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OS/2 Help File
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1997-04-17
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33KB
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ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Preface ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Preface:
dbGraph is a small but smart PM program, which can be used to plot graphs of
mathematical functions. Well, there are better, more effective and of course
more professional programs with a higher performance, which can solve these and
many more problems even quicklier, but this program has got one big advantage:
It is FREEWARE, so it may be distributed freely, without any special
restrictions. For instance, dbGraph is made for people, who do not need so
professional mathematical (expensive) software, but something that is is easy
to use, for example pupils, who have to work with functions at school, but who
do not want to work hard just to learn how to use a fuzzy mathematical program
(me too, I still go to school, and I use it every day). Of course, this shall
not mean that this program is for pupils only.
I am a German, so my English may not always be perfect. But I still hope you
understand what I want to say!
Why OS/2?
OS/2 is effective safe 32-bit operating system, it has got features like real
multitasking, multithreading, crash protection, but it has one disadvantage:
The shareware supply, compared to other OSs (I will not mention names, but it
has something to do with "doze"!) is relatively small. This is why I made up my
mind and started to do something myself and to write a program for OS/2, just
to provide it as freeware in the end. YES, IT IS FREE!! So I could offer it to
the OS/2 users all over the world. By the way, in the INF-files in this package
there is a whole course of instruction how to use dbGraph.
I hope you enjoy dbGraph!
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Version and author ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Program:
dbGraph for OS/2 Warp
Version: v2.0 Gamma
Notice for gamma-version: This program is still under construction. Though, I
have tested the program extensively, but I cannot exclude any bugs. Please tell
me if you found such a bug. Please also tell me, if you found something that I
could make better. I will always be thankful for any suggestions, any criticism
and of course for any commendation.
Author:
Dietmar Bernreuther
Team OS/2 Germany
Fischbachweg 19
89171 Illerkirchberg
GERMANY
Tel.: 07346/3746
e-mail: c/o Martin.Bernreuther@po.uni-stuttgart.de
is a sysnonym for Dietmar Bernreuther Software Development (db).
Special thanks to:
Martin Bernreuther, Roman Huber, all Beta testers, all members of the Team
OS/2 and of course all users of OS/2 who think that this is a grat operating
system, just as I do!
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Previous versions ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Here all changes this program went through are listed:
PMGraf v1.0
First version.
dbGraf v1.5
name changed (because of copyright problems) into dbGraf
screen mode is terminated by pressing a key (instead of moving the
mouse)
optimized root searching algorithm (Regular-Falsi-algorithm)
First English version
Integral rendering
Optimized and self-optimizing parser
Preparser to make simpler terms
Huge speed-up of curve rendering time
dbGraph v2.0
name changed again (because of the English version) into dbGraph
Complete new design
Better installation routine
Graph plot in client area of window
Data input via dialogs
Better, full English version
Parser bug for pows fixed
Complete new help
Support of mouse for zooming and moving
Changes are safed in own INI-file
Color changes of user via Drag'n'Drop using the color palette are
safed
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Copyright ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Copyright:
dbGraph v2.0 Gamma is FREEWARE. This Software may be distributed freely. This
Software may be given as a present, lend and copied, but no money may be
demanded in any way nor may this software be sold as a stand-alone nor in a
package without asking the author first.
The distribution assumes that this package is distributed COMPLETELY, above all
the copright-conventions and a reference to the original author. Furthermore
this Software may not by distributed in any way in my name, if code or data of
this package has been changed in any way.
I DO NOT GUARANTEE IN ANY WAY FOR THE ERROR-FREE RUNNING OF THIS SOFTWARE. I DO
NOT TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY
USING THIS SOFTWARE, ESPECIALLY ANY LOSS OF DATA.
NOT FOR SALE
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Trademarks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Trademarks:
OS/2, Workplace Shell (WPS) and Presentation Manager (PM) are Trademarks(TM) of
the Industrial Buisness Machines Corp. (IBM)
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Installation notices ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Installation notices
Since version 2.0, the installation has a graphical user interface, which mades
installation very easy. For further information read INSTALLE.TXT included in
this package.
Please read README.TXT and INSTALLE.TXT before!
To install dbGraph, do the following:
1. Unzip the zipfile (probably DBGRAPH2.ZIP) in a temporary directory
2. Start SETUP.EXE
3. Choose your language (English)
4. Select "Install dbGraph"
5. Follow the instructions
6. If a copy command or something else fails, a beep will occur
7. Delete all files in the temporary directory
THE INSTALLATION ROUTINE CHANGES YOUR *.INI-FILES, SO YOU HAVE TO USE
SETUP.EXE AGAIN FOR A CLEAN DEINSTALLATION.
