2D Axis System: X-axis selection through use of a channel property for non-waveform channels

[NDForster]

For non-waveform channels that have a certain channel property populated that specifies another valid channel to use for the X-axis, it would be great if users could simply drag and drop channels into a VIEW 2D Axis System WITHOUT having to also select the x-axis channel.

(Over) Simplified logic:

When dragging a channel from the Data Portal to a 2D Axis System:

IF 'Waveform' channel property == No AND IF 'Xaxis' channel property specifies another valid channel,

THEN use this other valid channel for the X-Axis of the channel being dragged.

Example 1:

Let's say we have an internal combustion engine for which we are recording several channels at a rate of one sample per engine cycle. As the engine speed goes up or down, there is less or more time between each sample. This means we can NOT use a waveform channel. We must have an associated time channel for these several recorded channels. In this time channel, we will record a timestamp value when each engine cycle occurs.

Example of 'Xaxis' channel property value:

"Time Channels\Time Stamp Engine Cycles"

Example 2:

Let's say we are recording channels at a known rate, such as 100 Hz. A waveform would normally work for this. However, in this example, there will be gaps of no data in these data channels. These gaps may be relatively long in duration and we therefore do NOT want to record NO VALUE during this time, which would bloat our data files. We also do NOT want to put this data in separate data file nor in separate groups. This situation happens in MANY scenarios for us. For this, we must have an associated time channel for each of the data rates, such as "Time Stamp 1 Hz", "Time Stamp 10 Hz", "Time Stamp 50 Hz", and "Time Stamp 1000 Hz".

For both of these examples, plotting such non-waveform channels in a 2D Axis System could take less work on the end users' part, if we could add a little smarts to this drag-n-drop plotting operation. Implementing something like this will make creation of plots with meaningful x-axis values for non-waveform channels as easy as plot creation for waveform channels.

[CoastalMaineBird]

IF

    Channel being dragged has property called "Xaxis" with a string value, e.g. "TIME 10 Hz"

AND

    there exists a channel by the name specified

THEN

    Plot that as an X-Y plot

ELSE

    Obey the same rules as now.

Issues to be ironed out include:

--- Dragging two channels with same Xaxis property seems straightforward.  Just plot both Ys vs. one X.

--- Dragging two channels with different Xaxis property implies two different X-scales.  Ideal for 1-Hz Temperature data and 20-Hz Speed data vs. time.

--- Dragging one channel with Xaxis and one channel without - What is intended?  I suppose you assume the same Xaxis for both Ys.

--- Dragging 63 channels with different Xaxis things.  Well, the user can be silly sometimes. Nothing new.

--- Cursor readouts.  Seems easy, unless they're attached to sample#.  Impossible to convert pixel position to sample number in general: there could be a different answer for each plot.

Nothing insurmountable that I see.

[Walter_Rick]

Hello

Thank you for your request. R&D has read this suggestion and it will be included in feature planning discussions for future DIAdem versions. But because of the huge numbers of possible DIAdem extensions and the fact that just a few sponsors are supporting it, we gave this request a very low priority.

Greetings

Walter

[Walter_Rick]

Please have look at the DIAdem 2019 Beta to check the implementation regarding this request.

To participate at the DIAdem Beta Program, please register yourself at ni.com/beta

Greetings

Walter

[Walter_Rick]

This request was implemented in DIAdem 2019.

Greetings

Walter