Overview

This package creates a panel that allows you to scroll via button and keypad inputs through a sequence of traces on a graph. Scrolling can be done manually or in a movie-like mode. You can also write plugin functions to run your own code at each iteration of the trace update.

The panel is appended to the bottom of the front-most visible graph.

Features

The panel is found under Misc:Panels:Scroll Traces (only active when at least one graph is in the experiment). Once a panel is appended to a graph, click the checkbox to turn on/off the scroll trace mode. Click the @ checkbox to turn off or on the ability to use the keyboard as input to the panel (useful to disable the panel while moving the cursors on a trace for example).

Single Step

Step through traces using the buttons or the left/right arrow keys on the keyboard. Use SHIFT-left or SHIFT-right to go to the first or last trace. Go to a particular trace by inputting its number. Change the left axis scaling using the buttons or the a, c, h, or f keyboard inputs. The (a)ll scaling shows the current in reference to all, the (c)urrent scaling shows the current at full scale, the (h)old scaling keeps the left axis scaling constant through all traces, and the (f)reeze scaling does the same while showing a "reference" trace selected each time the freeze button is clicked or f is typed. Change the loop mode using the buttons or the o or l keyboard inputs. The (o)nce mode goes first to last, while (l)oop mode goes continuously round and round.

Movie Mode [now works in recent snapshot release - panel will show v 1.1]

Activate movie mode with the >> or << buttons. While in movie mode, no keyboard input is accepted, however panel slider will change movie speed. Abort the movie mode by clicking the IgorPro generated Abort button, the X button, or using the Esc keyboard.

Plug-Ins

You can write a plug-in function to run at each instance the trace is updated. Examples are given in the package to add a dynamic annotation to the graph or print information to the history. To include a plugin automatically, put it into the ScrTraces PlugIns folder in the package folder. To use any other plugin, include it in the experiment file. Then activate none (-), a default (x), or all (!) plug-in functions in the popup menu selection. The format that is called by Scroll Traces for a valid plug-in function is

Function ScrTracesPI_PLUGINNAME(mode,gName,tNames,tNumber)
	string gName, tNames
	variable mode, tNumber
 
        ...
        return 0
end

where gName is the graph name, tNames is the list of traces on the graph, mode is the current scroll trace mode, and tNumber is the current trace being displayed.

Should you have a plugin function that may be of general interest, feel free to contact me to have it posted here.

Platform Specific

On the Macintosh, an additional button titled "p" appears that is to be used to close the panel.

Distribution Details

• Experiments: none
• Procedure Files: ScrollTraces
• XOPS: none
• Demos: ScrollTracesDemo
• Requires Packages: NONE*
• Benefits from Packages: PackageTools
• Help Files: none
• Documentation: the Web pages for this project and notebook in demo

Releases