Modifying Plot Options

Plot options allow you to configure the layout and visualization of the plot area.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: An XY plot must be open.

Adjust Plot Appearances

You can modify the background, layout, and title of an XY plot display.

Right-click anywhere in the plot window, and select Options.
You can also, from the Plot toolbar, click Options .

The Options dialog box appears.
Select the item Plot.
Modify the background options.
- To modify the color of the background fill, select the Show fill check box, and select a color in the color list.
- To remove the background color, clear the Show fill check box.
- To modify the border of the plot, select the Show border check box; and modify the color, the thickness, and the line type.
- To remove the border, clear the Show border check box.
Modify the title options.
- To add a plot title, in the Title text box, type the title, and select a color and font.
- To display a background, select the Show background check box, and select a color in the color list.
- To show a border, select the Show border check box; and select a color, the thickness, and the type of border.
To reset to default values, click Reset.
To set as default values, click Set as Default.

If you have several charts in a plot, you can edit the layout.

Before you begin: The charts must not be synchronized, synchronized charts always use a horizontal layout. See next section.

Right-click anywhere in the plot window, and select Options.
You can also, from the Plot toolbar, click Options .

The Options dialog box appears.
Select the item Layout.
In the Charts layout group, select from the following alternatives:
- Select Horizontal to tile the charts horizontally.
- Select Vertical to tile the charts vertically.
- Select Grid to divide the charts into a maximum number of columns or rows.
  As example, if you have three charts and select Maximum number of columns: 2 the three charts are divided into two columns with two charts in the first column and one chart in the second column.
To reset to default values, click Reset.
To set as default values, click Set as Default.

If multiple charts are open in a plot, you can synchronize the X-axes for all charts. When charts are synchronized:

The value range on all X-axes is the same.
If a view manipulation changes the X-axis in one chart, the X-axes of the other charts are updated accordingly. (Y-axes are not synchronized between charts.)
If you activate a cursor along the X-axis in one chart, the cursor is also activated in all other charts.

Charts can be synchronized only if one of the following conditions is met:

Also, each chart on the plot can have only one X-axis, though multiple curves may appear on each chart.

To perform an X axes synchronization without selecting options, from the Plot toolbar, click Synchronize/Unsynchronize charts .
The command works in toggle mode.
To perform a chart synchronization with options, do the following:
1. Right-click anywhere in the plot window, and select Options.
  You can also, from the Plot toolbar, click Options .
  
  The Options dialog box appears.
2. Select the item Plot - Layout.
3. From the Charts synchronization group:
  1. To synchronize the charts, select Synchronize X axes.
  2. To display an X-axis on every chart, select the Show X axes check box. (If the Show X axes check box is cleared, only one single X-axis is displayed on the bottom chart.)
4. To reset to default values, click Reset.
5. To set as default values, click Set as Default.

The charts remain synchronized until one of the following happens:

The Synchronize X axes check box is cleared.
A curve whose X-axis has different units than the synchronized axes is added to a chart.
A chart whose X-axis has different units than the synchronized axes is added to the plot.
A new X-axis is created in a chart via the Options dialog box.