µView USER'S MANUAL
This is a painfully obsolete guide to µView and the menu options
that are contained in the GUI.
CONTENTS
Installing instructions
GUI loading
and the
'default.gui' file
Status text
field for any message
display
MENU OPTIONS:
File
View
Options
Tools
If the Applet is not loading,
follow the next three steps:
- Make sure you are working in a browser that can support Java Applets.
- You need to copy the .java.policy file into a specific place on your
computer:
Platform
|
Where to save the .java.policy file
|
Linux/Unix (including Mac-OS/X)
|
~/.java.policy
(i.e. in your own $HOME directory on your computer) |
Windows 95/98 (single-user)
|
C:\WINDOWS\java.policy
|
Windows 95 (multi-user)
|
C:\Windows\Profiles\<userid>\java.policy |
Windows NT (multi-user) |
C:\Winnt\Profiles\<userid>\java.policy |
Windows 2000/ME (multi-user) |
Not sure. |
Windows XP (multi-user) |
Not sure. |
Windows Vista (multi-user) |
Not sure. |
Windows 7 (multi-user) |
Not sure. |
This File is also included with the downloadable musrPackage (see below
for more details)
Note that when you are saving the .java.policy file as a text
file, some operating systems may append a .txt extension. If this
happens, you must rename the file and remove the extension.
Notes For Windows:
- In the various Windows operating systems, there is a
setting which can hides the file extension. Go to the "Folder Options"
settings, and make sure the box labeled "Hide file extensions for known
file types" is NOT checked. You can get to the "Folder Options" from
the Windows Explorer "View" menu on Windows 98, or the "Tools" menu on
Windows NT and 2000.
- If you do all of the above and the "Save As" buttons still do
not become active, there is one more thing you can try. You can tell
the Java Plug-in exactly where the .java.policy file is by doing the
following:
1. Open the
Java Plug-in Control Panel and find the entry box for "Java Runtime
Parameters."
(See step 1. in the plugin memory boost page for how to get to the
Plug-in Control Panel.)
2. In the area where you can
enter "Java Runtime Parameters", you can put the following statement:
-Djava.security.policy=C:\WINDOWS\.java.policy
This
assumes that you put the .java.policy file in C:\WINDOWS.
-This will allow the Applet to load in
your browser and enable the
opening of files into the Applet and making RMI file transfers between
the musr server and your computer.
-Note: The .java.policy file will not make any other system permissions
than the ones mentioned above. If you feel unsafe about having this
policy file in your home directory, you can erase it (or copy it into a
different directory) when you are done with using the MUSR GUI.
GUI loading and the
'default.gui' file
When the GUI is loaded, it will
automatically search for
a 'default.gui' file in the /tmp/ directory that is universal to most
operating systems.
This is a file that contains the previous GUI state
(see
'Save GUI' menu option) and it is loaded for convenience so that the
user
can continue
to work without having to load a saved state. If the
'defalult.gui' file is not there, it will just report that the file
wasn't
found and a default
GUI state will be loaded to start work from scratch
or
load some other GUI state.
Status text field for
any message
display
Is located below of the GUI menu-bar and is
used
to display any information, comment or error that the GUI would want to
inform the user of.
MENU OPTIONS:
File
- Open a Saved
GUI- (Ctrl+O)
This option opens a GUI state that had previosly been
created by using the 'Save GUI' menu option.
If there is a Diplay Plots Frame open while loading
the
GUI state, the new plot will automatically be loaded into it.
The fiel is zipped so the loading process unzips the
file.
- Save GUI - (Ctrl+S)
This option will save the current GUI state. The
files
can be saved with a '.gui' extension to distinguish the files easier.
The file is zipped before it is saved into a
directory.
