CyFlex® HistoryPlot
January 2012
HistoryPlot displays time-based graphs of selected variables from CyFlex® history data files. The program is one of a suite of CyFlex plotting applications, including Stripchart, LoggerPlot, and XYPlot, that all work similarly.
HistoryPlot displays a column of rectangular plot areas in graphs that render traces of selected variables previously recorded by the CyFlex history program. A single HistoryPlot application may be configured into a stack of up to 8 graphs, with up to 8 traces in each graph.
Each graph has a time axis of selected duration, as well as left and optionally right Y axes with selectable ranges. These ranges may also be changed interactively with the mouse to pan or zoom in both time (X) and value (Y) directions.
You may change the various configuration settings in a floating Configuration Dialog, save configurations, and later reload them as desired. The dialog lets you change a wide variety of plot attributes – which CyFlex Variables to plot, their colors, patterns, gridlines, axis scales and increments, label fonts and font sizes, etc. Stored plot data may be exported to a CSV-formatted file for analysis and charting in a standalone spreadsheet.
HistoryPlot joins the other CyFlex plotting applications to deliver graphics at the test console – graphics that can help to assess the performance characteristics of the test article. It is based on the same graphics software and hardware as the CyFlex Operator Display and shares much of its display and user features with the other plotting applications.
The current HistoryPlot Release 1.0 provides a full complement of graphics functionality, including the following sets of features:
· Standalone application that displays selected graphs in a vertical stack
· Application may be started from CyFlex menu or from command line with optional configuration file
· Each HistoryPlot instance has 1-8 graphs, each with 1-8 traces of CyFlex Variable values versus time recorded in the selected history file; data sampling rate and resolution are already set in the history file
· Assign a CyFlex Variable to a trace from a list that is automatically populated with the Variable names in the history file
· Drag mouse to “pan” (scroll) plot in X and Y directions
· Drag mouse to “zoom” (magnify) plot in X and Y directions
· Select the color, pattern, and thickness of a trace and display a Legend of traces by color on each graph
· Select a trace to “auto range” – adjust the range of the Y axis assigned to it so that all of its data is displayed
· Select the range, text label, color, and pattern for the Time axis, and the left and optional right Y Axes
· Select the number of gridlines and tick marks on the grid and their line color, pattern, and thickness
· Configuration settings or “specs” can be saved or loaded by filename
· Add a trace, remove a trace, or copy/paste a trace in each graph
· Plot attributes may be changed interactively: rightClick anywhere in window to launch the floating configuration dialog
· Change the attributes of the plot traces for each graph, including line color, pattern, and thickness
· Change the attributes of the gridlines for each graph, including color and pattern
· Configuration changes may be “applied” (Apply button) in the dialog on trial and then accepted (OK button) or canceled (Cancel button)
· Launch the Help browser with a persistent, expandable contents tree and help content with cross links
· Mouse over a window component to display its Tool Tip
· Export the entire data buffer to a text file formatted for spreadsheets
Any and all of these features may be employed from the Menu Bar, the Button Row, or the Configuration Dialog.
The following terms should be helpful in discussing what HistoryPlot can do and how it works. Refer to the annotated drawing below to identify them in the HistoryPlot Main Window.
·
Main Window – the complete window
that appears when the application starts
· Configuration – the plot settings that dictate the function and appearance of the Main Window and its graphs. The settings may be changed in the Configuration Dialog and then saved to and loaded from a configuration file
· Configuration Dialog – a floating dialog window for configuring the various settings that manage the plot functionality and appearance
· Graph – the basic plot display panel that includes the graphical plots, axes, labels, and auxiliary buttons. The HistoryPlot window is comprised of a column of one or more graphs, numbered from 1 at the top.
· Channel – a CyFlex Variable selected for plotting, including its numeric value, name, and units
· Plot Area – the primary rectangular portion of the graph that displays the plot of the selected CyFlex Variable channels, including the value traces, the gridlines and their labels, and the axis titles
· Frame – the border of the Main Window that includes the Title and Subtitle fields at the top and the Note field at the bottom
· Trace – the continuous plot of the numeric values for one channel, displayed in the Plot Area.