Deinstallation
1. Start SETUP.EXE
2. Choose your language (English)
3. Select "Deinstall dbGraph" (only available if already installed)
4. Follow the instructions
5. If something fails, a beep will occur
6. After installation, you may delete SETUP.EXE (del SETUP.EXE) and remove
the directoy (rd <Name of directoy, probably DBGRAPH>), and never be
bothered by dbGraph again!
For manual (de)installation, read INSTALLE.TXT!
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Course of instruction ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
A small course of instruction through dbGraph v2.0 Gamma!
Welcome to dbGraph! To give you a quick overview over functions and features of
dbGraph, here ist a small introduction using some examples. For further
information, please refer to the online-help.
If you have dbGraph installed now, the following files should exist in a
subdirectory on your harddisk (ez. gB. \dbGraph):
dbGraph.EXE (the executable, the main program)
dbGraph.INI (safed settings of dbGraph)
DLLdbGraphE.DLL (the resource-DLL)
HLPdbGraphE.HLP (the online-help)
INFdbGraphE.INF (the handbook)
xxxdbGraphD.xxx (the corresponding files in German)
Furthermore there should be an object named dbGraph on your desktop. To start
dbGraph, just double-click on the object. After having done this, an "About"
dialog appears which you can terminate by pressing the OK-button or ENTER. Now
dbGraph is ready to work.
Now we start with our very fist graph.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.1. Our very first graph ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Ou very first graph
After having started dbGraph, we want to watch the graph of the function
"f(x)=sin(x)". Therefore choose the command "Function/Draw graph/Function
curve".
You may also use the button F5 or the button in the toolbar.
Then a dialog will appear. Enter the term "sin(x)" into the entry field "f(x)".
Terms entered previously are safed in the drop-down-list, also after exit!!
Now press OK, and a axis cross ans sine curve will be painted.
A sine curve.
It is going on with changing ranges.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.2. The x/y-ranges ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The x/y-ranges
Now we want to see the graph of the function f(x) = sin(x)/x. Thus, you have to
create the graph firstly. But this time you press the button "x/y ranges" in
the dialog "Function curve" before you close the dialog with "OK" and make the
graph be drawn. A dialog "x/y ranges" appears, where you can specify the x- and
y-range of the graph. For further information press "Help".
The ranges can also be set for family and parameterfunction curves this way by
pressing the button "x/y ranges" in the corresponding dialog.
Parameterfunction, curve family - the meaning of this nouns will be explained
in the next chapter.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.3. Different curve types ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Different curve types in dbGraph
dbGraph distinguishes between three different curve types. These are:
Function curves
Family curves
Parameterfunction curves
First we will learn the first possibility: Function curves.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.4. Function curves ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Function curves
A function curve can be created by using the command "Function/Draw
graph/Function curve" or pressing F5. A dialog "Function curve" appears.
The graph of a function curve is the most common kind of graph. In the dialog,
you just enter the term of the function to be displayed into the entry field
"f(x)", e. g. "sin(x)/x". Confirm with "OK".
Now the graph will be drawn. If an error occurs, a message pops up.
You find a list of all errors in the online-help. Choose "Help/Contents" and
then the page "Error messages/Parser errors" (at the very bottom).
In the dialog you find a hint at the first feature of function curves. If you
press the button "Derivations", a dialog "Derivations" appears, where you can
activate all derivations up to the third.
Derivate, that is, the value of the derivation of a function at a value x is
equal to the ascent of the function at that value x. Thus, the second
derivation is the derivation of the derivation then.
The first derivation of a function f is f', the second f'' and the third f'''.
To seperate the different derivations from each other, you may specify
different colors for them.
So press the button "Derivation" and set a hook in front of " f' ". Exit the
dialogs with "OK". Now two curves are drawn.
Furthermore the commands "Roots", "Turning points" "Seddle points" and
"Integral" are provided, if the type of graph of the function actually
displayed is a function curve.
We are goin on with tips to handle family curves.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.5. Family curves ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Family curves
Family curves can be created by using the command "Function/Draw graph/Family
curves" or pressing F6. A dialog "Family curves" appears.
Family curves are used to display multiple function curves at once in one
graph. Thus another variable "t" is valid, which is set differently for each
curve. In the dialog you just enter the term of the curves to be displayed into
the entry field "f(x,t)", e. g. "t*x". Confirm with "OK".
