Creating Plots

5 - 1   Creating Plots

The basic steps for creating a plot in Tecplot 360 EX are:

1.Define your dataset using one of the following methods:

a.Use the Load Data command from the File menu. Please refer to Chapter 4: “Loading Data” for information on working with a specific data loader.

b.Use the "Open Layout" command from the File menu to load linked layout or layout package files. (See Section 23 - 1 “Layout Files, Layout Package Files, Stylesheets” for more information on layout files.)

c.Use any combination of the options in the Create Zone submenu of the Data menu or the Insert menu to create your datasets directly within Tecplot 360 EX. Section 20 - 5 “Zone Creation” and Chapter 18: “Text, Geometries, and Images” for more information.

2.Select the Plot Type (3D, 2D, XY Line, Polar Line, or Sketch) from the Plot sidebar. Refer to Chapter 7: “Field Plots” for information regarding 3D and 2D plots, Chapter 6: “XY and Polar Line Plots” for information on XY Line and Polar Line plots, and Chapter 18: “Text, Geometries, and Images” for information on sketch plots.

3.Toggle-on any mapping or zone layers from the Plot sidebar. The following mapping and zone layers are available:

• Mesh Layer

• Contour Layer

• Shade Layer

• Vector Layer

• Scatter Layer

• Edge Layer

• Line Map Layer

• Symbols Map Layer

• XY Line Error Bars

• XY Line Bar Charts

The layers available in the Plot sidebar are dependent upon the active plot type.

note00088.pngIn order to view surfaces on your plot, open the Zone Style dialog, select the Surfaces tab, and use the [Surfaces to Plot] drop-down menu to choose an available surface plotting option.

The Zone Style dialog is available by either double-clicking on your plot, selecting the [Zone Style] button from the Plot sidebar, or selecting Plot>Zone Style from the Menu bar.

4.Use the options in the Plot menu (such as Blanking or Axis) to customize how your data is displayed. Refer to Section 7 - 4 “Three-dimensional Plot Control” or Chapter 17: “Axes” for additional information.

5.Use the options in the Data menu (such as Alter>Specify Equations or Interpolate) to alter the dataset. Refer to Chapter 20: “Data Operations” and Chapter 21: “CFD Data Analysis” for additional information.

6.[3D only] toggle-on zone effects (translucency and lighting). Refer to Chapter 13: “Translucency and Lighting” for details.

7.Use the Zone Style or Mapping Style dialogs to opt zones in and out of plot layers or the entire plot. Refer to Section 7 - 1 “Field Plot Modification and the Zone Style Dialog” and Section 6 - 1 “Mapping Style and Creation”, respectively, for details.

8.[2D or 3D only] add derived objects (Slices, Streamtraces or Iso-surfaces). Use their respective buttons (slice_details00089.png, streamtrace_details00090.png, isosurface_details00091.png) to customize any derived objects.

You are not limited to working with only one plot at a time. You can create multiple plots on a single page using frames and frame linking, and you can create multiple pages. See Section 2 - 3 “Frames” for more information.