Plot Properties Reference

Plots Node Properties

Plots
Indicates the number of plots in the simulation (read-only).
Enable Gamma Correction
When activated, applies gamma-corrected rendering for more accurate displays of plots and scenes, including illumination, compositing of semi-transparent elements (including annotations, color bars, and volume rendering), and interpolation (including multi-sampling and font rendering). Setting this option is global for all renderings within the simulation. Hence activating it in plots also activates it in scenes and vice versa.
This option is activated by default.
Avoid changing this property after scenes and plots have been created, as this change would require some manual fine-tuning of lights and materials that are optimized for either rendering mode. Rather, this property should be set once initially, and not changed often afterwards.
Output Verbosity
When activated, the Output window displays a message whenever scene images are saved to files during a simulation run.

Plots Node Actions

These are the pop-up menu items available when you right-click the Plots node.

New Plot

Offers a choice of plot type to create.
  • Monitor: Creates a new monitor plot with a default name of Monitor Plot N.
  • X-Y: Creates a new XY plot with a default name of XY Plot N.
  • Histogram: Creates a new histogram plot with a default name of Histogram Plot N

Open All Plots

Displays all plots in the Graphics window.

New Group

Facilitates the grouping of objects by creating a new group node within the parent node.

Group By

Allows you to group the objects according to any of the properties of the objects in the parent node, listed in a submenu of this menu item.

Ungroup

Reverses the grouping process.

Plot Properties Lookup

This table shows which properties are used by which plots.

XY Monitor Histogram
Aspect Ratio
In the drop-down list, Fit Screen is the default. Selection of any of the following aspect ratios can leave blank space in the graphics display:
  • 16:9
  • 16:10
  • 4:3
  • 1:1
See Saving a Plot Image File.
✓ ✓ ✓
Cyclic Mode
When activated, allows monitor plot data to be displayed in a cyclic pattern by making available the Cyclic Settings and Cyclic Style nodes. See Working with Monitor Plots and Cyclic Mode Properties Reference.
 ✓
Data Series Order
Lets you adjust the order of appearance of data series in a plot display. See instructions for changing the order of multiple data series.
✓ ✓ ✓
Display Mode
Controls how the histogram plot works with parts:
  • Aggregate—treats parts as a single entity. This option is the default in restored simulations that have the Aggregate Parts property activated.
  • Side-by-Side—works with each part as a separate entity. This option is the default in restored simulations that have the Aggregate Parts property deactivated.

  • Stacked—the various data series in the plot are stacked one on top of the other instead of side-by-side. The stacking order matches the order that appears in the legend.

    This option is the default setting in new simulations.

✓
Space Segments
When activated, causes a space to appear between bar segments. Activated by default.
✓
Footer
A text box in which you can type a footer for the plot.
✓ ✓ ✓
Footer Font
The font family, font style and font size of the footer. Use the customizer to activate a dialog to set this property (changing the text will have no effect).
The property value is displayed using the selected font family, style and size.
✓ ✓ ✓
Hover Interactions
Controls whether the display responds to mouse hovering. When activated, provides interactive responses based on the information under the mouse pointer.
✓ ✓ ✓
Orientation
In the drop-down list, choose between Landscape (default) and Portrait.
✓ ✓ ✓
Parts
A list of the model and derived parts from which the data is extracted. Editing the property opens the object selector dialog.
✓ ✓
Representation
Selects a representation. Additional selections will appear as representations are added to the simulation.
✓ ✓
Show Highlights
When activated, highlights selected objects in the plot display.
 ✓ ✓ ✓
Title
The overall title of the plot. This label appears centered at the top of the plot. Its position and format attributes cannot currently be modified. To remove the title set this value to blank.
NoteRenaming the plot node does not change the displayed title of the plot.
✓ ✓ ✓
Title Font
The font family, font style and font size of the title. Click (Custom Editor) to activate a dialog to set this property (changing the text will have no effect).
The property value is displayed using the selected font family, style and size.
✓ ✓ ✓
X-Axis
Selects the x-axis for the monitor plot. The choice of axes depends on the total number of axes in the plot.
✓
X-Axis Monitor
Selects a monitor for the x-axis. This allows plotting one monitor against another.
✓
X-Axis Monitor Units
Specifies the units that are applied to the x-values of the monitor data series.
✓

[plot] Actions

This pop-up menu becomes available if you right-click an individual plot node.

Open

Executes the open plot action to display this plot in the Graphics window or make it active if it is already open.

Reorder Data Series

Activates a dialog in which you adjust the order of appearance of data series in a plot display. See instructions for changing the order of multiple data series.

Tabulate

Executes the tabulate action to display the data in a spreadsheet-like dialog.

Export...

Executes the export plot data action allowing you to save the series data in a .csv file.

Refresh

Forces the plot display to refresh, overriding the update policy that is defined on the plot. XY and histogram plots only.

Hardcopy...

Saves the plot to a file in one of several formats.

Create Plot Image Annotation

Creates a plot annotation under the Tools > Annotations node that uses the selected plot.

Apply Plot Options

Sets preferred plot attributes.