot title.
      Sort X axis.      This option will sort your data into ascending
                        order.
      Print Graph       This command will print the plot on the screen
                        to either a Dot Matrix printer, or a HP Laser
                        Jet printer.  The Large Dot Matrix printout will
                        rotate the printout and make it larger.  You can
                        choose to have the output sent to a file, by
                        entering the files name, or to the printer by
                        entering "PRN".  When you want to print the file
                        that is generated, just type "copy FileName PRN
                        /b".


DATA FITTING
               Each Data Fitting routine prints the formula to the plot
          in the upper left hand corner, and is followed by the quality
          factor of the fit.

      Linear Regression This performs standard Linear Regression on your
                        data.  The regression coefficient is displayed
                        along with the data.
      Polynomial Fit    This performs a Least Square Fit with a
                        polynomial of degree N which you specify.
      Fourier Fit       This fits the data to Y = A + B*Sin(x) +
                        C*Cos(x) + ... using the least squares method.
                        You can enter the number of terms you want in
                        the fit.

      Exponential       The data is fitted to the form Y = A * exp(B*X)
                        using the least squares method.

      Power             The data is fitted to the form Y = A * x^(B*X)
                        using the least squares method.

      Logarithmic       The data is fitted to the form Y = A * ln(B*X)
                        using the least squares method.

      Derivative        This can be used instead of Fitting your Data,
                        to compute the change of your data divided by
                        the change in X.

      Auto-Scale        This command will automatically scale the plot
                        so that the entire Data Fit will be visible.

      Clear             This function will stop displaying the data fit
                        text and line plotting.


SPLINE
      Interpolation     This routine computes and plots the cubic free
                        spline of your data.  This spline is then
                        superimposed on the plot.
      Differentiation   This routine computes and plots the derivative
                        of the cubic spline that was created from your
                        data.

      Second Derivative This routine computes and plots the second
                        derivative of the spline that interpolates your
                        data.

      Auto-Scale        This command will automatically scale the plot
                        so that the entire Spline will be visible.

      Edit/Create       This routine will let you examine and/or change
                        the Spline data.

      Clear             This function will stop plotting the Spline
                        data.


CALCULATE
      Expression        This routine will return the numerical value of
                        a function at any point.  See the Appendix on
                        the Calculator commands.

      Integrating       This routine computes the Integral of your
                        function over a interval you specify.  It uses
                        the Adaptive Simpson method.  If you don't know
                        what these are, you can find discussions in your
                        nearest Calculus book.

      Differentiating   This routine computes the Differential of your
                        function a a specified point.  Information about
                        this can also be found in your Calculus book.

      Plot Function     This routine will let you enter a function of X
                        and plot it.  The routine will use the X axis
                        Limits to choose the input range for the
                        function.

      Auto-Scale        This command will automatically scale the plot
                        so that the entire function is visible.

      Edit/Create       This procedure will let you examine and/or
                        change the function data.

      Clear             This routine will stop plotting the mathematical
                        function.


APPENDIX


  CALCULATOR
               GraF contains a full functioned scientific calculator.
          All operations are performed according to Algebraic Rules.  The
          legal functions include :


            Addition (+)                Subtraction (-)
            Division (/)                Multiplication (*)
            Factorial (!)               Exponential (exp)
            Natural Log (ln)            X to the Y (^)
            Logarithms (log)            Square (sqr)
            Square Rt (sqrt)            Round (round)
            Absolute Value (Abs)        Random Number (RND)

          Trigonometric
            Sine (sin)                  Cosine (cos)
            Tangent (tan)               Secant (sec)
            Cosecant (csc)              Cotangent (cot)
            Arcsine (arcsin)            Arccosine (arccos)
            Arctan (arctan)

          CHANGING CALCULATOR MODES:
                 The calculator is in Radian Mode upon startup. Typing
                 "Deg" instead of a mathematical expression will put it
                 into Degree Mode.  "Rad" invokes Radian Mode.

          Hyperbolic
            Sine  (sinh)                Cosine (cosh)
            Tangent (tanh)              Arcsine (arcsinh)
            Arccosine (arccosh)         Arctanh (arctanh)


          Constants and Variables:
               The constant "Pi" is defined as 3.1415926...
               The variables X, and Y are understood, but Y is always
          evaluated as being 0.