Note: when the 'save window' comes up, it will have a
filename 'default.gui' written in it. If the user saves the state under
this name, then,
that state will be automatically loaded the next time
GUI is started up. It is important to save this 'default.gui' file in
the
same directory
netscape or IE (i.e. GUI) is loaded from (this is
mainly for the UNIX users that run their netscape application from
their xterm windows).
- Import
Data Table from File on 'musr.triumf.ca' Server (through RMI)
This option will
load
in a specified 'db' file from //musr.triumf.ca/GUI_RMIServer. The
requested
file has to be a standard db file.
-There is a default directory with a random 'db'
file already written
in to download from the server. You will have to specify a new
directory path
and the 'db' file name to open from the server.
-Also, you will have to save the db file onto
your computer before the
GUI can open it. The additional textfields are there for you to specify
the directory path on your computer and the name of the
file, the way
you would want it. Note that the settings that you enter will be
preserved and
even if you save your GUI, these settings will be saved
with it.
If the rmiregistry is active on your computer,
the file should
automatically transfer, be saved on your computer and loaded into your
GUI after
you've presses the 'Open File' button.
- Import
Data Table from File on 'cmms.triumf.ca' Server (through RMI)
This option will
load
in a specified 'db' file from //cmms.triumf.ca/GUI_RMIServer. The
requested
file has to be a standard db file.
-There is a default directory with a random 'db' file already
written
in to download from the server. You will have to specify a new
directory path
and the 'db' file name to open from the server.
-Also, you will have to save the db file onto your computer
before the
GUI can open it. The additional textfields are there for you to specify
the directory path on your computer and the name of the file, the way
you would want it. Note that the settings that you enter will be
preserved and
even if you save your GUI, these settings will be saved with it.
If the rmiregistry is active on your computer, the file should
automatically transfer, be saved on your computer and loaded into your
GUI after
you've presses the 'Open File' button.
- Import
Data Table from local file - (Ctrl+I)
This option will load in the selected .'db' file. The
file has to be a standard db file.
It also loads '.' files.
The .java.policy file that you have in your home directory should allow
you to load db files from anywhere in your computer.
- Remove Data Table
- (Ctrl+R)
This option removes the Data Table that is selected
in
the Data Tables Panel.
- Quit - (Ctrl+Q)
Exit the GUI.
View
- Display Plot - (Ctrl+D)
This option will display the plot based on all the
set-ups
that were done in the GUI regarding plots.
The plot is displayed in a separate window. It
contains
within itself:
- Back button:
- Refresh Button:
There is a Zoom option if the user wants to zoom in.
Just simply select a square area to zoom in. The Back Button is used to
go back to the previos views of the plot.
If for some reason the plot doesn't 'look right', the
refresh button will l oad everything from scratch.
- Main GUI Window
(DataTables and Columns) - (Ctrl+G)
Data Tables panel:
Every db file that is loaded is listed in this panel. One Data Table
corresponds
to one db file.
Remove DataTable button
This button removes the selected DataTable. Note: this doesn't remove
the
plots selected in x-axis and y-axis panels.
Columns panel
These are all the columns that are contained within the selected Data
Table
in the Data Tables Panel.
View Coulmn Data
This button will display the data of teh selected column in a separate
persistent window.
x-axis panel
By selecting any column in the Columns Panel and by pressing the add X
button, that column is added to this panel.
Dependeng on the which Data Table is used in the Data Tables Panel, an
appropriate number that corresponds to that Data Table will be added in
brackets after the column name.
This column will be a part of the selected Frame. One can add as many
x-axis
columns as one wishes.
y-axis panel
By selecting any column in the Columns Panel and by pressing the add Y
button, that that column is added to this panel.
This column matches with the selected x-axis column. Therefore it is
not
possible to choose a y-axis column unless that column is from the same
Data Table as the selected x-axis column.
One can add ass many y-axis columns with some x-axis column as one
wishes.
add X button
This button adds the selected column from The Columns Panel into the
x-axis
Panel.
remove X button
This button removes the selected x-axis column from the x-axis panel.