Now the graph will be drawn. If an error occurs, a message pops up.
How I just mentioned, to draw family curves, you'll have to define the
behaviour of the additional variable "t" first. Thus, press the button
"t-range". A dialog appears where you can set the ranges for "t" (for further
help press "Help").
Enter "-1" into "Min t", "1" into "Max t" and "0.5" into "Step width". Confirm
all dialog with "OK".
Notice that you should not create too many curves, otherwise too much memory
will be used. For more than about 50 curves the redraw procedure gets too slow,
too.
Now a family of curves including five lines will be drawn.
To seperate the curves from each other, you may set different colors for each
of them.
It's going on with handling parameterfunction curves.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.6. Parameterfunction curves ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Parameterfunction curves
Parameterfunction curves can be created by using the command "Function/Draw
graph/Parameterfunction curves" or pressing F7. A dialog "Parameterfunction
curves" appears.
For parameterfunctions, x is not the running value any more. Instead the curve
is created by the running value "t". Using two different terms for the x- and
y-value, a point for every value of "t" is calculated. Enter the term
"sin(t)*t/10" in to the first entry field x(t). Enter "cos(t)*t/10" into y(t).
Now press OK.
Now the graph will be drawn. If an error occurs, a message pops up.
To draw parameterfunction curves, you have to specify the behaviour of the
variable "t" first. Thus, press the button "t-values". A dialog "t-values"
appears, where you can set the range for "t" (for further information, press
"Help").
Enter "0" into "Min t", "20" into "Max t" and "1000" into "Quantity". Confirm
both dialogs with "OK".
Notice that you should not create too many points, otherwise redrawing will
slow down. For more than about 10 000 points, redrawing gets lazy.
Now a spiral will be drawn.
For next, you will learn another possibility to change ranges.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.7. Change ranges in the notebook ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The notebook "Ranges"
The notebook "Ranges" is opened, if you select the command "Graph/Ranges".
In this notebook changes become effective at once, if the changes are made on
the page of that curve type of which a curve is actually shown in the graph.
Otherwise the changes become effective, when a curve of the changed curve type
is drawn.
In the end, the notebook "Ranges" has the same use as the dialogs "Ranges" in
the dialogs to draw the graph. For each curve type, there is a according page
in the notebook.
But the notebook provides two additional tools: "MinMax" and "Ratio". For
further explentations, please press "Help".
The tools are only active on the page of the active curve type.
After adaptation with "Ratio" the old area is always included in the new one.
Try it: After having drawn the spiral of the last chapter, choose the button
"Ratio" on the page "Parameterfunction curves" and close the notebook with
"OK". Now the spiral is a even spiral.
Useful, isn't it?
For next, you'll learn how to change colors.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.8. Colors ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Colors
Colors also are changed in the notebook "Colors", you can get it be choosing
the command "Graph/Colors".
For further information for the pages, please press "Help". In this notebook
you can also set the colors for derivations and curve families, for example.
Choose the page "Graph" and then the radio button Background. Drop down the
list and choose the color "Blue". Afterwards, click on "Axis", "Scale" and
"Scale text" and choose the colors "White" for each of them. Change to the page
"Parameterfunction curves" and choose "Red" as color. Press "OK" and the spiral
will appear in a complete new layout!
All settings (also ranges etc.) are safed after exiting dbGraph.
For next you will learn, how you can change further options.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.9. Further options ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Further options
Options also are set in a separate notebook "Options", it appears if you choose
the command "Graph/Options".
For further help and description of each page, please press "Help". In this
notebook you also set scaling parameters, for example.
Choose "Grid". Choose "Dot" in both Drop-Down-Lists and exit with "OK".
A dotted grid is layed over the graph instead of scaling dashes.
How to get rid of title bars and so on, see next chapter.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.10. Toggle window controls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Toggle window controls
In the menu "Window" all window parts are listed, the enabled ones are marked
with a hook. Choose the control you want to toggle e. g. the title bar.
If you have switched off the menu bar, you have to switch it on using the
hotkey Alt+M. You get a list of all hotkeys by pressing F4.
You can choose the command "Activate all" in the popup-menu to switch on all
window controls.
By switching off all window controls, the graph gets arranges clearlier.
Furthermore you can choose "Full screen" in the popup-menu to maximize the
window on the whole screen and switch off all window controls with one mouse
click!
