                        README.TXT for LinePlot 
                              July 26, 1995 


    This is an informational file about LinePlot. It has been prepared 
to let you know what to expect from the program if you decide to down 
load it and try it out. After reading this, we hope you will decide to 
try it! 


About LinePlot

    LinePlot's purpose is to produce quality graphs of scientific and 
engineering data that are usable in both publications and presentations. 
The program is oriented towards X-Y type data, and produces only line 
and scatter type plots. LinePlot has a number of features that allow it 
to produce charts that are very difficult or impossible to do with other 
PC charting and graphing products, such as those found in spreadsheets. 
One example would be comparing different sized data sets on a log-log 
chart. 

    A personal note about why I wrote LinePlot. In a previous career as 
a senior researcher, I found that I was continually preparing graphs on 
a spreadsheet, copying the graph to the clipboard, then pasting it into 
a drawing program, and finally doing a significant amount of editing 
with the drawing program to get the graph to the point where it could 
make the point that I wanted it to make. I often had to do this several 
times if the data sets were somewhat different. No more! 

    LinePlot was written because there is a need!


Sample graphs

    This archive contains a number of sample graphs in OS2 metafile 
format. You can view these graphs by using the OS2 "Picture Viewer"
program that is part of the standard OS2 installation in the "Productivity"
folder.  Alternatively, you may import these files into any OS2 application
that can import a metafile. One of the samples, SAMPLE1.MET, was done
with an unregistered version of LinePlot, and shows the watermark that
is placed behind the graph and data on unregistered versions. The remainder
of the samples were produced with a registered version, and do not contain
this watermark.


LinePlot Capabilities 

    The program can currently handle up to 25 different sets of data. 
The data sets need not be related in a computer sense - it is your graph 
or chart that is doing the relating. For example, there is no problem 
with one data set containing 1,000 points and another data set 
continuing only 2 points. 

    A data set is an ASCII file that is easily prepared by you. We have 
found that the easiest method of preparing such a data set to use any 
ASCII capable editor, and pasting the data from a spreadsheet program. 
The ASCII data files can be commented, without interfering with the data 
in the file so you can fully document your data.

    Both the horizontal and vertical axis of LinePlot are handled in an 
identical manner. Currently, an axis can be either linear or 
logarithmic. (We are planning for the next release of the program to
have the ability to use multiple vertical axis with independent scaling.
Further into the future, we are looking at adding other axis types, such
as a log normal distribution.) Scaling of the data on the graph is
completely under your control, but does include a fully automatic
capability.

    Axis marking is also fully under your control, and is highly 
flexible. Both major tick marking and minor tick marking is provided. 
Major tick marks are labeled with their values. Variable tick marking 
styles and sizing is provided. One unique feature of the program is that 
you can specify tick mark spacing based either on the number of marks 
that you want on the graph, or alternately, base them on the data that 
you are graphing. 

    Formatting of the axis value labels can be either automatic, i.e. 
let the computer decide it, or you specify it. The program's manual 
formatting scheme is similar to, but simpler than, the scheme used on 
some popular spreadsheet programs. One program feature is that value 
labels can be displayed in true scientific notation, e.g. having 10 
actually raised to the second power, rather than using the computer E02 
style. 

    The display of data itself is also flexible; lines, points, symbols, 
mixtures, etc.; are all provided. Control of the normally expected 
parameters such as color, widths, sizes, etc. is available. Each data 
set maintains its own, independent set of display parameters, and are 
not constrained in capabilities by other data sets. 

    The program also allows you to add annotations to your graph. The 
annotations are independent of the data being plotted, and can 
optionally have leaders, a line with an arrow, to point out something on 
the graph that you want to highlight. 


Program Output 

    Your final graph can be printed in hard copy to any printer 
connected to your system, including Fax programs that appear as 
printers. You can also save your graph as an OS/2 metafile, or copy the 
metafile to the system clipboard. Once you have the graph as a metafile, 
it can be inserted into any other OS/2 program that accepts metafiles, 
such as word processor or a drawing/presentation package.