· Axes – the horizontal / time scale (Time) and the vertical / value scale(s) (Y) at the perimeter of the Plot Area, including numeric value labels and gridlines.
· Time Axis – the horizontal axis that displays the time over which the channel values are plotted
· Y Axes – the vertical axes that display scales for selected channels at the left edge (Left Y Axis) and optionally the right edge (Right Y Axis) of the Plot Area
· Grid – the set of horizontal and vertical lines in the Plot Area that give numeric reference to the traces
· Button Row – the horizontal row of active buttons above the top left corner of the Plot Area for Pan, Zoom, and Export
· Legend – the horizontal row of trace identifiers above the top right corner of the Plot Area to match CyFlex Variable names with trace colors
· Data Window – the panel in the Plot Tab of the Configuration file in which you can specify the time period for the history data available for plotting. The program reads history data for each channel you have chosen for the graph. You can select the start and stop times for the period in either date/time (absolute) or time before current (relative), depending on the Time Mode you choose.
The Main Window is the primary window for the application that is displayed on startup. Other “dialog” floating windows can be launched from it.
The Main Window is composed of a vertical stack of one or more graphs displayed as fixed rectangular panels. Each graph is an independent instance of the basic HistoryPlot. Their vertical alignment allows them to align their Time Axes and scales. However, the Time Axis is displayed in each panel and they may have different durations if desired.
In each graph there is a rectangular Plot Area in which the connected line traces of the chosen CyFlex Variables are rendered across the horizontal Time Axis. It includes horizontal and vertical gridlines and tick marks for the axis scales.
The Main Window has standard pulldown menus in the top left window border for File and Help. The former provides data exporting, saving and loading configuration settings, and exiting the program. The latter launches the Help dialog browser.
Button Row
Each graph has a row of action buttons at the top left edge of its Plot Area:
· Pan – toggles start and stop panning
· Zoom – start successive zoom in, then stepped zoom out or zoom reset, and stop zoom
· Export – write Data Storage contents for this graph to a spreadsheet file
Each graph has a row of Legend graphics at the top right edge of its Plot Area. Each Legend shows a CyFlex Variable name over the trace color selected for it.
The Main Window area outside of the graphs that displays user selectable text for a Title, a Subtitle, and a Note.
The Configuration Dialog is a floating dialog window launched from the Main Window that lets you select valid options for plotting attributes
The dialog has a column of graph Tabs on its left margin, one tab for each graph specified, plus an “All” tab to display the attributes of all graphs at once.
The dialog has a row of three Feature Tabs on its top margin:
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Plot tab -- organized as a spreadsheet table. Each row describes a trace of one CyFlex Variable. Each column corresponds to a plot attribute – Variable name, trace color, left or right Y axis, etc. The lower panel shows history data duration and time selections.
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Axes tab – organized as a spreadsheet table. The rows describe the vertical Left and Right Y Axes and the horizontal Time Axis. Each column corresponds to an axis attribute, such as range, color, and number of gridlines.
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Frame tab – displays fields for setting the text and font of the Title, Subtitle, and Note in the Frame of the Main Window, as well as show / hide the Legend and select the background color on all graphs |
The dialog has a row of buttons on its bottom margin:
· OK – accept the setting changes and close the dialog
· Apply – apply the setting changes and keep the dialog open
· Cancel – cancel the setting changes and close the dialog
· HistoryPlot operates as part of the CyFlex test automation system. CyFlex must be running on the test system to create the history data files that HistoryPlot requires for plotting.
· The system hardware must be sufficiently robust to execute the standard CyFlex operations.
· The test system must have graphics hardware adequate to support version 1.3 or later of the OpenGL cross-platform applications programming interface (API) for computer graphics and driver support.
· High-resolution monitors are recommended for display accuracy.
The following constraints and limitations must be imposed on the HistoryPlot configuration and operation:
Variable types – CyFlex Variables may be selected for plotting by name. Real, Integer, and Logical Variables are currently supported and displayed automatically in the CyFlex Variable Names pulldown list on the Plot tab of the Configuration Dialog.
Number of graphs – HistoryPlot supports up to eight graphs in its vertical “stack” format
· The program ignores attempts to add more than eight graphs in the Configuration Dialog.
