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The Load Window
Figure 2.6:
The Load window.
8#8 |
- Window title:
- DsTool: Load
- Function:
- The Load window allows the user to load data from an
external file into memory.
- Description:
- The Load window is opened by selecting the
Load option from the File menu button located in the Command
window. The user can select a file and load it into DsTool's memory.
- Panel items:
-
- Directory read-write text field:
Displays the currently selected directory from which
DsTool will load data. The default is the value of the UNIX environmental variable
DSTOOL_DATA_DIR, or if that is not set, the current working directory.
- Filename read-write text field:
Displays the currently selected file from which
DsTool will load data. The default is the file ``dstool.config''.
- Data style exclusive setting:
- DsTool Tk Format:
-
Specifies that the data file was saved by DsTool Tk in DsTool Tk format.
If the load window was elongated (see below), then selecting this option will return
the load window to its abbreviated size.
- DsTool 2.0 Format:
-
Specifies that the data file was saved by DsTool 2.0 or by DsTool Tk in DsTool 2.0 format,
or is in a format which DsTool can read. (The DsTool format is discussed at greater length in the
DsTool Reference Manual.)
This is the default load option. If the load window is elongated
(see below), then selecting this option will return the load window to its
abbreviated size.
- Unformatted:
-
Specifies that the data file was created by an application which wrote an ASCII
data file. The data can be read into any memory object. When this option is chosen,
the load window lengthens to reveal additional panel items which control the loading of
unformatted data.
- Load window button:
Opens and brings to the foreground the Files window,
for loading the requested file into DsTool.
In the event that the data
does not match the data structure of the current installed
system (, dimensions wrong), an error message is
displayed. If the Unformatted option is selected, then the data is loaded according to the
specified unformatted options (described below).
There are seven types of formatted data which DsTool can
load: current settings data , configuration
data ,
trajectory data , fixed point data ,
continuation data , parameter data ,
and selected point data .
Current setting data is a mirror of the non-memory and non-function items of the Postmaster.
Configuration data consists of
the size and placement of DsTool windows, as well as viewing options for 2-D View windows.
The remaining data types are discussed briefly in the Save window section of this document (and
in detail in the Reference Manual ). We note here that auxiliary function
values are special in that they are not stored in memory
but are derived from parameter and variable values whenever they are needed.
The following panel items are visible only when the user chooses the Unformatted option setting.
- Data type stack setting:
Allows the user to choose which data type will be filled with the unformatted data.
Unformatted data may be loaded into one of six data types.
The possible data types are trajectory (Traj), multiple trajectory (Mult), fixed point (Fixed),
continuation (Continuation), parameter (Param), and selected point (Sel_Pt) data.
The default setting is trajectory.
- Color exclusive setting:
Allows the user to choose whether or not data should be considered to have color information.
Each data object in DsTool has two colors associated with it: an
``alternating color'' and a ``pick color'' .
See section
for more information on color modes.
All unformatted data is assigned the current alternating color.
If the data does not contain color-coding information, then the
data is assigned the current pick color; otherwise, the pick color is determined by the
color-coding information. The default is to not have color information.
Within an unformatted data file, color is coded as an integer.
The integer appears immediately after all variable and parameter values.
If this integer is k, then the associated data object will be color-coded with the kth
color of the currently installed colormap. Obviously,
9#9
where N is the maximum
number of colors in the current colormap.
As an example, if the user has specified that
an unformatted data file contains fixed point data, values for the variables x and y,
and color-coding information, then if the file has the line
0.0 0.5 12
then DsTool will store the data point
(x,y) = (0.0,0.5) and whenever a view window has the
pick color option selected, the point (0.0,0.5) will be plotted in the 12th
color of the colormap.
Trajectories (and multiple trajectories) cannot currently be assigned colors from within an
unformatted data file; they automatically receive the current pick color. All other data objects
can be assigned colors.
- Symbol exclusive setting:
Allows the user to choose whether or not data should be considered to have symbol-coding information.
If the data does not contain symbol-coding information, then the
data is assigned the current symbol (visible in the Defaults window); otherwise, the
symbol is determined by the symbol-coding information. The default is to not have symbol information.
Within an unformatted data file, a symbol is coded as an integer.
The integer must be the last item in the field which defines the data object.
If this integer is k, then the associated data object will be symbol-coded with the kth
symbol. Currently, valid symbols require
10#10.
The values
11#11
specify dots;
12#12
specify crosses;
13#13
specify boxes;
and
14#14
specify triangles. In each case, there are three possible sizes, with the
smaller values corresponding to smaller symbols.
As an example, if the user has specified that
an unformatted data file contains fixed point data, values for the variables x and y,
and symbol-coding information, and if the file has the line
0.0 0.5 8
then DsTool will store the data point
(x,y) = (0.0,0.5) and
the point will be plotted with the 8th symbol, which happens to be the largest
box. If the user wanted both color and symbol information (say the 12th color and the
8th symbol), then the data file might read something like this:
0.0 0.5 12 8
As with colors, trajectories cannot currently be assigned symbols.
- Variables listbox: Allows the user to choose which variables will be loaded with
data from the data file. The listbox contains all of the variables of the current
dynamical system, including the independent variable. Any or all of these
variables may be selected independently of each other.
Unformatted data is loaded into variables in the same
order
as the variables appear on the list:
the first number encountered is stored in the first selected variable on the list,
the second number is stored on the second variable on the list, and so on.
If k of these variables are selected and if j parameters are selected,
then DsTool will load the first k pieces of data into the selected variable, load the next j
pieces of data into the selected parameters, and then repeat the process until it reaches the
end of the data.
Any variables not selected are assigned their current value (visible in the
Selected Point window). By default, none of the variables are selected.
- Parameters listbox: Allows the user to choose which parameters will be loaded with
data from the data file. The listbox contains all of the parameters of the current
dynamical system. Any or all of these parameters may be selected independently of each other.
When the file is loaded, DsTool proceeds as above.
Unformatted data is loaded into parameters in the same order as the parameters appear on the list.
Any parameters not selected are assigned their current value (visible in the
Selected Point window). By default, none of the parameters are selected.
As an example, suppose a dynamical system has variables (x,y,z) and parameters
15#15.
If the current values of these quantities are
(x0,y0,z0) and
16#16
and if the user specifies that an unformatted data file
contains values for x, z, and 17#17,
then a line in the file of the form
8.3 -2.3 0.01
will create a data object of the requested type and this data object will contain the
variable data
(8.3, y0, -2.3) and the parameter data
18#18.
Associated to the data object will be the current pick point color and the current
symbol, since these quantities were not specified.
- Dismiss command button:
Closes the Load window.
Next: The Files window
Up: Attributes of Interface Windows
Previous: The Save Window
John Lapeyre
1998-09-04