Box Plots

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Wed, 06/29/2016 - 01:04 am

I have a question concerning Box Plots. I want to make a Graph containing Box Plot ((Windows/New/Box Plot) and add something (e.g. drawing, text) to it using Tools option (CTRL-T). It works fine: I can add things and modify what I have added. However, if I save the file and re-open it again, I can't modify the added drawings, text anymore. Does anyone knows a solution for this problem? Thank you. Maria
You should check to see that you are editing in the correct draw layer. If memory serves, after re-opening an experiment Igor always restores graphs with the UserFront layer active, no matter what the active layer was when you closed the experiment. I don't like this 'feature', and have complained to no avail.

June 29, 2016 at 02:34 am - Permalink

Thanks, this makes sense. But I am not sure I know how to see in which layer I have originally made the drwaings. Do you know how to see this?

June 29, 2016 at 06:19 am - Permalink

In the tools option: click the little tree whilst holding alt (on a mac).

June 29, 2016 at 06:27 am - Permalink

Thanks. I am with PC :-)
I have a little tree and a little book on the left with options "bring to front", "send to back", "forwards", "backwards". But I do not know how to see in which layer I am.

June 29, 2016 at 06:48 am - Permalink

Or you can use SetDrawLayer from the command line
DisplayHelpTopic "SetDrawLayer"
This summarizes the Layers, and how to manipulate them. I suggest reviewing the Manual's chapter on Drawing.

June 29, 2016 at 06:51 am - Permalink

Use sjr51's advice for finding the present layer ("tree"+alt). The active layer is checked, and can be changed by the command line or selecting another layer with the mouse. Unfortunately to find where your DRAWING exists is harder. Either use trial and error (followed by attempted editing) or make a Graph recreation macro DoWindow/R YourGraphName and parse its contents to see in what layer the drawing exists.

June 29, 2016 at 07:01 am - Permalink

Finally it works!!!!! I need to un-click "UserFront" and go to "ProgAxes". This is really a veeeeery hidden option :)))
Thanks a lot for all your help. This forum is great!

June 29, 2016 at 07:14 am - Permalink

mariakukley wrote:
Finally it works!!!!! I need to un-click "UserFront" and go to "ProgAxes". This is really a veeeeery hidden option :)))

It's a big problem. Igor has so many features and options that I doubt that even us WaveMetrics engineers know everything you can do with Igor. But perhaps you will be encouraged to know that finding that particular menu has been such a problem in the past that in Igor 7 I created a new button in the tool palette just for that purpose. Now it's right up front.

I would like to note that the "Prog" layers are intended (by convention only) for use by code that adds drawing items to a graph. It is unlikely, but you could get a procedure package that erases your ProgAxes drawing layer. Of course, a misbehaving procedure could erase anything it wants to, but erasing Prog layers is more or less correct behavior.

To move your drawing objects to a different layer you need to select them all, cut, change to a new layer and paste. This is not a big deal- keep it in mind for the future.

John Weeks
WaveMetrics, Inc.
support@wavemetrics.com

June 29, 2016 at 09:20 am - Permalink

Hi John, Thanks for encouragement. We are still trying the Box Plots. Perhaps "ProgAxes" is not the only way to solve the problem. May be I am back here with another question soon :-) Maria

June 30, 2016 at 01:35 am - Permalink

mariakukley wrote:
Perhaps "ProgAxes" is not the only way to solve the problem.

You can use the "UserAxes" layer to get the exact same effect, except that it is on top of "ProgAxes". That would be an issue only if there are drawing elements in both of those layers. Both of those layers will create drawing elements on top of the axes but below traces and annotations.

John Weeks
WaveMetrics, Inc.
support@wavemetrics.com

June 30, 2016 at 09:44 am - Permalink