It
also removes all the y-axis columns associated with this x-axis column.
add Y button
This button adds the selected column from The Columns Panel into the
y-axis
Panel.
remove Y button
This button removes the selected y-axis column from the y-axis panel.
Display Plot
This option will display the plot . To see details about it, look up
the
'Display Plot' Menu option. - Show Title, Abstract,
Comments
Will open a new
window and display the selected Table's Title, Abstract and Comments.
-Abstract:
A db file that is loaded usually has an Abstract within itself with
comments
about the experiment and data.
-Comments:
In the db file, every row of the data that is loaded into datacolumns
can
have a comment about it at the end of the line.
- Data
Spreadsheet- (Ctrl+E)
This is the spreadsheet that contains all the data
that
was loaded from the db file.
- Functions Table
This displays all the functions defined (with the
Tools/Define
Function option) and default in the GUI.
- Constants Table
This displays all the constants defined and default
in
the GUI. THere three ways that constants are put into the table.
One: it is defined by default,
two: when the user defines it from the Tools/Define
Constant
option
and three: when the db file is loaded any constant
definition
in the data that is loaded is recorded in this table.
Options
- Axis Types
-The x or y axis can be displayed in three different
ways, as linear, logarithmic or inverse.
- Point Type s
& Sizes
Set Graph Type:
-The graph can have the data points be connected with
a line.
-The actual data points can be changed into different
symbols. Onceone of the symbols is chosen, the 'line' checkbox is
automatically disabled but can be
turned back on if the user wishes to have both the symbol points and
connected
points with a line.
Set Symbol Size:
- This option changes the sizes of the symbols that
are
chosen for the data points in the graph.
Set Graph Color:
- This option sets the colour of the graph line and
symbols.
- Title and Labels
-in case the user desides to have his/er own Title
and
Labels in the plot, these settings will override the default Title and
Labels.
- Limits (Min
and Max)
-the GUI makes automatic calculations to display the
plot the best way it can to arrange all the data be nicely seen.
-the user can wish to make his/er own graph min-max
limits
settings. If the text field for either x, y min or max have values in
them,
the GUI will not make automatic arrangements for that 'part' of the
axis.
If the textfields are blank, the GUI will calculate that end-point of
the
axis automatically.
- Strict Limits
This option lets teh user choose the way the plot's
azis
are diplayed in terms of limiting values on the labels.
If the Strict Limits are ON, then the GUI will take
EXACT
min and max values for the axes end-points (So called - tight labels).
If the Strict Limits are OFF, then the GUI will
automatically
make a nice looking axis based on the limiting min and max values (So
called
- loose labels).
The min and max values can be:
- the smallest and largest data
point
value of overall data that is in the graph (if the Limits (Min &
Max)
textfields are empty) , or
- the min and max values in the
Limits
(Min and Max) menu settings if the user had put a value in any one of
the
four textfields.
- Set
case-sensitive
If this option is ON, all the Constants and Functions
that are defined will be case-sensitive, i.e. it WILL matter if a value
is defined as upper or lower case.
If this option is OFF, all the Function and Constant
values will be defined as upper case.
- Color Options:
- Background Color - sets the
background
color of the plot.
- Borderline Color - sets the
colors
of teh border lines in the plot, including the title and the labels.
- Label Font :
- Label Font Type - sets the font
type for the numbers and labels around the plot
- Label Font Style - sets the font
style for the numbers and labels around the plot
- Label Font Size - sets the font
size for the numbers and labels around the plot
- TitleFont :
- Title Font Type - sets the font
type for the title above the plot
- Title Font Style - sets the font
style for the title above the plot
- Title Font Size - sets the font
size for the title above the plot
- NumbersFont :
- Numbers Font Type - sets the
font
type for the axis numbers
- Numbers Font Style - sets the font
style
for the axis numbers
- Numbers Font Size - sets the
font
size for the axis numbers
- Plot Setup (pix):
- Top Distance - sets the distance
in pixels from the edge of the window to the borderline of the plot
- Bottom Distance
- Left Distance
- Right Distance
- Graph Setup:
- Error Bars - can be shown or
hidden
in the plot.