Number of traces per graph – HistoryPlot supports up to eight traces, one for each CyFlex Variable selected, in any one graph.
· Together with the limit of eight graphs per program instance, you may select up to 64 traces at once.
· The program ignores attempts to add more than eight traces in the Plot tab of the Configuration Dialog.
Data Storage – HistoryPlot is limited to the data recorded in the current history file
· The Export Data to CSV File button in the top left margin of the graph writes the entire contents of the Data Storage buffer to a spreadsheet file.
In this section we provide step-by-step explanations of how to operate HistoryPlot and use its various features.
How to Start the HistoryPlot Program
You can start the application in several standard ways:
· from the HistoryPlot icon on the console monitor:
HistoryPlot
· from the command line:
qthistoryplot
· from a test mode in a General Purpose gp_test script:
@BACKGROUND_TASK
AT_START “qthistoryplot”
Important! – The program will use the default configuration at startup unless you select a different one in the command line.
How to Exit the HistoryPlot Program
You can exit the program from the File menu at top left in the Main Window:
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File > Exit
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· The program will prompt to save the current configuration to a file.
· The program will stop and the Main Window will disappear.
· HistoryPlot displays channel traces after you select the channel Variables by name in the Configuration Dialog.
· The program initially loads all of the history data for the selected channels into Data Storage and displays it.
How to Select CyFlex Variables to Plot
You can select which CyFlex Variables to plot from a pulldown list:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area to launch the Configuration Dialog
2. Select the Plot tab in the dialog. Each row displays the attributes of the trace of one Variable
3. Click in the CyFlex Variable Name field in the trace desired row. The list of CyFlex Variable Names includes Real, Integer, and Logical Variables from the history data, sorted together alphabetically.
4. Select the Variable Name:
· Click in the Name field, scroll to your selection, and click on it, or
· Enter the first few characters of the desired Name. The list will display matching choices for you to select.
· The Name of the CyFlex Variable you have selected to plot is displayed in the field, along with its current units of measure in brackets.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration dialog to make the change.
How to Set the Time Range of the Data Plot
You can specify the range of time for the data to plot in several ways, depending on the type of the timestamp recorded in the logger file:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Plot tab in the Configuration Dialog
3. Select which Time Type you want for specifying the Start and End times to plot:
Absolute – display times in full Date and Time timestamp, e.g. 07/04/2076 10:30:00 [mm/dd/year hh:mm:ss]
Relative – display times in days prior to the most recent sample, e.g. 5.7 [day]
4. 
Enter the Start and End times in the
Data Window panel
Note – you may choose the most recent sample for the End time by checking the Current box.
The Start and End fields show the current start and end times for the data storage and plotting.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change.
How to Add or Remove a Trace in a Graph
You can add or remove a trace from the Configuration Dialog:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Plot tab in the Configuration Dialog
3. 
RightClick on the integer row # button
immediately to the left of the CyFlex Variable Name field to show the trace
Options menu
4. To add a trace at the bottom:
a. Select Add Row in the menu to display a new trace row with default settings
b. Select the settings for the new trace in the row fields
5. To remove the bottom trace:
· Select Delete Row in the menu to remove the row and its trace in the graph
6. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change
Important! – you may add a trace only at the bottom and you may remove only the bottom trace row
How to Add or Remove a Graph in the Main Window
You can add or remove an entire graph
from the vertical “stack” of graphs in the Main Window from the
Configuration Dialog:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Plot tab in the Configuration Dialog
3. RightClick on the bottom (highest number) graph tab in the column on the left margin
4. To add a graph at the bottom:
a. Select Add Graph in the menu to display a new graph with default settings
b. Select the attributes for the new graph
5. To remove the bottom graph:
· Select Delete Graph in the menu to remove the bottom graph in the Main Window
6. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change
Important! – you may add a graph only at the bottom and you may remove only the bottom graph
How to Set the Range of the Y Axis
You can set or change the range of values for the Y Axes of the plot:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. 
Select
the Axes tab in the Configuration Dialog. The Y Axes panel has one row
each for the Left and Right axes.
