PLOTDA Process

Note: This legacy plotting process is no longer supported or developed. It is included here for legacy macro support only. For interactive plot creation and editing functions, with template and automation support, consider the Plots window tools.

To access this process:

Enter "PLOTDA" into the Command Line and press ENTER.
Display the Find Command screen, locate PLOTDA and click Run.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Generate a scatter plot file, where each data point is annotated with a symbol centered on the point.

The input file should contain just one entry for each location. If it contains more than one, then there will be multiple plots at that location.

Unlike PLOTAN, where the value of a third field is plotted at the point, and therefore there must be this third field, PLOTDA can be used to provide pure X-Y plots without a third field. However, if required, the size of the symbol chosen may be varied according to the value of a third field.

Input Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
IN	Input data file.	Input	Yes	Undefined
PROTO	Plot prototype file. Must contain the fields X, Y, S1, S2 and CODE (numeric, explicit) and XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE (numeric, implicit). If these last 6 values set in PROTO , then corresponding parameters need not be set.	Input	Yes	Plot Prototype

Output Files

Name	I/O Status	Required	Type	Description
PLOT	Output	Yes	Plot File	Output plot file.

Fields

Name	Description	Source	Required	Type	Default
X	Field to be plotted along X axis.	IN	Yes	Numeric	Undefined
Y	Field to be plotted along Y axis.	IN	Yes	Numeric	Undefined
VALUE	Field to be used for defining symbol size.	IN	No	Any	Undefined

Parameters

Name	Description	Required	Default	Range	Values
VMAX	VALUE value for 2.5 millimetre diameter symbol (2.5).	No	2.5	Undefined	Undefined
SYMBOL	Plotted symbol at point. Default (91). Point symbol number 91 : Circle 92 : Cross [+] 93 : Cross [x] 94 : Triangle 95 : Box 96 : Diamond 97 : Star [ ] 98 : Pie Segment 112 : Hexagon	No	91	Undefined	Undefined
	Colour [as 'pen' number] for plot (1).	No	1	Undefined	Undefined
APPEND	Plot append flag. If set to 1 then the new plot will be appended to the PLOT file, if it exists and is a valid plot file (0).	No	0	0,1	0,1
XMIN	Minimum value of X for plot. None of XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE need be set if this information is already in the prototype.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
XMAX	Maximum value of X for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YMIN	Minimum value of Y for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YMAX	Maximum value of Y for plot.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
XSCALE	X scale in user data units per millimetre.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
YSCALE	Y scale in user data units per millimetre.	No	Undefined	Undefined	Undefined

Example

Copy

!PLOTDA &IN(ASSAYS),&PROTO(PLOTPROT),&PLOT(SCATPLOT), 
@XMIN=0,@XMAX=10,@YMIN=0,@YMAX=15, 
*X(CU),*Y(AU),*VALUE(DEPTH), @VMAX=100

Error and Warning Messages

Message	Description
>>> CANNOT APPEND TO NON-EXISTENT OUTPUT FILE. >>> A NEW OUTPUT FILE WILL BE CREATED	The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, but the specified plot file does not exist. A new file will be created to contain the new plot being produced.
>>> ERROR - CANNOT APPEND TO PLOT FILE AS IT DOES >>> NOT CONTAIN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS. >>> THE PLOT FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN.	The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, the specified plot file exists but is invalid. The existing plot file will be overwritten by the new plot being produced.
>>> FATAL ERROR, BAD SCALE/RANGE COMBINATION(S) <<< >>> XMIN, XMAX = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn >>> YMIN, YMAX = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn >>> XSCALE, YSCALE = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn	Either insufficient scale information had been entered (at least two of XMIN, XMAX, XSCALE or Y equivalents must be entered either from the prototype of from parameters) or the combination given of XMIN, XMAX, and XSCALE (or their Y equivalents) was impossible. Often caused by entering a null plot prototype and no parameters. Fatal; the process is exited.