Putting a picture as the background of a graph

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Thu, 01/09/2014 - 12:25 pm

I've been trying to figure this out on my own for the past few days trying different methods. I want to overlay a graph on a picture. And I would like the graph to be transparent except for the data. I think the photo is pasted in the drawing layer of the graph and is always on top of it. Is there anyway to bring the graph layer to the top.

What is the correct way to do this? Use a layout? Use a panel? I was hoping to make it with a graph window, because it is simpler to automate in a function, without having to mess around with the macro game of panels and layouts. I'll be doing this to 500+ photo graph combos.

Thanks,
Brian
Execute this to read about drawing layers:
DisplayHelpTopic "Drawing Layers"

Drawing layers are covered in the Igor Pro Guided Tour. The tour is essential. If you have not done it, choose Help->Getting Started.

January 9, 2014 at 12:33 pm - Permalink

Thank you. 9 years using Igor Pro and I have never gone through the tutorial. Would be great to take an Igor training.

January 9, 2014 at 02:32 pm - Permalink

Okay, still can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I feel like this should work. In a function I have this code:

SetDrawEnv xcoord= abs,ycoord= abs
SetDrawLayer UserBack
DrawPict /RABS left,top,right,bottom, $PictureName

If I comment out the second line. The picture is drawn as expected, except that it is covering the trace of the graph. If I add the second line back in, to put the picture behind the traces, I don't see the picture. I also try "UserAxes" instead, same result. I did manage to put text on the UserBack layer. The picture is a jpg ~ mb.

I can manually insert the picture in the graph on the UserBack layer and it works fine. It is behind the trace. I just can't seem to do it in a user written function.

Any idea what is going wrong?

January 9, 2014 at 03:29 pm - Permalink

Try:
SetDrawLayer UserBack
SetDrawEnv xcoord= abs,ycoord= abs, save
DrawPict /RABS left,top,right,bottom, $PictureName


--Jim Prouty
Software Engineer, WaveMetrics, Inc.

January 9, 2014 at 03:34 pm - Permalink

That did it Jim. Thanks.
I am doing something rather non typical with Igor. For fun, not even for work. We'll see how it comes out.

January 9, 2014 at 08:09 pm - Permalink