3. Click in the Range Minimum or Maximum field in the desired row.
4. Enter the numeric Minimum and Maximum values for the CyFlex Variable which you have assigned to the Y Axis. The dialog will verify that the values are numeric and that the Minimum value is less than the Maximum.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change.
You can let the program determine the optimum range for the Y Axis automatically to ensure that all plotted values are visible and no clipping occurs:
1. 
RightClick
anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Axes tab in the Configuration Dialog. The Y Axes panel has one row each for the Left and Right axes.
3. Check the box in the Auto Range column for Left and/or Right Axis
4. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change.
The program will dynamically adjust the Y Axis range so that all of the data is displayed in the Plot Area.
When Auto Range is set, the Range Minimum and Maximum fields display the computed values but cannot be overwritten.
If both Left and Right Axes are displayed with Auto Range, then changing either one to a different gridline color is recommended.
How to Set Gridlines and Tick Marks
You can set or change the horizontal gridlines and Y Axis tick marks:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Axes tab in the Configuration Dialog. The Y Axes panel has one row each for the Left and Right axes.
3. 
Enter
the integer number of horizontal gridlines to display in the Ticks # Major
field in the desired row. The dialog will verify that the value is a
positive integer and will set gridlines at appropriate intervals.
4. Enter the integer number of Y Axis tick marks to display between each gridline in the Ticks # Minor field in the desired row. The dialog will verify that the value is a positive integer and will set tick marks at appropriate intervals.
5. Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the change.
· For a Y Axis (its scale, labels, and gridlines) to be displayed, at least one Variable must be assigned to it in the Y Axis column in the Plot tab. Either Y Axis is optional and does not need to be assigned or displayed.
· The number in Ticks # Major that you request may not match the number of gridlines actually shown in the Main Window, and for good reason: The program computes the closest match so that the grid intervals are multiples of 1, 2, 5, or 10 times a power of 10. The corresponding grid is easy to interpolate as a result.
What the Time Axis Range and Units Mean
The Range and Units fields in the Time Axis panel show the time range or duration in seconds of the current Data Window:
1. 
RightClick anywhere in the
Plot Area
2. Select the Axes tab in the Configuration Dialog
3. The Range and Units fields show the duration of the Time Axis, computed from the entries in the Data Window in the Plot tab. These fields will be changeable in a future program release.
What the Numbers on the Time Axis Mean
Each vertical gridline on the Time Axis is labeled at its base to indicate either
1. The Date [Mon da] and Time [hh:mm:ss] of the sample, if the Time Type is Absolute, or
2. The time [days] from the first sample in the history file, if the Time Type is Relative
Note: See also How to Set the Time Range of the Data Plot
What the Configuration Dialog Does
You may change the data and display attributes at any time from the Configuration Dialog. RightClick anywhere in the Main Window to bring up the dialog. It is organized in three tabs:
1. Plot
· set the CyFlex Variables to plot by name, assign to the Left or Right Y Axis, and set the trace color, line type, and thickness
· display the duration of the history data file in days
· set the Start and End times for the plotted, indicated in date / time (absolute) or time from most recent sample (relative)
2. Axes
· set the Left and Right Y Axis color, enable / disable auto range, minimum and maximum range, numbers of gridlines and tick marks, the axis label, and the gridlines color, line type, and thickness
· display the Time Axis range and units
· set the Time Axis number of gridlines and tick marks and the gridlines color, line type, and thickness
3. Frame
· set the text and font for labels in the frame of the Main Window: Plot Title (top left), Plot Subtitle (top right), and Note (bottom left)
· show / hide the trace Legend at top right of each graph
· change the background color of each graph
· The Plot and Axes tabs include an additional column of tabs along the left margin, one tab for each graph specified. The highlighted tab shows the number of the graph for the currently displayed plot attributes.
How To Change the Background Color of the Plot Area
You can
change the background color of the Plot Area in the graph from the default
black
:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Select the Frame tab in the Configuration Dialog
3. Click the Background Color field to display the Select Color dialog
4. Choose the background color by clicking in the color space, selecting from most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
5. Click the OK button to make the change.
· Changing the background color to white is recommended before capturing the Main Window image for printing.
