Plot Overview

PRO/II allows you to generate and display a variety of graphical plots of tabulated data results. These plots are displayed in the Plot Viewer. Each plot generated is shown in a new window, allowing multiple plots to be displayed simultaneously. These plots may be exported to other external applications (such as spreadsheet software products).

The internal default Plot Viewer is a basic utility that displays a plot in a window. I allows you to view the plot, print it, copy it to the clipboard, and export its data to a file. Modification of plot attributes is not supported. If you want access to comprehensive editing and formatting features for you plot, choose the Excel plot driver. The "GnuPlot" program also provides basic formatting features.

PRO/II currently is capable of plotting output results for columns, heat exchanger zone analysis, heating/cooling curves, phase envelopes, input data for assay streams, fitted TBP curves, and the component cuts. For more details on these plots, see Available Data Plots. To generate a plot select Output/Generate Plot command.

Plot Viewer Operations

Facilities are provided for the user to generate and display a variety of graphical plots for input data and tabulated results. The following plots can be generated:

Input data
$image\EDIT03.gif$ Assay stream analysis

Output results
$image\EDIT03.gif$ Distillation Column profiles (temperature, flowrates, composition, and separation factor)
$image\EDIT03.gif$ Zones analysis for Simple and Rigorous Heat Exchangers
$image\EDIT03.gif$ Phase Envelopes
$image\EDIT03.gif$ Heating/Cooling Curves

Plots can be displayed using built-in (default) Plot Viewer, Microsoft Excel, or the "GnuPlot" plotting program. The section Setting up the Plot Driver describes how to select and configure the plot driver.

The default plot viewer does not allow modifications of plot attributes. However, you may perform the following actions on the plot as a whole:

Generating a Plot

To generate an assay stream analysis plot, select the View Curve button on the Stream Assay Definition window. Three curves will be generated: the actual user input distillation data, the regressed TBP curve, and finally the component cuts generated.

To generate one of the supported plots of output results:

Choose Generate Plot on the Output menu to display the Generate Plot window.

By default, the Units for Selection list box displays all the unit operations in your flowsheet for which plots are available. If you check the Selected Units option, only those units you previously selected on the PFD for which plots are available will be shown.

When you select a unit operation in the Units for Selection list box, the Available Plots list box displays all plots available for that unit. You may select a plot then click the Plot button to display the plot. If the plot requires additional options to be chosen, the Plot button will change to an Options button. Click this button to supply the additional data required by the plot. Currently, additional data is required only for Distillation Column plots.

Saving a plot with a different name

Select the Save As command from the File menu in the Plot Viewer. The Save As window is displayed where you can enter the new name of the plot file (.plt file), and select the directory and disk drive where it is to be saved.

Opening an existing plot file

Select the Open command from the File menu in the Plot Viewer. The Open window is displayed from which you can open the desired plot file (.plt) to be opened and displayed.

Exporting curve data to a file

You may export the curve data in the plot into a tab or comma-delimited ASCII file that can be read by spreadsheet programs. Select Export from the File menu in the Plot Viewer. The Save As window is displayed where you can enter the name of the export file and the directory and disk drive where it is to be saved. Click OK to generate the export file.

Printing the plot

Select Print from the File menu in the Plot Viewer. The plot will be sent to the current printer or plotter.

Setting up the printer

Select Printer Setup from the File Menu in the Plot Viewer. The Printer Setup window appears where you can select the printer or plotter you want the plot to be directed to. You can also select the orientation (portrait or landscape) and the page size.

Copying the plot to the clipboard

Select Copy from the Edit menu in the Plot Viewer. The plot image is copied to the clipboard. This image can then be pasted into other applications (like word processors, paint programs, etc.).

Getting help

When the Plot Viewer is displayed, you can get help on PRO/II by selecting the following items from the Help menu:

Contents : Displays the contents of the PRO/II help.

Printer Setup : Displays the help topic on keyboard usage in the GUI.

Plot Overview : Displays this topic.

PROVISION Overview : Displays a list of help topics on various elements of the GUI.

PFD Window : Displays a list of help topics related to the Main Window.

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