In the next chapter I will show you how to analyse curves and work with them.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.11. Curve analysing ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Curve analysing
All commands for curve anylysing you find in the menu "Function" below "actual
function". dbGraph provides the possibility to search for roots, turning and
seddle points, but only for function curves. Errors that occured are safed for
all types. For further information, please mark the command in the menu using
the arrow keys and press F1.
Draw the graph of the function curve of "sqr(x)" and choose "Turning points".
The only turning point is "x = 0".
dbGraph only finds roots, if the sign (+,-) changes. Furthermore any points are
only searched in the displayed x-range.
For next you will learn how to use graph data in a spreadsheet.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.12. Output of data ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Output of data
Imagine you want to do further working with a curve e. g. in a spreadsheet.
Then dbGraph has the right thing for you: an interface for data output. Just
press Cntl+F10 or choose the command "Function/Data output" and a dialog
appears where you can choose the file, where the data shall be put. Default is
the suffix .DAT. We enter "C:\TEMP\DATEN.DAT" as name (you may choose any name
you want, of course). Now a dialog appears, where you can specify the separator
and the number of values (you may press "Help" for help). Enter a semicolon ";"
as separator and set the number of values to "1000" and confirm with <OK>.
If the file already exists, a sequrity query pops up, which you confirm with
<OK>. Now the data output starts.
Start the spreadsheet now, StarCalc for instance and choose "File/Open". As
file name enter "C:\TEMP\DATEN.DAT" (or the file you have specified). In
StarCalc a dialog "Filter selection" appears (for other spreadsheets, read the
handbook). Enter "Text file - txt -csv" here. After having done this, a new
dialog "Textimport" appears:
Click on the drop-down-box "Separator" and enter the semicolon here (or the
character you have specified as separator) and press <OK>. Now the data is
pasted into the spreadsheet so that x is in column A and f(x) is in column B.
You may use these datas in a chart program like StarChart and embed these
charts in a document for example. How to do this, please refer to the
corresponding program documentations.
Too huge? Too small? No problem!.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.13. Zooming ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Zooming
To zoom in/out for twenty per cent quickly, there are two commands "Graph/Zoom
in" and "Graph/Zoom out". But it also works with your mouse, but this I will
show you later...
It is going on with using help.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.14. Help in dbGraph ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Using online-help
OK, now you have seen most of the functions of dbGraph. If you need help one
day, you will find it in the menu "Help" or by pressing F1. Furthermore, there
is a button "Help" in each dialog. If you want to know how to handle
online-help, just choose the command "Help/Help on help".
Do you want to know who has written this program?
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.15. Who? How? What? ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
The "About"-dialog
Surely you are interested in the author of this program (I hpoe so at least).
Choose the menu item "Program/About" and an info dialog appears that gives you
information about version and author. You can exit the dialog by pressing <OK>.
Now we leave dbGraph...
...in the next chapter.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.16. The end ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
That is the END
Like every program dbGraph has to be ended, too. The fastest way is to press
F3. There is only a security query you have to confirm with "Yes".
Alternatively you may choose the command "Program/Exit" or the button in the
toolbar.
The end? No, not yet...
There are some mouse tricks first.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6.17. Finally, some tips 'n' tricks using the mouse ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Mouse tips 'n' tricks
Since version 2.0 the mouse can do more than the usual OS/2-actions. On the one
hand there is a popup-menu which appears if you click the right mouse button
over the graph once. It provides access to the most-used commands, for further
information read the online-help.
Furthermore the mouse provides a confortable possibility to move the graph. If
you click twice with your left mouse button on any point of the graph, the
graph is moved (and recalculated) so that this point is in the centre.
The coordinate of the point where the mouse is at the moment is shown in the
first area of the state bar.
At last the mouse is the perfect instrument for zooming. Press the left button
when the mouse is over the point that shall be the left lower corner of the new
area, drag the mouse with the button pressed to the right upper corner of the
new area. A box is drawed while dragging to show the new area. If the left
button goes up, the selected area is zoomed to the whole area and recalculated.
While zooming, the first area of the state bar shows the corrdinate of the left
lower corner and the second one the corrdinate of the right upper.
You may only drag to the right and upwards!
OK, that's all folks! I hope you enjoy dbGraph for OS/2.
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
OS/2, Presentation Manager (PM) and Workplace Shell (WPS) are trademarks (TM)
of the International Buisness Machines Corp. (IBM)
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
StarCalc, StartChart and StarOffice are trademarks of StarDivision, Germany
ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ
Probably not included in beta version or any other version before v2.0 Gamma.