    LinePlot also has the capability to export the graph in terms of an 
Autocad script file. A script file here, is the sequence of Autocad 
commands that will draw your graph into an Autocad drawing.

    You also have the capability to save to a file, the display 
parameters of the graph, i.e. the complete graph minus its data, so that 
you can easily create many similar graphs, such as might be needed 
following a series of experiments under different conditions. 


Documentation

    The program's documentation is contained in the program's on line 
help file. The on-line help is extensive, and includes both the general 
principles for operating the program as well as the details of the 
individual menu items and dialog boxes. 

    Additionally, the program contains a number of sample graphs, 
including the data files and plotting parameters files, to give you 
ideas on program use, plus allowing you to examine the specific program 
settings that were used to create the graphs. 

    Files containing the metafiles of some of these samples are included 
in this archive. To view any of these files, use the "Picture Viewer" 
program that is part of the standard OS/2 installation. 


Program installation

    Installation of LinePlot is by the IBM standard OS/2 installation 
program. (If you have installed any major OS/2 programs, you will 
probably recognize the installation program. In keeping with the IBM 
license requirements, the files for this installation program have been 
renamed.) We decided to use this installation program because it is has 
a good track record, and appears to be very trouble free. This actually 
was a tough decision for us, since the installation program is 
responsible for over 500K of the download file size. 


Shareware & Registration 
 
    LinePlot is a shareware program. It is not public domain or "free", 
even though it is freely distributable. Shareware gives you the 
opportunity to fully evaluate the program's suitability before deciding 
to buy a license.

    To let you completely evaluate the program's capabilities, the
unregistered version of LinePlot is full featured, i.e. none of 
the program's capabilities are disabled pending registration. Also, 
there are no "time out" features, nor any "nag" boxes. The only 
difference between registered and unregistered versions is that printed 
output and metafiles from the program, will have a light colored 
"watermark" inserted on a graph's background. 

    Registered users are entitled to free upgrades to at least version 
2.0. Note that we are planning to add a number of fairly substantial 
improvements to the program in the future, but that none of those 
planned improvements would take us to the 2.0 level. 


What does it cost? 

    LinePlot's direct registration fee is $20 (US) or $27 (Canadian).
Direct registration is a matter of sending us a check or money order,
US or Canadian funds only please. When we receive the check, we will
mail (electronic or regular) back to you, the registration information.
Once the registration information is entered, the program is registered,
and the watermark on the printed and metafile output goes away. 

    We also offer on-line registration with Compuserve (GO SWREG,
identification number 6753). The on-line registration fee is $24,
slightly higher than the direct fee due to Compuserve's 15% service
charge. This means of registration is probably the easiest for 
international customers, since Compuserve handles the details of
currency conversion.  


Program support 

    Neighborhood Business Services provides support to LinePlot users. 
The preferred way is through electronic mail. Our Compuserve address is 
73447,2105. If you are on the Internet, you can address e-mail to: 
73447.2105@compuserve.com. If you do not have access to electronic mail, 
please send your questions via normal mail. 

    We are dedicated to producing a quality product that works right for 
you. 

    We are genuinely interested in any and all suggestions that you may
have to improve our product. We plan future releases with added
capabilities. In subsequent releases, we plan to add WPS support to the
program for various purposes, such as dragging in data and set-up objects.
We are interested in your ideas.

    We are also interested in your ideas for new products. If you think
that there is a need for an OS/2 program that does something that is
not currently available, let us know about that too. 


Un-installing LinePlot 

    LinePlot is friendly to your computer's environment. Installation of 
the program makes no changes to your CONFIG.SYS file, introduces no
hidden files or directories, nor does it attach any un-wanted extended 
attributes (EAs) to any non LinePlot related files. The result is that 
uninstalling LinePlot is a simple matter of deleting all of the files 
that were installed, and the program object. When this is done, all
trace of LinePlot is removed from your computer system. 


Thank You

    We thank you for your interest in LinePlot, and hope that you find 
our product suitable. 


   George P. Nelson 
      Chief of Practically Everything (CEO, CIO, CFO, etc.) at
      Neighborhood Business Services
      6700 Huntsman Blvd.
      Springfield, VA 22152 
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