  DATA EDITOR

               The Data Editor is designed to let you easily input and/or
          edit data.  It is invoked every time you "Edit/Create" data.
               The data editor commands include the following:

          <UP>          Moves up one line.
          <DOWN>        Moves down one line.
          <PGUP>        Moves up a page.
          <PGDN>        Moves down a page.
          <F1>          Invokes a Help Screen.
          <F5>          Copies the value of the entry that is being
                        edited to the line numbers you specify.
          <F6>          Copies the values of all the lists of numbers
                        to the line numbers you specify.
          <F7>          Inserts a Line for Data.
          <F8>          Deletes a Line of Data.
          <F9>,         Moves which list you are editing to the left
          <TAB>         one position.
          <F10>,        Moves which list you are editing to the right
          <Shift TAB>   one position.
          <ESC>         Returns to the data plot.



  LINE EDITOR
               Whenever you are asked to input a name, a string, or a
          number, the following commands are available:

          <F1>          Displays a help document.
          <F2>          Change the case of the letter at the cursor.
          <ESC>         Escape and go back.
          <RETURN>      You're done, that's it.

          TYPEOVER AND INSERT MODES
          The GraF editor has two basic modes: the typeover mode and the
          insert mode.  In typeover (normal mode), anything you type
          will replace the text currently displayed at the cursor.  In
          insert mode, anything you type will be inserted into the text
          at the current cursor position, displacing any characters to
          the right of the cursor.  The <INS> key toggles between
          typeover and insert modes.



  CURSOR MOVEMENT KEYS
          GraF uses the following keys for cursor movement:

          <HOME>        Moves the cursor to the first position in the line.
          <END>         Moves the cursor to the end position (following
                        the last character displayed). <LEFT> Moves the
                        cursor to the left one character.  This does not
                        erase any characters; it simply moves the
                        cursor.  Remember that <LEFT> is the left-arrow
                        key on the numeric keypad (key 4), not the
                        backspace key (the larger left arrow next to
                        NumLock).

          <RIGHT>       Moves the cursor to the right one character.

          <Ctrl LEFT>   Moves the cursor to the left one word.  A "word"
                        is any sequence of characters bounded by one or
                        more spaces; the cursor will be placed on the
                        first character of the previous "word".

          <Ctrl RIGHT>  Moves the cursor to the right one word; it
                        will be placed on the first character of the
                        next word.



  TEXT DELETION KEYS
          The following GraF editor keys are used to delete text:

          <DEL>         Deletes the character at the cursor position.

          <BACKSPACE>   Deletes the character to the left of the cursor
                        position. This is known as a destructive
                        backspace; it is exactly equivalent to keying
                        <Left> followed by <Del>.

          <Ctrl END>    Deletes all characters from the cursor position
                        to end of the command.



  DATA FILE FORMAT

               The File format is a simple ASCII format, which can be
          edited and changed by any text editor.

          The format is:
               Title if the Line is Text.
               X axis Label if the Line is Text.
               Y axis Label if the Line is Text.
               0,0,0
               1,1,0 ...

          Spaces and many characters can be used instead of commas as
          delimiters.



  FILE SELECTOR
               The file selector is designed to make chooseing files
          easier.  The DOS-style mask allows the user control over what
          files appear in the selector.  You can load in a specific file
          by just typing it's name.  After pressing <RETURN>, a box
          with all of the choices will appear on the screen.

          File Selector commands:
          <ESC>         Get out without selecting anything.
          <F1>          Displays a help document.
          <UP>          Moves up one line.
          <DOWN>        Moves down one line.
          <PGUP>        Moves up a sceen.
          <PGDN>        Moves down a sceen.
          <HOME>        Moves to the top.
          <END>         Moves to the bottom.
          <RETURN>      Selects a file or directory.













           {C} Copyright 1989 by Dan L. Kunkel. All Rights Reserved.
                                Dan L. Kunkel
                                8 Mansfield Ave
                                Burlington, VT 05401