The Plot Tab Page allows control of source data and plot range as well as control of the visual appearance of plots. Auditory settings for plots can be controlled on the Wave Tab Page. The Plot Tab Page contains five sections: Source, Range, Mode, Axes, and Frame. These sections can also be accessed from the Options menu's Plot item submenu.
The Source section contains options relating to which data set or combinations are to be plotted. The user can choose Data Set 1, Data Set 2, the Sum of the two data sets (1 + 2), or the Difference of the two data sets (1 - 2). The Sum and Difference options are particularly useful when a user wishes to compare two auditory graphs. The source option also determines which Data Set will receive imported data or will export data to a file.
The Range section contains options that control the minimum and maximum plot ranges of the X and Y axes as well as the number of data points used to calculate the graphs and tables. This section also contains a check box that controls automatic scaling of the Y axis values. When the Accessible Graphing Calculator starts, automatic scaling is on by default. Autoscale over-rides the values set for Y max and Y min. Normally a graph should be allowed to autoscale. However when one wants to hear, for example, the difference between two data sets, it may be convenient to use fixed Y max and min values.
The Mode section contains options for the visual appearance of plotted points. Options are to draw small circles for each point, to draw a smooth line through the data set, to include error bars, and to plot the first derivative information from the data table.
The Axes section contains options for labeling axes on visual graph. These options include showing the X axis, showing the Y axis, drawing X axis labels, and drawing Y axis labels.
The Frame section contains visual graph options for indicating positions on graph. Possible selections are: no tick marks or grid lines, tick marks only, and grid lines only.
The visual graph is displayed by using the F3 hot key or by going to the Graph menu (ALT G) and choosing the Show Graph item (G). This menu item displays or hides the visual graph on the left side of the screen. Below the graph are three text boxes that display the X and Y coordinates of the graph's cursor location as well as any uncertainty value for the point where the cursor is located. ALT LEFT and RIGHT ARROW keys move the graph's cursor, and the coordinates displayed in the boxes change accordingly. There is an auditory display representing the Y axis value at the cursor location as the cursor is moved along the X axis. F3 is the hot key to display the graph and CTRL F3 hides the graph.
Exercise 2.15: Display the visual graph for Data Set 1.
If Plot settings are changed, the visual and auditory graphs (auditory graphs are described in the Wave Tab Page,) as well as the relevant data set are updated by pressing the F4 hot key or by going to the Graph menu (ALT G) and choosing Evaluate Expression (E) from the list.
The keyboard shortcuts related to graphing are summarized on the Graphing Hot Key page.
For non-sighted users, exploring a graph point-by-point is tedious. Hence the need for the audio plot or auditory graph. To control the audio plot settings, it is necessary to use the Wave Tab Page. To access the Wave page, TAB to the Plot title and press the RIGHT ARROW key once, or use the Options menu and choose Wave (ALT O, W, and ENTER)
Next: Section 2.7. Wave Tab Page
Last: Section 2.5. Data Set Tab Pages
Index