How To Try Configuration Changes in the Dialog
When the Configuration Dialog is displayed, you may change any of the plot attributes and see the effect:
1. RightClick anywhere in the Plot Area
2. Change the settings you want to try and then click the Apply button. You can drag the dialog in any direction to check the results in the Main Window.
3. If you want to keep the changes, click the OK button. The dialog will close and the changes will be made in the Main Window.
4. If you do not want to keep the changes, click the Cancel button. The dialog will close and no changes will be made in the Main Window.
5. If you want to try other changes, make them in the dialog and click the Apply button again.
You can shift the current view in the Plot Area both horizontally (Time) and vertically (Variables) with the mouse cursor:
1. 
To start Pan, click the Pan Start
toggle button in the Button Row at top left in the graph
2. Place the cursor in the Plot Area and drag it in any direction to “pan” or shift the image
3. To stop Pan, click the Pan Stop toggle button
· You can mouse hover over the Button Row to get a “tool tip” identifying any of the buttons
· You can pan repeatedly until you click the Pan Stop button to stop. Pan remains in effect until you click Pan Stop
· Data are displayed in real-time during pan and no data is lost.
· You may launch the Configuration Dialog and change plot attributes during Pan.
· Pan and Zoom cannot be used together. Turn off one before starting the other.
You can magnify the current view in the Plot Area both horizontally (Time) and vertically (Variables) with the mouse cursor:
1. 
To start Zoom, click the Zoom
Start toggle button in the Button Row at top left in the graph
2. Place the cursor in the Plot Area and drag it diagonally to “zoom in” or magnify the image to the rectangular area you want
3. 
To stop Zoom, click the Zoom
Stop toggle button
· You can mouse hover over the Button Row to get a “tool tip” identifying any of the buttons
· You can zoom repeatedly until you click the Zoom Stop button to stop. Zoom remains in effect until you click Zoom Stop
· Data are displayed in real-time during zoom and no data is lost.
· You may launch the Configuration Dialog and change plot attributes during Zoom.
· Pan and Zoom cannot be used together. Turn off one to enable the other.
· The Time and Y Axis labels will be updated and the number of gridlines maintained in all cases.
You
can Zoom In repeatedly for greater magnification. An integer step counter
tracks the number of Zoom In 
events.
1. If you are in Zoom, for each Zoom In step, drag the cursor diagonally to Zoom In to the rectangular area you want
2. Click
on
the Zoom Step Out button each time to display each of the Zoom In steps 
in reverse, out to the
original view
3. Click on the Zoom Reset button to display the original view directly
· You can mouse hover over the Button Row to get a “tool tip” identifying any of the buttons
· Zoom remains in effect during Zoom In, Zoom Step Out, and Zoom Reset, until you click the Zoom Stop button
The Plot Tab in the Configuration Dialog is the place where you can change the traces displayed in the Main Window. You may add or remove traces and change the attributes of their display. If your HistoryPlot has more than one graph, you can select which one you want to change with the graph tabs at the left margin of the dialog.
Each row of the Plot Tab indicates the current settings for one trace in the selected graph. Each cell in the row affects one of its display attributes. You may change any of these attributes by selecting from the valid choices assigned to each one.
Trace Options – options that apply to an entire row or trace: Add / Delete / Copy / Paste
1. RightClick on the integer row # button
immediately to the left of the CyFlex Variable Name field to show the trace
Options menu
2. Select an option for that row in the menu:
· Add Row – add a new row below the current rows for a trace with default values
· Delete Row – delete the current row from the Plot Tab and its trace from the graph
· Copy Row – copy the settings for the current row; used before Add and Paste
· Paste Row – paste the settings from the previously copied row in the added row; used after Copy and Add
· The sequent to copy a row to start a new one is Add, Copy, Paste, and edit settings in the new row
CyFlex Variable Name – the name assigned in a specs file for the CyFlex Variable to plot
1. Click and scroll in the pulldown list of valid Variables Names to select one. The list includes all current Real, Integer, and Logical Variables.
2. If you know the first few characters of the Variable Name, click in the field and start to type the name. The pulldown list will appear, starting at the characters you enter. Scroll in this filtered list and click on your selection.
