Edit Surface Plots

In this tutorial, you will learn how to work with the Axes panel, edit curve attributes, contour line plots, and use the Edit Legend dialog.

From the 3D Chart ribbon, click the Curve Style tool.


Figure 1.

Surface attributes, such as Surface style, color, and weight are located in the Curve Attributes panel. This panel also allows you to contour the surface and edit the legend.

The Surface list displays the names of all surfaces in the active window.



Figure 2.
From the 3D Chart ribbon, click the Axes tool.


Figure 3.

Axis attributes such as labels, color, and scaling can also be modified using the Axes panel.



Figure 4.

Open Session File

  1. From the menu bar, select File > Session > Open.
  2. Select the file Curve_Attributes_Surface.mvw, located in the 3dplotting folder, and click Open.
    Figure 5.

Work with the Axes Panel

  1. From the 3D Chart ribbon, click the Axes tool.


    Figure 6.
  2. Pick a color from the color palette for the X axis.
  3. Change the number of Tics per axis.
    Note: Note what happens to the values on the X axis of the screen.
  4. Click the tabs for the Y and Z axes, respectively, and change the colors of the respective axis.
  5. Click the Shading tab.
    Figure 7.
  6. Verify that the Grid style: is Box and change the Grid line color.
  7. Verify that the Axes lengths is set to Automatic.
  8. Check the Lines option for Grid style.
    Figure 8.
  9. Change the Background color by selecting a color from the palette.
  10. Go back to the Box option for Grid Style.

Edit the Curve Attributes and Contour the Plot

  1. From the 3D Chart ribbon, click the Curve Style tool.


    Figure 9.
  2. Verify that the Surface tab is active.
  3. Change the Display mode of the surface to meshed by clicking from the Display mode options in the panel.
  4. Change the opacity for the surface to Transparent by clicking .
  5. Change the Display mode back to without mesh lines and to solid opacity.
  6. Check the Contour option.
  7. Select the Z axis from the Expressions = drop-down menu.
    Figure 10.
  8. Repeat the previous step for the Y Axis.

Use the Edit Legend Dialog

  1. Click Edit legend.
  2. Experiment with the following:
    1. Change the numeric format.
      The format in the legend box automatically changes.
    2. Change the numeric precision.
    3. Change the number of levels.
      The number of color bands in the legend box automatically changes.
  3. Click on a number in the legend box and enter a new value.
  4. Press Enter.
    The edited value is displayed in bold font. The remaining values linearly interpolate.
  5. Add a header and footer to the legend.
    1. Activate the Header check box and enter text in the text box.
    2. Click the font button, , and change the font type and size.
    3. Click OK.
    4. Activate the Footer check box and enter text in the text box.
    5. Click the font button, , and change the font type and size.
    6. Click OK.
    7. Click Apply.
  6. Change the color of a legend band.
    1. Click on a color band.
    2. Select a new color.
    3. Click OK.
    4. Change another color.
  7. Interpolate colors between two color bands.
    1. Click Interpolate.
    2. Click on the first changed color.
    3. Click on a second changed color.
    4. The colors between the two selected colors are interpolated.
  8. Click Apply.

Save Legend Settings for Future Use

Once you have completed your legend settings, you can save them for future use. Items that can be saved are listed in the Save options section.

  1. Activate the check boxes for the attributes you want to save.
  2. Click Save....
  3. Designate a file name.
    Files are saved in Tcl format.
  4. Click Save.
  5. Click Default to return to the default settings.
  6. Click Open... to open the saved file and load the previously determined legend settings.
    The contour colors and legend are retrieved just as you saved them.