Graphing Software

[MaxxxRacer]

I have been looking around the net for some software to plot temperature graphs vs flow rates and have not found anything suitable. I would really like something aking to what pH uses in his reviews. No automation is needed, but just something useful that can do curve fits, graph labeling and other such useful features.

Let me know if you guys have any suggestions.

[redleader]

pH uses labview, which is a really cool program for data aquistion. You can program in things like digital filters to remove 60Hz noise from your readings. The downside is it takes some getting used to, and you need an ADC and instruments to use it with.

The next best thing I've found is Excel, which is fairly good for plotting and trendlines. Not to mention its very simple.

Finally Cathar recommended Perl w/ GD::Graph which is handy since you can write your own parsers, but if you're not into programming it'll be much more difficult then Excel.

[MaxxxRacer]

hmm... i founda program called archimedes grapher which i really like. but i will check out excel..

no way am i gonna start dong pearl... lol.. i hate programming.

i will give labview a try.. the only data that i will have coming in directly to the computer is the die temps.. the other temp readings are coming from a fluke 52-II.. i would get the 54-II but i cant justify the cost when i can just jot down the numbers myself and im on a tight budget.

[MaxxxRacer]

wowa.. i just tried out labview... i think that 3dsmax and maya blindfolded are easier than this... i can do 3dsmax, maya, autocad, solidworks, and photoshop, but this program has me thrown for a loop... i guess they figure scientists will be using it so they are smart enough to figure it out and bedamed ease of use...

edit. well it isnt has crazy as i first had imagined.. the only issue is that it seems the software NEEDS instruments plugged into the computer to be inputting data.. dont see anywhere to input the data myself...

[BillA]

LabVIEW is for equip, use Excel

[Nugit]

I find Excel to be a bit quirky...

You could try to ask a teacher from the math or science department at your school what programs they'd recommend. They should be able to teach you how to use it as well. I'm not sure how your schools work, but ours have heaps of licenses for all sorts of programs, plus lots of apps developed for the school available for download. One just haves to login to the school servers, and its all there.
My favourite graphing app is one developed especially for Danish schools and is easier to use than excel, plus that i has a lot more functions. Though it's in Danish only.

[BillA]

"in Danish only"
might be a steep learning curve for some of us

agreed that Excel is not a good scientific grapher, but it is probably 'sufficient'

[MaxxxRacer]

lol bill.. i noticed that.. In college i also use a program similar to labview, just that its a bit more tame...

I will give excell a try but sofar I am really liking this program.

[Cathar]

I use gnuplot myself for the graphs I do.

[pHaestus]

For anything complicated I use Microcal Origin. I have a license for work though. I have noticed that chemists use Origin and others in my department who do more field research seem to prefer sigma plot. I guess they need more statistics than I do; I just control the experiments better in the lab if I have problems while they are stuck trying to model the real world.

http://www.originlab.com/index.aspx

[MaxxxRacer]

cathar, I am anti command line... I have a crusade against command line, so gnuplot would be cool but i would drive myself nuts trying to use it.

pH, ill take a look at those. but sofar I am really liking the software i got that is called archimedes grapher.

[Tempus]

Try MATLAB


its more or less C language based and will plot very well.

[Cathar]

cathar, I am anti command line... I have a crusade against command line

Oh? I feel sorry for you. :dome:

Click'n'drool forever!! :p

[ToasterIQ2000]

I use Excel and Openofficeorg Calc on linux.
I've been learn as-you-go on both for years.
I'm tempted to say that Excel<>Access might be more integrated than OpenCalc<>Mysql, but I have little sense, objectively, of my place on the learning curve for both.
Learning curve; like there's the 'add secondary Y axis' in Openofficeorg Calc -- have I just not found that under Excel?

If you need big fancy charts with zoomable / navigable views + movie-like playback in pageflipped stereoscopic and enjoy writing low level file format conversions: Vis5D, McIdas-X / McLite. Perhaps some day there will be a little check box in Excel or Openoffice that says 'export 3D chart to *.wrl'

Mostly I doodle on white paper with a black pen.

[Incoherent]

Learning curve; like there's the 'add secondary Y axis' in Openofficeorg Calc -- have I just not found that under Excel?


On the chart, right click on the chart series you want on the second y axis. select "Format data series" >> "Axis" tab >> select "secondary axis"


Excel is unbelievably capable if you know how to use it. It can be cumbersome if you have a lot of data but I swear by it. I don't know Matlab very well but I am surrounded by people who do and I have yet to see anything done in Matlab that can't be done in Excel. The chart types in Excel are a bit limited though, especially with three or four dimensional problems.

[Les]

On the chart, right click on the chart series you want on the second y axis. select "Format data series" >> "Axis" tab >> select "secondary axis"...................................
.

Thanks for the timely tip
Today installed my long-awaited Excel 2003
Have been trying,in vain, to do that in Excel 97 for some time.

[redleader]

I find matlab pretty cumbersome, though its handy for some jobs (processing/filtering data). Definately prefer Excel, particularly if theres only 2 axises.

[MaxxxRacer]

hmm.. well my arhcimedes grapher is what im looking at right now. i really like it.

I will give excell another try i think, but i still feel that archimedes is better.