· The current units of measure are appended in brackets to the Variable Name.
Y Axis – the choice of Left or Right Y Axis for this trace
1. Click on the button to toggle between assigning the Left and Right Y Axis to the trace
2. If all of the traces in a graph are assigned to the same Y Axis, then the other axis will not be displayed, including its scale, label, and gridlines. At least one of the traces must be assigned to an axis to display it.
Color – the color for the trace display
1. Click on the color field to open the Select Color dialog
2. Choose the trace color by clicking in the color space, selecting from your most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
3. Click the OK button to make your change
Trace / Line Type – the pattern of the trace line
Click in the pulldown list to choose from Solid, Dashed, Dot, or Dot Dash
Trace / Thickness – the thickness of the trace line
Enter an integer in the range 1 to 5, where greater is thicker
Time Type – the time field format
Select the format for the Start and End times in the Data Window
· Absolute – display times in full Date and Time timestamp, e.g. 07/04/2076 10:30:00 [mm/dd/year hh:mm:ss]
· Relative – display times in days prior to the most recent sample, e.g. 5.7 [day]
Data Window –
the Start and End times for the plot and the data storage
Enter the Start and End times for plotting
· The default values indicate the time period covered in the current history file
· If the Time Type is Relative, then you may choose the most recent sample for the End time by checking the Current box.
Datapoint Markers –
display or hide marker symbols 
at
the recorded datapoints in the traces.
Select the Show or Hide toggle button
· The trace is composed of straight line segments between these datapoints.
Select the Show or Hide toggle button
· A line segment from the cursor identifies the nearest datapoint
The Axes Tab in the Configuration Dialog is the place where you can change the axes displayed in the Main Window. You may change the settings for any of the vertical Left and Right Y Axes and the horizontal Time Axis. If your HistoryPlot has more than one graph, you can select which one you want to change with the graph tabs at the left margin of the dialog.
Each row of the Axes Tab indicates the current settings for one axis in the selected graph. Each cell in the row affects one of its display attributes. You may change any of these attributes by selecting from the valid choices assigned to each one.
Axis – identifies to which Y Axis, Left or Right, the other fields in the row apply. The fields in the Axis column are disabled.
Color – the color for the Y Axis label and scale
1. Click on the color field to
open the Select Color dialog
2. Choose the color for the axis label and scale by clicking in the color space, selecting from most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
3. Click OK to make your change
Auto Range – enable or disable auto ranging to dynamically adjust the Y Axis range so that all data is displayed in the Plot Area
Check the box to start auto ranging and disable the Range Minimum and Maximum fields
Uncheck the box to stop auto ranging and enable the Range Minimum and Maximum fields
Range / Minimum – the minimum value for the Y Axis scale
Enter the numeric value for the minimum Y Axis scale when auto ranging is disabled
Range / Maximum – the maximum value for the Y Axis scale
Enter the numeric value for the maximum Y Axis scale when auto ranging is disabled
Ticks / # Major – the number of horizontal gridlines to display
Enter the integer number of horizontal gridlines to display in the Plot Area
Ticks / # Minor – the number of tick marks to display on the Y Axis scale
Enter the integer number of tick marks to display between each horizontal gridline on the Y Axis scale
Label – the vertical text label displayed next to the Y Axis scale
Enter descriptive text for the Y Axis
Grid
/ Color – the color of the horizontal gridlines
1. Click on the color field to open the Select Color dialog
2. Choose the color for the axis label and scale by clicking in the color space, selecting from most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
3. Click the OK button to make your change
Grid / No Grid – show or hide gridlines
Check the box to display horizontal gridlines
Uncheck the box to hide horizontal gridlines
Grid / Line Type – the pattern of the gridlines
Click in the pulldown list to choose from Solid, Dashed, Dot, or Dot Dash
Grid / Thickness – the thickness of the gridlines
Enter an integer in the range 1 to 5, where greater is thicker
Range
and
Units – the time duration displayed in the Time Axis
· The Range and Units fields show the duration of the Time Axis, computed from the entries in the Data Window in the Plot tab.
