Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!ginger.acc.com!ucsd!ogccse!verdix!qtc!jim From: jim@qtc.UUCP (Jim Prouty) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Mathematical graphing? Message-ID: <500@qtc.UUCP> Date: 25 Oct 89 16:49:10 GMT References: <864@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> <20200061@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu> Reply-To: jim@qtc.UUCP (Jim Prouty) Organization: Quantitative Technology Corporation, Beaverton OR Lines: 192 I've seen a program which may interest you. Igor is a graphics program from WaveMetrics for the Mac, which is specifically research-oriented and provides publication-quality graphs. MacWeek reviewed Igor in their April 18, 1989 and July 11, 1989. WaveMetrics recently released version 1.1 that added capabilities and addressed some user's complaints. The product announcement from WaveMetrics: WaveMetrics is proud to introduce Igor, a powerful graphing and data analysis program for the Macintosh. Igor is designed for experimentation with numeric data and production of publication quality scientific and engineering graphs. Here are some unique features of Igor. It is FAST. Graphs are updated almost instantly. Number and length of data sets are limited only by available memory. Each variable and data array can individually be single or double precision, real or complex. Imports data via text files or via the clipboard. You can also synthesize data using mathematical expressions. Graphs can contain any number of data sets, each with it's own color and line style (including true dashed lines). Graphs are printed at the highest available resolution of your printer. You can print multiple graphs per page, overlay graphs and print poster-sized graphs. Supports linear, log/log and semilog graphs with up to four axes per graph. Labels and annotation can use sub/superscripts and any combination of fonts, sizes and styles. Graphs support zooming, panning, auto and manual scaling. Each graph can have its own cursors and cursor information panel providing dynamic readout of several quantities (including delta-X and delta-Y when two cursors are in use). Tick marks are always labeled intelligently even under pathelogical conditions. Most errors encountered during the execution of a user's macro can be corrected on-the-fly. Data analyses include: manipulation of data with straightforward mathematical expressions which can draw upon more than 80 functions linear curve fitting to lines & polynomials; non-linear fits to sines, exponentials, double exponentials, Gaussians and Lorentzians. Igor can automatically provide initial coefficients for the non-linear fits. FFTs and IFFTs on real and complex data smoothing histogram generation integration and differentiation descriptive statistics searching and sorting very powerful and flexible waveform arithmetic All operations can be invoked from dialogs, from structured macros or from a command line. You can write a simple macro to load your data from a file, make a graph with styles of your choice and print the graph. Igor runs on a Mac Plus, SE, II or IIx. It requires a minimum of two floppy drives and 600K of available memory. It supports the 68881 math coprocessor, color, large screens and multiple screens. It requires version 3.2 or later of the Macintosh operating system and supports MultiFinder including background processing. Igor is available immediately from WaveMetrics. The single quantity price is $195 plus shipping. Quantity discounts and site licenses are available. For more information contact: WaveMetrics P.O. Box 2088 Lake Oswego, OR 97035 (503) 635-8849 AppleLink D1832 --------- I've enclosed reviews by some current Igor users: In <1944@virginia.acc.virginia.edu>, David E. Hustk writes: I've used Cricket Graph and KaleidaGraph for the last three months and Igor for about a week, and as of now I would have to recommend Igor. It has the the ability to do laserwriter resolution in all graphics modes(i.e. scatter,line etc.) it is very simple to attach labels headings,etc. to the graphs. It's Pagemaker friendly, has a very powerful macro's language/processor, and has built in Fourier transform,inverse Fourier transform, differentiation, integration, sorting, smoothing,curve fitting (poly,exp,gauss etc),x and y error bars and a host of other features. In addition it has one of the best written and consise instruction manuals I've seen. The price isn't bad either at $195.00 and if this isn't enough you get a 30 day unconditional guarantee.(If you don't like it send it back.) I have no connection with the above product other than liking it a great deal. DEH7g@Newton.virginia.edu Physics Dept. UVa And another review from Info-Mac Digest: Date: 20 Feb 89 13:18:00 EST From: "ZZT" Subject: more Mac graphing I too have found Cricket Graph to have annoying limitations (inability to mix symbols and ordinary text, subscripts, superscripts, slow on a Mac II...). Recently, we purchased a new program called Igor from Wave metrics for a little (a very little) under $200 that may be useful for many people. Its main advantage seems to be for automatically producing plots of basically similar sets of data. Igor is basically a laboratory assitant that takes data (text files) and produces pretty good plots. It uses a standard Macintosh interface such as pull down menus etc., but in a slightly different manner. Whenever you make a selection, rather than just executing your choice, a command is automatically entered in a small window, executed, and saved in a "history" window. The commands in the history window can be later move to a macro window and edited to create a procedure for use at some later time. In fact, you can set things up so that upon running Igor a data file is read in, the data curves are analyzed (scaling, Fourier Transform, fit to Lorentzian...), the data are plotted, and then printed. Although at first the user interface appears daunting, it is only slightly different; you can still do everything from dialogs and pull down menus. Appearently everything that the program can do, can be done either by standard menus and dialogs, or by commands. The limitations in Igor that I have encountered are: -- selection of markers is too limited, and they cannot be easily sized -- axis labels cannot be positioned, and often appear too far away for me -- error bars are possible, but not easy Particular advantages of Igor are: -- can mix symbols, text, superscripts, and subscripts in text boxes -- ability to save ALL features of a plot for use with another set of data -- can AUTOMATICALLY process data (much of my data is fit to two gaussian curves) and automatically put results (mean, FWHM,...) into text boxes -- ability to print two graphs on the same page, even on top of each other -- can accept data, analysis, graphing, and printing commands from a single TEXT file. Thus your PDP-11 can take data and generate a file with EVERYTHING you need for a picture -- doing mathematical operations on data is very easy, and there is plenty to choose from (even special functions such as bessel functions) Note, these opinions are mine, and are unconnected to Wave Metrics or my employer. I just use programs. Jon Tischler, ORNL DDN: zzt@stc10.ctd.ornl.gov Bitnet: zzt@ornlstc [...] End of Info-Mac Digest ****************************** Disclaimer: My only connection with WaveMetrics is that some friends of mine work there and I have a copy of Igor. Jim Prouty Quantitative Technology Corporation "A man is not the sum of his possessions." 8700 SW Creekside Place Beaverton, Oregon 97005 (503)-626-3081 tektronix!sequent!qtc!jim