28.1.12 The Tools Toolbar

Button Tools.png

The Tools toolbar provides buttons for scaling, zoom and panning, insertion of LaTeX and other objects, object and data selection, masking, reading, annotating, and drawing. Related tools are grouped and can be accessed from a popup menu when you click the button Switchtool.png to the right of the toolbar button.

This page is organized by putting similar functions together in one section instead of by toolbar button orders.

Scaling, Zoom, Panning and Rotation

Button Rescale Tool.png

This tool is for panning, scaling and zooming of axis. Hot key X is also provided to enter this tool without clicking the tool itself.

Hold X key and mouse over the edge of layer till horizontal or vertical double arrow Double h arrow.png shows to rescale one end of axis only.

Hold X key and drag inside layer to pan or mouse wheel to zoom.

Ctrl+X to restrict X direction, Shift+X to restrict Y direction.

See more details in this page

Button Zoom In Tool.png

Enlarges a portion of the axis scale.

In this mode, drag out a rectangle continuously(with the magnifying icon showing Magnifying icon.png) to enlarge the graph to just show the region of the graph that you want. Single click graph in this mode will show a rectangle (region of interest) in graph and show enlarged graph in a separate graph window.

Press ESC key to escape this magnifying mode. Under this magnifying mode, double-click on this button will restore the graph scale and double-click on the graph will create an enlarge graph.

Button Zoom Out Tool.png

Restores the axis scale values to their previous From and To values.

Button Panning.png

Graph Page level zoom and panning.

Hold A key and drag in graph to pan, scroll mouse wheel to zoom. Zoom percentage shows on Standard toolbar.

Ctrl+W to restore.

Button Rotate.png

Click the Rotate toolbar to rotate the 3D graph as your need. See more details in this page.

Insertion

Button Insert LaTeX Equation.png

Insert LaTeX equation.

Button Insert Word Object.png

Insert word object.

Button Insert Excel Object.png

Insert excel object.

Button Insert Object.png

Insert an object.

Button Insert Graph.png

Open the Graph Browser dialog to select the graphs that is inserted.

Button Insert Worksheet.png

Open the Sheet Browser dialog to select the worksheet that is inserted.

Note: Please use Add Objects to Graph toolbar and Insert menu for more options, such as inserting local or online image, inserting straight line, etc.

Object and Data Selection

Button Pointer.png

Object selection mode - the default mode.

In this mode, click an object to select it. Object includes layer, plot, axis, legend, label, shapes, etc.

Button Data Selector.png

Define a range of data.

In this mode, drag the vertical bar to select a subrange of plot for analysis. If there are multiple plots, click on plot first and then drag.

Button Selection On Active Plot.png

Select a region of the active data plot.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.
Button Selection On All Plots.png

Select a region of multiple data plots. Pressing the keyboard space bar toggles between rectangular and free-form selection modes.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.

Data Masking

Button Mask On Active Plot.png

Mask points in the active data plot within the selected region.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.
  • Shift + Tab controls add/remove masked points.
Button Mask On All Plots.png

Mask points in all data plots within the selected region. Plots do not have to be grouped.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.
  • Shift + Tab controls add/remove masked points.
Button Unmask On Active Plot.png

Within the selected region, unmask points from the active data plot.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.
  • Shift + Tab controls add/remove masked points.
Button Unmask On All Plots.png

Within the selected region, unmask points from the all data plots. Plots do not have to be grouped.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

  • Space bar controls rectangular/free-form shapes.
  • Tab controls active plot/multiple plots.
  • Shift + Tab controls add/remove masked points.

Graph Reading

Button Screen Reader.png

Read the XY (and Z, if 3D or contour) location on the page.

Button Data Highlighter.png

Highlight the selected data points in the graph and in the corresponding worksheet row, fade unselected points and worksheet rows.

  • Press CTRL + select random points or rows.
  • Drag the mouse to select multiple points, use spacebar to toggle between rectangle or free-form selection modes.
Button Data Reader.png

Read the XY (and Z) location of a data point. In object selection mode, mousing over a data point can also read XY, etc.

Button Data Cursor.png

Attaches cursor objects at one or more points along a curve. You can place cursors on the same curve or on different curves, then use the Data Info window to display the relative position between cursors.

Annotation

Button Data Annotation.png

Attaches an editable, generic text object (reads "Annotation") adjacent to the selected data point. As you reposition the text object, an arrow is drawn from the text object to the selected data point.

Button distance annotation.png

Add a Distance Annotation object.

Button Angle Annotation.png

Add an Angle Annotation object.

Drawing

Button Draw Data.png

Draw a data plot.

Button Text Tool.png

Creates text objects.

Button Arrow Tool.png

Creates arrow objects.

Button Curve Arrow Tool.png

Creates curved arrow objects.

Button Line Tool.png

Creates line objects.

Button Polyline Tool.png

Creates a polyline. Click once to create an anchor point; double-click to end the line.

Button Curve Tool.png

Creates a smooth curve. Click once to create an anchor point; double-click to end the line.

Button Arc Tool.png

Creates a quarter of arc curve(Radian=90 degree).

Use this tool to draw a rectangle, the width and length of rectangle will be treated as semi-major length and semi-minor length of an ellipse. By default, this tool always plots 1/4 of the ellipse inside the rectangle. Hold Shift key to draw a square, 1/4 of a circle will be created.

After creating an arc curve, you can drag-and-drop the end handles to lengthen or shorten the arc from a maximum of 360 degrees to a minimum of 0 degree.

Button Free Hand Draw Tool.png

Creates a free form line. Click and drag to create a line; release the mouse button to end the line.

Button Rectangle Tool.png

Creates a rectangle.

Button Circle Tool.png

creates a circle/ellipse.

Button Polygon Tool.png

creates a polygon.

Button Region Tool.png

creates a freehand closed object (region). Click and drag to create a region; release the button to complete the object.


Note: For 3D OpenGL graph, 2D Arrow/Shapes objects are disabled in Origin 9.0 and 9.1 but avaiable since Origin 2015 SR1.