Assign Coordinates
The Features | Object Editing | Assign Coordinates command assigns linear coordinates to an imported file (such as a graphic) or an inserted object. To create the coordinate system, you must be able to identify two known coordinate values on the object. After assigning coordinates to the object, you can use Features | Object Editing | Digitize to obtain data from the object.
To assign coordinates to a graphic:
- Import the file or object by pasting or by using Features | Insert | Graphic. If you are pasting pictures (.EMF or .WMF), do not break apart the file.
- Select the imported graphic.
- Select the Features | Object Editing | Assign Coordinates command.
- A dialog appears providing a set of instructions,
After closing this message box,
click on a point with known coordinates in the object. Click
the OK button in the dialog
and the pointer changes into a
with
the cyan lines extending to the edges of the plot window.
- Move the cross hair over a known point. Good points include axis tick marks, particularly the axis maximums, and symbols with known coordinates.
- Left-click on the known point to open the Assign Coordinates dialog.
- Enter the known X and Y coordinates into the dialog.
- Click the OK button to close the Assign Coordinates dialog.
- A dialog appears providing the next set of instructions, After closing this message box, click on a point with different x,y coordinates from the previous point. Click the OK button in the message box and the pointer changes into a cross hair.
- Move the cross hair over a different point where data values are known. The second point should not fall in a straight horizontal or vertical line to the first point. If you do select a point along a horizontal or vertical line to the first point, you will have to repeat steps 9 and 13 until a non-collinear point is selected.
- Left-click on the known point to open the Assign Coordinates dialog.
- Enter the known X and Y coordinates into the dialog.
- Click the OK button to close the Assign Coordinates dialog.
The coordinate system is now assigned to the graphic. If you decide to reassign the coordinates, select the graphic, and then select the Features | Object Editing | Assign Coordinates command to repeat the above process.
Enter coordinates of a known point in the
Assign Coordinates dialog.