- Error Bar Edge Tics - can be on
or off.
- Dot Fiducials - are the dots
displayed
within the plot at prominent tic spots, to make the graph look more
structured.
Can be on or off.
- Zero Axes Setup:
- Horizontal - adds a dotted
horizontal
line, where x value is zero.
- Vertical - adds a dotted vertical
line,
where y value is zero.
- Status Info:
- This list shows the values of various
variables
that can be changed in the "Options" menu.
- Command Line Console
This feature enables the user to enter one's own
commands
directly into the GUI.
For more detail, you can view the DB Commands at dbonly.html.
For the full DB documentation,
refer to db.html.
Note: db.html documentation includes the
DOPLOT Commands as well, however, these have not been implemented in
the Java MUsr GUI.
Note: If you have loaded the musrPackage, these
files can also be found in the musrPackage/html/ directory.
There are slight differences in
the
way they were implemented in GUI so I'll give some explanations about
them
below.
Note that in the Data Table panel, there is a
'default'
Data Table that is always there. This Datatable is used to load the
data
into from the command line input console.
All the commands called in the console are by default
applied to whatever is loaded in this default Data Table, since that is
the one that will be selected in the
Main GUI Window. However, if the user selects any other data table in
teh Main GUI Window, the console commands will be applied to that Data
Table.
If the user wants, it is possible to save the
default
DataTable state into a new DataTable that is
also placed in the
DataTable
Panel (see command SAVE below).
Also note that as the commands are called from the
console,
any changes that are made can simultaneously be observed in the GUI.
These are the COMMANDS that have so far been
implemented and that can be called from the console:
- @filename
-this loads a file.
Note: it is important to load the file with a full
path
name given.
The path name starts from the directory netscape (or IE)
was
loaded in (in the case it was loaded in UNIX, but not in Mac or
Windows).
If it is a .db file, it is loaded into the
'default'
DataTable, identically as the way it is loaded by calling the 'Import
Data
Table from a Local File' menu option.
-if it is a command file
(i.e. filename.), it
will read
it and handle the:
PLOT, CONDITIONAL PLOT and ZERO commands within it
and
the @filename command too.
example (loads a file filename,
extracts
columns A and B based on the condition, chooses the point type and then
zeroes the data table:
@filename
plot A B
if
T>0
0
zero
yes
- ABSTRACT
- Loads the abstract into the 'default' DataTable.
- COMMENTS
- Loads any comments into the 'default' DataTable
- COMMENTS
- Loads any comments into the 'default' DataTable
- DATA
- Allows data input into the columns.
Note: in the old DB, when there would be some
mistake
in data input, the DB would ask the user to enter all the data points
manualy.
Here, it just leaves the DATA
command and goes back to the
'DB:'
prompt. - EXIT
- Simply 'hides' the Command Input Console. To
re-open
it, choose it from the menu again. - GENERATE
- Generates a new column based on the given
expression.
Note: if the this command is called when there is
no
data, it will aks for number of rows and for an expression, however, it
will not create a 'reference' column
called I, the way DB used to.
- LABEL
- This command can be called before or after DATA
has
been called. It allows the user ot give labels to the loaded columns.
- MODIFY
- Modify will modify a given column based on the
expression
that was supplied. - PLOT
-Handles two types of plotting: regular PLOT
command
and the CONDITIONAL PLOT command. See link above for details.
The CONDITIONAL PLOT can take in at most two
conditions.
If there are two conditions, they have to be separated with a logic
symbol:
& or |.
A condition can be:
-An expression. In this case, the expression is
compared
to be larger than zero. It can contain a reference to any number of
existing
columns. (ex. T, T+3, cos(T)..)