Increments / Major – the number of vertical gridlines to display
Enter the integer number of vertical gridlines to display in the Plot Area
Increments / Minor – the number of tick marks to display on the Time Axis scale
Enter the integer number of tick marks to display between each vertical gridline on the Time Axis scale
Grid
Color – the color of the vertical gridlines
1. Click on the color field to open the Select Color dialog
2. Choose the color for the axis label and scale by clicking in the color space, selecting from most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
3. Click OK to make your change
Grid / Line Type – the pattern of the gridlines
Click in the pulldown list to choose from Solid, Dashed, Dot, or Dot Dash
Grid / Thickness – the thickness of the gridlines
Enter an integer in the range 1 to 5,
where greater is thicker
You may change some of the supplemental text in the Main Window margins, show or hide the Legend, and change the background color in each graph in the Frame tab of the Configuration Dialog:
Plot Title – the text string that appears at top left in the frame of the Main Window
1. Enter the literal text string for the Plot Title
2. Click the Font button to display the Font dialog
3. Select
the font, style, and size of the text in the 
dialog, then click the OK button
Plot Subtitle – the text string that appears at top right in the frame of the Main Window
1. Enter the literal text string for the Plot Subtitle
2. Click the Font button to display the Font dialog
3. Select the font, style, and size of the text in the dialog, then click the OK button
Note – the text string that appears at bottom left in the frame of the Main Window
1. Enter the literal text string for the Note
2. Click the Font button to display the Font dialog
3. Select the font, style, and size of the text in the dialog, then click the OK button
Legend – associates the trace colors with their CyFlex Variable names
Click the Show or Hide toggle button to show
or hide the Legend in each graph
Background Color – the background color of the Plot Area in each graph
1. Click on the Background Color field to open the Select Color dialog
2. Choose the background color all graphs by clicking in the color space, selecting from most recent choices, or adjusting Hue / Saturation / Value or Red / Green / Blue
3. Click OK to select your color
Click the OK button at the bottom of the Configuration Dialog to make the changes.
How to Save the Data Collected to a File
You can save all of the data currently stored and plotted in a graph to a spreadsheet (.csv) file:
1. 
Click the Export Data to
CSV File button in the Button Row at top left in the graph
· The program will display the Save File As dialog.
2. Enter a new filename in the Name: field, or click one of the existing filenames to overwrite it.
3. Keep the default directory /tmp/ for the file, or select another directory
4. Click the Save button to save the data file.
You can save a graphical image of the HistoryPlot Main Window to a file:
1. Pause and optionally pan in the graph to the desired view
2. Press the PrintSC key
· The Linux KSnapshot dialog appears
3. Select Window Under Cursor in the Capture mode: list
4. Click the New Snapshot button
· The KSnapshot dialog disappears
5. Click on the Main Window
· The KSnapshot dialog appears again
6. Click the Save As button
· The Save As - KSnapshot file dialog appears
7. Complete the filename and directory entries
8. Click the Save button to save the image file
· Once the file is saved, the image can be printed directly from the file with any of the standard graphics programs provided in the KMenu > graphics list, such as KolourPaint or Kooka
You can save the current plot settings to either an existing configuration file or a new one from the File menu at top left in the Main Window:
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1. File > Save Settings
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· The program will display the Save Config File As dialog.
2. Enter a new filename in the Name: field, or click one of the existing filenames to overwrite it.
3. Click the Save button at bottom right to make the change.
You can also save the current plot settings as the default configuration, the one that is loaded automatically at startup.
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File > Save As Default
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· Save As Default is helpful when you want to have a common starting point, or when you want to return to the current configuration easily in the future.
You can load plot settings in an existing configuration file from the File menu at top left in the Main Window:
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1. File > Load Settings
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· The program will display the Open Config File dialog.
2. 
Select one of the existing Configuration
filenames.
3. Click the Open button at bottom right to load the settings
How to Load a Configuration at Startup
You can select the Configuration file to load at program startup from the command line:
qthistoryplot –f [base filename]
where the base filename is the Configuration filename without the brackets and without the standard “.conf” extension.
· This format assumes that the Configuration files are in their default directory:
/home/[username]/.config/Cybermetrix Inc/HistoryPlot/
· The program will use its default configuration if no –f file option is used