** File: TPSht_07.hlp
** Index: 46

** More Sheet View Help
   :: Data Importing and Exporting
   :: Printing


Û  Data Importing and Exporting:

    TechPlot has its own data file format.
It is a binary format.  TechPlot can also
exchange data with many popular data file
formats such as Lotus 1-2-3 WKS file,
Microsoft Excel XLS file, dBASE DBF file,
DIF, SYLK, etc.


Û  Importing and Exporting Data

    To import data into TechPlot from
another file format, choose one of the
Import Data commands under the File Menu.
TechPlot can import data from ASCII, Lotus,
DIF, dBase, Excel, and Quattro Pro.  Each
of the import data commands invokes the
Open File dialog box. You specify the file
name in this dialog box and choose Open to
load it.  If the specified file and file
format do not match, TechPlot will produce
an empty data sheet.


Û  Exporting data to other data
   file formats

    To export data, choose the one of the
Export Data commands.  TechPlot can export
data to ASCII, Lotus, DIF, dBase, Excel,
and SYLK.  Each of the export data commands
displays the Save File As dialog box.  You
enter a proper file name in the dialog box
and choose Save to save the data to disk.


Û  Generating data automatically

    There are two ways to create data
automatically using menu commands.  You can
either use the Create Column commands which
include create 2D curve data, create 3D
surface (or bar) data, and create 3D curve
data, or use the Fill Selection commands
which contain random, algebraic, geometric,
Gaussian, and used-defined options.


Û  Creating column commands

    There are three creating column data
methods: create 2D curve data, create 3D
surface / bar data, and create 3D curve
data.  These commands are located under the
Column | Create Column menu.  All of these
commands display a Create Data dialog box.
You type in the function string(s),
variable, range, starting value, step size,
and number of data points in the dialog
box.


Û  Filling selections commands

    There are five methods to fill a
selection with automatically generated
data: random, algebraic, geometric,
Gaussian, and user-defined.  These commands
are located under the Data | Fill Selection
menu.  All of these commands display a Fill
Data dialog box.  The fields of this dialog
box are very similar for each method.  In
this dialog box, you specify a range and a
function formula, then TechPlot will
generate data using the function you
defined to fill the range you selected.


Û  Printing data

    There are two commands for printing
data: Print and Print Selection.  The Print
command lets you print all data in the
active sheet, and Print Selection only
prints the selected data block.  Please
make sure that a printer is properly
connected to your computer and that it is
turned on before you choose this command.
TechPlot will add a page header which
includes the file name, date and time,
and page number information.


Û  Changing the data sheet display

    To change sheet appearance, you choose
the Sheet | Number Format command.  This
command displays the Column Number Format
dialog box where you can set the display
format to one of the following format:
decimal, scientific, dollar, or percentage.

    Consider 8.5167 as an example of the
different number formats display.

        Decimal     8.526700

        Scientific  8.5267E00

        Dollar      $8.53

        Percentage  852.6700%