-Two expressions separted by <,> or = (not
<= or
=>). Each of the two expressions can contain a reference to any
number
of existing column names. (ex. T>3, T=100, T+3<cos(T)...)
-Once the plot caommand is entered, the console
will
ask the user to put in a point type. These are the numbers that are
associated
with a certain point. If any other
number is used, the point type
will
be assigned automatticaly to some type.
-1: dot;
0:
square; 1: circle; 2: triangle; 3: nabla; 4: diamond; 5: star;
20:
squares
connected; 21: circles connected; 22: triangles connected; .. - SHOW
-shows Data, Labels, Abstract, Comments or Title.
- TITLE
-Loads a title into the 'defult' DataTable - ZERO
- empties the 'default' DataTable. After this it
can
be loaded again from scratch. - SAVE
- saves the state of the 'default' DataTable into a
new
DataTable under a new name and places it into the DataTable Panel in
the
GUI.
- Frames
The add button
creates
a new Frame which is a completely new plot for the new columns that are
to be added.
The remove button
removes
the selected Frame and all the x- and y-zaxis columns in it.
If the checkbox is set to auto,
the Frames are automatically arranged.
If teh checkbox is set to manual,
then it is possible to arrange the frames in the window that is
displayed.
It is possible to have a Frame not
be displayed with other frames by dissableing the visible
checkbox.
the x<->y
checkbox
will invert the plot. (i.e. it will display the x axis as y and the y
axis
as x.)
- Define Function
The gui provides a feature for the user to define a
'custom'
function. This function can then be used in the db file that is loaded.
The function takes only one parameter which has to be
called x.
- Define Constant
When the constant is defined, it is put into the
Constants
table. Then the db file that is being loaded can use this value. The
constants
are usually defined with upper-case letters.
- Automatic
Symbol Size Setup
This whole feature was added so that the user doesn't
have to worry too much about setting different symbol sizes in the
graph
everytime a new column of data is added.
Since for a column that hase many points, the symbols
would be prefered to be bigger and vice-versa, a simple algorithm takes
care of that when the column is added.
This menu option allows the user to change the
parameters
of that algorithm to allow different symbol size settings when new data
column is loaded.
This is the algorithm: size = (0.5)*nPix/max(N,Nmax),
where nPix 'simulates' the plot width in pixels, Nmax represents the
smallest
number of data points that
will be used in the algorithm. N
is
the number of data points. nPix and Nmax are the parameters that the
user
can change.
Note: The symbol sizes of each individual sets of
data
can always be changed to a new setting in the Plot Options menu.
- Plot Size Setup
Enables the user to choose the size of the Plot That
will be printed out (on to paper or to a file).
For Portrait mode, the user can manually set the
sizes
of the plot axes in centimeters. The default settings are 15x12
cm.
For Lanscape (and Reverse Landscape) mode, the default settings are
15x20
cm. If the user sets the values to be bigger than these, GUI will
automatically print them with the deafult setting since these
settings
are the largest possible setitngs that can fit on a A4 format plot.
Note: this was 'calibrated' with GhostView page
formats!
- Print - (Ctrl+P)
There is an option to
print to a file or to a printer.
If printed onto a file, the printout format in linux
is .ps
which
can be viewed with a GhostViewer. In Mac OS X, the default printout
format is .pdf.
At this time, GUI doesn't support any other
printing
format.
(Note to Mac OS X users: the Landscape option doesn't
work
properly since the Netscape doesn't do the rotation of the plot
properly, use: Portrait option).
Note:
- To make additional settings, choose the
'PrintSetup'
menu item.
-The print option will print everything that is
contained
within the display Frame, if there are more than one plots within the
frame
and the user wants to print out only
one of them without having to
erase
the rest, there is an option 'hide' in the GUI where the rest of the
plots
can be put into so that only one plot is displayed and can
then be printed out.