Time-series plots

Time-series plots display an arbitrary number of fields and platforms plotted against time on the X axis.

Working with time-series windows

When you first add a time-series window to the screen (for details on adding windows see the editing section), it comes up empty, like this:

Most people consider this pretty boring, and will want to add some data to the window. There are a couple of ways to add data to time-series windows:

The most common way is with active icons in a horizontal window. For example, an array of surface stations can be placed on the horizontal window as a station plot, then individual stations can be picked and added to the time-series window.
Some sorts of platforms (i.e. aircraft) may be added directly from the icon bar.

In either case, when a platform is added to an empty time-series window, a default field (usually temperature) is picked and displayed, yielding something like:

If you wish to see a different field, move to the time-series

icon and use the middle mouse button to pull down the field menu and select a new field.

If you now add a second platform to the time-series window, a new trace will be added displaying whatever field is already present in the window:

Platforms may be stacked up indefinitely.

Now suppose you want to look at a second field in this window. Move back to the time-series icon and use the right mouse button to select Add new field from the bottom of the menu. The window will add a new field and axis, making an attempt to (1) pick a field which does not already appear in the window, and (2) assign unique colors to the new traces for each platform. This attempt is not always entirely successful, but it is a start. The result will look something like:

A few details of interest when adding fields:

A new axis will be added for the new field, even if some fields could share an axis (i.e. temperature and dewpoint). If autoscaling is on (the default) the axes will be different; you will need to use manual scaling to force the two fields to a common axis.
You can add as many fields as you wish, but it really gets kind of messy after two. It is possible to set up time-series windows that deal gracefully with more axes, but some knowledge of zebra configuration is required.
Space for side annotation often gets tight as more fields and platforms are added. In the above picture I have used the right mouse button on the time-series icon to remove the times from the side annotation to make more space.

Removing data from time-series plots

There are a couple different ways to remove data from time-series plots, depending on what you wish to accomplish:

If you want to get rid of all traces for a given field, move to the associated time-series icon and select remove with the left mouse button in the usual manner.

If you want to remove individual traces, you need to move instead to that trace's annotation on the right side of the window. The line to the right of the platform name will illuminate:

You may then use the left mouse button to remove the given trace. If you remove all traces for a field, the entire field will be removed from the window.

Other time-series features

If you use the left mouse button on the time-series

icon to select adjust limits, you will get a widget like the following:

This widget allows a couple of operations:

The time period covered by the plot may be changed. Note that this is a global parameter, even though you accessed it via an individual overlay. If you change the time period, it will be changed for all fields in the window.
You may change scale modes and limits. Time-series plots use autoscaling by default, but there are times when that is not desireable. For example, one glitch in the data can completely demolish the scaling algorithm, reducing your data to a horizontal line. If you set the scale mode to manual, you must also set the upper and lower bounds to their desired values.

The colors of individual traces may be changed. Move into the side annotation area of the trace you wish to change, and use the right button menu to select a new color.

Time-series plots are zoomable. Simply use shift and the left mouse button in the usual manner.

Finally, time-series plots need not be drawn as lines. The right button may be used in the time-series icon to change the representation to one of a number of iconic forms. (An experienced configuration hacker can make any icon available; the menu has a selected subset). After changing the representation and shortening the time period, the above plot ends up like:

Next: time-height plots

Return to Zeb Help Index

Time-series plots

Working with time-series windows

Removing data from time-series plots

Other time-series features

$Id: time-series.html,v 1.1 1994/11/30 17:25:35 corbet Exp $