6.8.7 Create an 8 layer multi-panel plot template


Summary

All child windows in Origin, with the exception of the Notes window, are created from template files. These template files describe how to construct the window. For a graph window, the template file determines all page and layer characteristics, such as page size, number of layers, inclusion of text labels and data plot style information to name a few.


Minimum Origin Version Required: 2016 SR0

What you will learn

This tutorial will show you how to:

  • Create an 8 layer multi-panel plot
  • Apply axis settings from one axis to all axes
  • Save a graph template
  • Reuse the template with similar data

Steps

Choosing the Data Source

  1. Click the New Project button on the Standard toolbar, to begin a new project.
  2. Open Import Wizard using the Import Wizard button on the Standard toolbar. (Note that if this is the first time that you have started the Import Wizard, you will experience a slight delay as Origin compiles the necessary files.)
  3. Verify that the ASCII radio button is selected in the Data Type group.
  4. Click the browse button to the right of the File text box. Navigate to the Origin folder; browse to the Samples folder and then the Curve Fitting folder. Select Step01.dat from the list of files.
  5. Click the Add File(s) button and save changes with OK.
  6. Leave the Import Filters for current Data Type as Data Folder: step. (This filter has the settings to use when importing the file.)
  7. Click the Finish button. The data file imports into the worksheet.

Plotting the Data

  1. Highlight the entire worksheet of data. (Note that you can select an entire worksheet by placing your cursor in the blank area in the upper left corner of the worksheet. When the cursor becomes a downward pointing arrow, click once to select the entire worksheet.)
  2. Select Plot:Multi-Panel:9 Panel. A new 9 layer graph with 9 graphs is created.
  3. Select the empty graph and ensure the 9th layer on the top left corner of the window is selected. Pressing the Delete key will now delete this graph and this layer leaving 8 graphs on 8 separate layers behind.
  4. Select Graph:Layer Management. In the Layer Management dialog that opens select the Arrange tab.
  5. Set Number of Rows to 4 and Number of Columns to 2.
  6. Clicking the Apply button gives a preview in the small window on the right side of the dialog, showing a 2x4 arrangement.
  7. Click OK to save the changes.

Editing the Graph

The goal is to save this 8 panel graph as a template; i.e. a new plot type, so that it can be used again with new similar data. Since the template will also save plot style information, we will customize the graph a bit further.

  1. Double-click on the X axis in layer 1. The Axis dialog opens.
  2. Select the Grids tab, check the Show boxes under both Major Grid Lines and Minor Grids Lines tree node to display major and minor grid lines for X axis.
  3. Set the Color for both Major and Minor grids to LT Gray.
  4. Click Apply to... button to open the Apply To dialog, make sure the Apply From is chosen as Bottom.
  5. Select the check box All Below and then select This Window in the drop-down menu.
  6. Click the OK button to apply the same setting to all axes in all layers of this graph page.

Saving as a new graph template

  1. Select File:Save Template As. A dialog opens allowing you to choose the category that the template will be saved in as well as the name given to the new template.
  2. Change the Template Name to PAN8. (Note that the Template Name that appears when the dialog opens is the name of the original template that was used to create the graph.)
  3. Select the option Mark as Cloneable Template.
  4. Click OK.

Plotting into your new template

  1. Click the New Folder button on the Standard toolbar.
  2. Click the Import Wizard button on the Standard toolbar. The Import Wizard opens.
  3. Click the browse button to the right of the File text box. Navigate to the Origin folder; browse to the Samples folder and then the Curve Fitting folder. Select Step02.dat from the list of files.
  4. Click the Add File(s) button.
  5. Click OK.
  6. Leave the Import Filters for current Data Type as Data Folder: step. (This filter has the settings to use when importing the file.)
  7. Click the Finish button. The data file imports into the worksheet.
  8. Highlight the entire worksheet of data. (Note that you can select an entire worksheet by placing your cursor in the blank area in the upper left corner of the worksheet. When the cursor becomes a downward pointing arrow, click once to select the entire worksheet.)
  9. Select Plot: User Templates: PAN8 to plot.