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mplot

The mplot command is used to plot the results from margin analysis, which includes operating range and Monte Carlo analyses. It is also used to set and clear interactive margin analysis plotting.

mplot [[-on|-off] | [-c][filename ...] | vector]
The filenames are names of files produced by the margin analysis. If no file is specified, the file produced by the last margin analysis run in the current session is assumed. If no margin analysis files have been produced in the current session, the file named ``check.dat'' is assumed. It is also assumed that these files exist in the current directory. The name of the most recent margin analysis output file produced in the current session is saved in the mplot_cur variable.

The results from operating range/Monte Carlo analysis are also hidden away in the resulting plot structure. The mplot can be displayed by entering ``mplot vector'' where vector is any vector in the plot.

The -c switch combines the operating range data from the files on the command line into a single display, if possible. Thus, if two or more successive operating range analysis runs are required to obtain the total operating range, then it is possible to plot all of the results on a single graph with the -c option. The data must have identical coordinate spacing and projected origins to be combinable.

There are two switches, -on and -off, which control whether or not operating range analysis results are plotted on the screen during analysis, similar to the iplot command. Entering mplot -on will cause margin analysis results to be plotted while simulating, and mplot -off will turn this feature off.

The display consists of an array of cells, each of which represent the results of a single trial. As the results become available, the cells indicate a pass or fail, In operating range analysis, the cells indicate a particular bias condition according to the axes. In Monte Carlo analysis, the position of the cells has no significance. In this case the display indicates the number of trials completed.

The panel includes a Help button which brings up the appropriate topic in the help system, a Redraw button to redraw the plot if, for example, the plotting colors are redefined, and a Print button for generating hard copy output of the plot.

Text entered while the pointer is in the mplot window will appear in the plot, and hardcopies. This text, and other text which appears in the plot, can be edited in the manner of text in plot windows.

The cells in an mplot can be selected/deselected by clicking on them. Clicking with button 1 will select/deselect that cell. Using button 2, the row containing the cell will be selected or deselected, and with button 3 the column will be selected or deselected. A selected cell will be shown with a colored background, with an index number printed.

Only one mplot window can have selections. Clicking in a new window will deselect all selections in other mplot windows.

At present, the selections are used to facilitate plotting of multidimensional plots, such as those obtained from the -k option of the check command. If selections exist, only the data from the selected cells will be plotted from the associated multidimensional vectors in the plot command.

For example, after running ``check -k'', suppose one has a resulting vector v(1) (which will contain data from all of the trials). If not using ``mplot -on'' during the run, one can type ``mplot'' after the run to display the pass/fail results. In the mplot window, select one of the cells. Then, ``plot v(1)'' will plot the v(1) from that trial only. If no cells are selected, or all cells are selected, ``plot v(1)'' would show the superimposed v(1) traces from all trials. The index number that appears in the cell is the vector index, so for example if a single box is selected with index 4, ``plot v(1)'' would be equivalent to ``plot v(1)[4]''. Note that the selection mechanism allows combinations of traces to be plotted which can't easily be obtained from indexing.

This capability is carried a step further for general multidimensional plots. If one enters ``mplot vector'' where vector is the name of a multidimensional vector from whatever source, an mplot will appear. If the vector originated from operating range or Monte Carlo analysis, the resulting mplot will appear (the pass/fail results are saved in the plot structure, as well as in the output file). Otherwise, the mplot has nothing to do with range analysis, and all cells are marked "fail". Either case allows the selection mechanism to be used for displaying the plots. Suppose for example one has a multidimensional plot from a loop-transient analysis. Entering ``mplot time'' will bring up a dummy mplot whose cells represent the loop iterations (time is the scale vector for the plot, but any data vector in the plot would suffice). Then, by selecting the cells, one can choose which iterations will be visible when vectors from the plot are plotted with the plot command.


next up previous contents index
Next: plot Up: Graphical Output Commands Previous: iplot   Contents   Index
Stephen R. Whiteley 2006-10-23