Convert Graph or Plot

Use the Graph Tools | Convert | Plot Type command to change from one plot type to another. Use the Graph Tools | Convert | Graph to 2D/3D command to change from one graph type to another.

To change from one plot type to another, e.g. line plot to bar chart:

  1. Select a single plot, i.e., "Line/Scatter Plot 1" in the Object Manager.

  2. Click the Graph Tools | Convert | Plot Type command and choose Line; Line/Scatter; Scatter; Step; Class Scatter; Bar, horizontal; or Bar, vertical.

Some plot conversion tips include the following:

  • If Graph Tools | Convert | Plot Type is disabled, an object other than a single plot is selected or you have selected a plot type that is not supported with this command.
  • The original plot must be a line/scatter plot, class scatter plot, a ribbon/wall plot, a step plot (2D or 3D XY), or a bar chart (2D or 3D XY).
  • You can change between line plots, line/scatter plots, scatter plots, step plots, class scatter plots, horizontal bar charts, and vertical bar charts.
  • If you cannot change from one plot type to the desired plot type, create the new plot type from the Graph Wizard or Home | New Graph commands.
  • Grapher selects how to display a plot depending on which plot type is being converted and to which plot type it is changing. For example Grapher will adjust the Symbol frequency from 1 to 0 when converting a scatter plot to a line plot, but it will leave the Symbol frequency the same when converting from a line/scatter plot to a step plot. Sometimes Grapher might guess wrong. If your plot doesn't look the way you'd expect, try reviewing the properties in the Plot page of the Property Manager.

To convert a 2D graph to a 3D graph (or vice versa):

  1. Select a graph, i.e., "Graph 1" in the Object Manager.
  2. Click the Graph Tools | Convert | Graph to 2D/3D command. Any objects in the graph that do not have a 2D/3D equivalent object will be removed when converting the graph type.

You can convert from a 3D XYZ graph to a 2D graph or between 2D XY graph and 3D XY graph types. However, you cannot convert a 2D graph into a 3D XYZ graph. If a 2D graph is selected when Graph to 2D/3D is clicked, the graph will convert to a 3D XY graph.

Fit Curves & Graph Conversion

If the current graph includes a fit curve linked to the plot being converted, how Grapher handles the fit curve will depend on a number of factors.

  • If the new plot type does not support fit curves, the linked fit curve object will be removed from the graph.

  • If the new plot type + fit curve combination is not supported by the Grapher version used to open the file, the fit curve will be displayed as a linear fit. For example, a class plot with a running average fit curve will be displayed with a linear fit in Grapher 16.

See Also

Plot Types

Selecting Objects