Helpful hints for "Plot-3D" Written by Ron Magnuson.

This program works under DOS or OS/2 full screen DOS.
Unfortunately, it does not work in Windows DOS. 

Plot 3D is a data plotting program for functions of two variables.
I have included sample data files to help you understand the file format.

DATA FILE FORMAT:
Data Files to be input into this program must begin with a 1 (for data which 
is already sorted) or a 2 (for unsorted data). Unsorted data will be sorted  
and then saved as a sorted datafile. The next field is the number of data 
points. Then, finally, the data X, Y, and the function value.

As compiled, this program can plot up to 6400 pieces of data, (i.e. an 80x80, 
100x64, etc.). 


PROGRAM OPERATION:
Copy the files to a directory called PLOT3D and then enter the directory 
and type 

PLOT3D <enter>

When the program first comes up you'll see a credit screen created on another
program of mine called MRLCAD (notice my beautiful artwork). Press any key to 
continue.

Now you'll be at the datafile select screen. This is a bit weird, the 
datafiles are colored blue on some systems and yellow on others, I don't know 
why. Click on one of the datafiles (*.dat) supplied and it will load. 

The next screen allows you to add a title (name the plot) and footer (usually 
your name) to the plot. Press <enter> to advance to the next box. You can also 
plot points with color or without, change the viewing angles (first one is 
altitude (1 to 89 degrees, second is rotation around the plot 1-89,& 91-179 
degrees), and finally Pressing G plots the data in a grid format, Pressing 3 
displays the data in a histogram type format. If you press 3 you must also 
enter a "ball size". For lost of data use a small ball size, for only a little 
data use a large ball size.

After you press either G or <enter> after entering the ball size the data will 
be plotted and displayed. (If plotting an overhead view of the function, use 
histogram type display (3) on the last screen and when the data is displayed 
press the F1 to delete the Z-axis labels).

I did not build in a printer driver, what I do to get a hardcopy is use a 
screen capture program while the plot is displayed. Capture the screen as a 
BMP, GIF, PCX, or whatever and bring that file to an art program which prints 
it out. (With printers changing constantly I didn't want to spend my life 
rewriting drivers).

Pressing <enter> after the plot is displayed will bring you to the next 
screen. If you want to replot the data with a different angle, title, etc., 
press <enter> or type "Y" and press <enter>. Otherwise type "N" and press 
<enter>. If you pressed "N" and <enter> you're given the chance to use a new 
datafile or to exit the program.
