Usability improvement suggestions for graph dialogs
mph4
I find myself tweaking regular graphs (normal Y vs X plots) a lot, to make that perfect looking plot. Some operations take a lot of clicking, and I'd love to make some suggestions for usability improvements:
- Modify Trace Appearance, Reorder Traces, and Remove from Graph are three different windows (I guess since they're different commands). Conceptually, I'd love to do these operations from one combined window, e.g. something similar to the Modify Trace Appearance window. Being able to move traces up and down, and deleting them from there would make trace manipulation a lot friendlier. Currently, I find myself switching between these windows a lot.
(For example, removing the trace from the dialog could be done via delete key or context menu, and gray out the name temporarily - so it can be restored if I change my mind, and only be finalized once ok is clicked. Reordering traces would be just dragging the names - or better even via arrow keys - similar to the Reorder Trace dialog)
Incidentally, it would also be great if there was a "preview" check mark for that window, similar to the modify axes dialog.
Another improvement would be if these dialogs weren't modal, but that's not that big of a deal, and probably hard to implement
- I'd love to have a way to easily switch axes that traces are plotted against. Like if I plotted this trace against the axis on the left, I'd like to have a way to easily switch and plot it against the right axis. Replace Wave doesn't do that. And at the moment I don't see a way to do that other than removing the trace entirely, and then adding the trace again on the new axis.
Cheers.
John Weeks
WaveMetrics, Inc.
support@wavemetrics.com
February 5, 2016 at 01:32 pm - Permalink
- I'd love to have a way to easily switch axes that traces are plotted against. Like if I plotted this trace against the axis on the left, I'd like to have a way to easily switch and plot it against the right axis. Replace Wave doesn't do that. And at the moment I don't see a way to do that other than removing the trace entirely, and then adding the trace again on the new axis.
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As John said, it would be best if you send your suggestions to us directly so we can track them properly (maybe you already have).
To change the axis a trace is plotted against, you can save the window recreation macro for the graph, close the graph, edit the macro to put the trace on a different axis, and then execute the macro. That may be easier than removing the trace and then appending it back to a different axis.
I agree that it would be nice if there was an easier way though.
February 7, 2016 at 12:47 pm - Permalink