3d plot

[milutin]

I would like to solicit your ideas, if not direct help re. 3D graphs.

I spent whole day yesterday, reading most of the written articles and analyzing examples for 3D plotting.The effort I made, if for no other reasons at least help me understand what I need. I will read a signal (volts) for angular scans (0-80) at many wavelengths. That means that I will have simple X (angle) and Y (volts) plot from 2D array stored in Excel spreadsheet. Next sequence within the same run will increment a wavelength and the angular scan <script> .xls.\u003cbr /\>Sounds simple, yet I\'m struggle to make it all work. To simulate the data\u003cbr /\>that\u003cbr /\>I will use I created a spreadsheet to match sequences and typo of data I\u003cbr /\>expect. I get in trouble just reading the .xls data, most likely the data\u003cbr /\>format is an issue. Secondly, how do I plot each 2D array with solid color\u003cbr /\>(not\u003cbr /\>just a line) under the signal curve and have the next curve to be only a\u003cbr /\>shade\u003cbr /\>off form previous color. I will have quite a few wavelength runs and for\u003cbr /\>that\u003cbr /\>reason I like to differentiate each run in (like spectrum) color.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>I\'m really rusty with Lab View since I have not used it in three years.\u003cbr /\>Any,\u003cbr /\>even trivial hints will help detailed help will be most appreciated.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>Thanks,\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>Milutin\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>On 10/31/07, \u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:support@ni.com\"\>support@ni.com\u003c/a\> <\u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"mailto:support@ni.com\"\>support@ni.com\u003c/a\>> wrote:\u003cbr /\>Thank you for contacting National Instruments!This message is an\u003cbr /\>automatic response from our e-mail support system to let you know that we\u003cbr /\>received your support question.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>Our e-mail support hours are from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM United States Central\u003cbr /\>Time, Monday through Friday.An Applications Engineer will typically\u003cbr /\>respond to your support question within 12 business hours, barring\u003cbr /\>holidays.For a list of holidays for the NI US offices, please check\u003cbr /\>\u003ca onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\" href\u003d\"http://www.ni.com/support/holiday.htm\" target\u003d_blank\>http://www.ni.com/support\u003cwbr /\>/holiday.htm\u003c/a\>.\u003cbr /\>\u003cbr /\>Next time, consider posting your question to the NI Discussion Forums for\u003cbr /\>immediate access to engineers and developers around the world.NI\u003cbr /\>Applications Engineers monitor the forums to ensure all support questions\u003cbr /\>are answered.To access the discussion forums, please visit\u003cbr /\>",1] );</script>will repeat – another 2D array stored in .xls. Sounds simple, yet I'm struggle to make it all work. To simulate the test data I created a spreadsheet to match sequences and type of data I expect from the actual test. First, I get in trouble just reading the .xls data, most likely the data format is an issue (I could use hint on .vi to read from spreadsheet) the one from example read zero only. Secondly, how do I plot each 2D array with solid color (not just a line) under the signal curve and have the next curve to be only a shade off form previous color. I will have quite a few wavelength runs and for that reason I like to differentiate each run in (like spectrum) color. There is a forum posted example that I was not able to implement. I'm really rusty with Lab View since I have not used it in three years. Any, even trivial hints will help, detailed help will be most appreciated. Thanks, Milutin

[milutin]

There must be a limit to the message lenght!?
cont. form original post

To simulate the test data
I created a spreadsheet to match sequences and type of data I
expect from the actual test. First, I get in trouble just reading the .xls data, most likely the data format is an issue (I could use hint on .vi to read from spreadsheet) the one from example read zero only. Secondly, how do I plot each 2D array with solid color
(not just a line) under the signal curve and have the next curve to be only a
shade off form previous color. I will have quite a few wavelength runs and for
that reason I like to differentiate each run in (like spectrum) color. There is a forum posted example that I was not able to implement.
I'm really rusty with Lab View since I have not used it in three years.
Any, even trivial hints will help, detailed help will be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Milutin

[Ben]

To keep things simple I recomend you save your files as tab delimited so you can use the "Read from Spreadsheet.VI" to get your data.

Then it sounds like you want a seperate surface for each data-set/scan.

Try those suggestions, and if you get stuck post your code along with the data file and let someone give you another nudge.

Ben

PS I get a kick out of 3d graph question that have real data. If you post real data, I'll be more likely to follow this thread.

[milutin]

My real data is about 3weeks away. However, that schedule will depend on how clever

I set the data taking: sequence, format, order of my arrays, etc….

I will develop measurement vi as soon as I feel comfortable with 3D graph presentation.

For now I only have simulated data included in my post

[pacific]

Hello milutin,

The attached VI simulates your spreadsheet data (for wavelengths 400 and 500) and then displays it as two curves of different colors on the 3D Curve graph.
To change the number of plots displayed by the 3D Curve, right click the active-x container on the front panel and select CWGraph3D>>Properties...
Then modify the Plots tab.
Hope this helps.

Prashant.

[milutin]

Prashant, thanks a milion, this should help me to get going.
My vi is digfferent, threfore I now have a chance to solve my
problem. I'm still spining my wheels trying to read my excel
data(tab delimited).
Milutin

[Ben]

Hi milutin,

That's a new question.

Please start a new thread and ask about reading from a tab delimited file.

Trying to help,

Ben

[milutin]

I'm at the point where I have fully working vi. that creates an xcl file as the one I attached.
I tried your 3d plotting method but it does not work since I have many Z data slices. Can
something be altered  in you vi to read z curves in a loop?
milutin

[Ben]

Please post the code that you are working with so someone can take a look.

Still trying to help!

Ben