Plot Parametric issues

[ceraolo]

It seems that PlotParametric does not allow to plot several variables against the same one on the x-axis.
Since it allows several curves in the same plot, this seems no to be due to a limitation of the used 3rd party software.
There may be several ways on which the same x-axis variable to be selected to allow plotting more than one curve. One of them is that after selecting an x-variable, the curves to be plotted against that one be selected clicking on their name's boxes while holding the shift key.
Many other ways are possible. Whatever is chosen it should be written in the documentation. Current doc says:

Plot parametric

Draws a two-dimensional parametric diagram, between variables x and y, with y as a function of x.

It does not even say that one has first to click on the x-variable then on the y.

Moreover there must be a serious bug on the parametric plotting software. I get a program crash every few seconds when I work with it. Unfortunately, up to now I could not find a repetitive sequence to reproduce the issue. In a few cases (today) the crash report should have been sent; in many others MS Windows shut off OMEdit before it could be sent.

[ceraolo]

Will this ticket be considered, at least partly, for 1.12 release (or even beta1)?

[adeas31]

I will try to fix it for 1.12 final release.

[ceraolo]

Thanks. AFAIK this will happen by September.

Just a further comment. It would be nice if you developers decide to switch by that time, as anticipated, to a new Qt version. I dare suggest to go directly to 5.9 LTS so that QChart quality evaluation can start, to consider future possible adoption.

[ceraolo]

Update. I don't get crashes with parametric plots anymore.
In general, Omedit stability has improved a lot.

I still miss the possibility to plot several variables against another. Is this possible with a reasonably limited effort?

[ceraolo]

I still miss the possibility to plot several variables against another. Is this possible with a reasonably limited effort?

May I ask if this can be addressed within a month from now?
Sorry for asking, but this has consequences on my next semester's course.

[casella]

@adeas31, is this a quick fix?

[adeas31]

Replying to casella:

@adeas31, is this a quick fix?

I don't know exactly. I need to first understand what does he want.

@ceraolo do you mean the first selected variable is used for x-axis and rest of the variables are used for y-axis?

[ceraolo]

@ceraolo do you mean the first selected variable is used for x-axis and rest of the variables are used for y-axis?

This would very be good for me.
In the ticket description I proposed the use of shift key when selecting variables, just to let OMEdit know when selection has finished, but now I realise that it was an unnecessary complication.

A final note. I recently discovered that currently we can have two (or more) curves on the same parametric plot, selecting for both files the x variable, that is useful although non documented.

[adeas31]

A final note. I recently discovered that currently we can have two (or more) curves on the same parametric plot, selecting for both files the x variable, that is useful although non documented.

Yes you can plot multiple curves on parametric plot but for each curve you have to select two variables. The first selected variable is used for x-axis and the second for y-axis. If we go for the solution you proposed then we have to drop this functionality. I am not sure how we can keep both.

[ceraolo]

Yes you can plot multiple curves on parametric plot but for each curve you have to select two variables. The first selected variable is used for x-axis and the second for y-axis. If we go for the solution you proposed then we have to drop this functionality. I am not sure how we can keep both.

What about using shift-click when selecting the x variable from the second file?

[adeas31]

You can select the x variable from the second file. But both x and y should belong to the same file.

I think what you want is the possibility to select one x and then multiple y.

[ceraolo]

I think what you want is the possibility to select one x and then multiple y.

I think that the code to do everything is already there.

OMEdit already manages well two different x-axes and y variables associated with them.
So the though part is already done.

We are just discussing about how to arrange things so that the user can for instance accomplish the following two tasks

TASK 1 - select x1 and y1a, y1b all from file 1
TASK 2 - select x1 from file 1, x2 from file 2 and y1a, y1b, y2a, y2b (the first two from file 1 the second ones from file 2).

According to my proposal in comment 11 the user could accomplish these tasks as follows

TASK 1

• open a parametric plot
• select in sequence x1, y1a y1b

TASK2

• open a parametric plot
• select in sequence x1, y1a, y1b
• while holding shift select x2
• select y2a, y2b

I mean, holding shift tells OMEdit that the variable being selected is a new x variable.

I don't see any issues in this procedure. It looks easy to implement and easy to use for the final user.

Naturally once it is coded, it can be used for more than just to files and than just two variables per file. The user cold even go bath and forth between files, just holding shift while selecting a new x variable.

[adeas31]

Ahhh it not that simple to implement but I will give it a try. I m just not sure what will happen when we start unchecking the variables. Hopefully I can find some way to handle it.

[ceraolo]

The shift key is needed to allow changing the x variable for a file without first to having to select variables from another file.
So the proposed procedure would enhance the user experience also when dealing with a single file!

[adeas31]

Should be fixed with ​PR#7373. There were some issues with the implementation of parametric plot and I fixed all of them with this pull request. In general I expect parametric plot feature to be a lot more stable now but I might have introduced new bugs so I will look forward to your feedback.