Reply To: Scaling Y axes

#979
Bill Finzer
Keymaster

Hi Andee,

Interesting question. As the programmer for graphs I should be able to lay out the heuristics that determine whether a scatterplot (or any plot with a numeric axis) rescales.

The plot will rescale when:

  • You press the Rescale button at the top of the graph’s “inspector.”
  • An attribute is added to an axis or the legend.
  • An attribute already on an axis or legend is changed to a different attribute.
  • An attribute on an axis or legend is removed.
  • One or more cases are added that have values for the plotted attributes that lie outside the current axis bounds.
  • Points that have been hidden are shown and some of the values lie outside the current axis bounds.
  • Cases that have been set aside are restored and some of the values lie outside the current axis bounds.

The plot will not rescale when:

  • A case value is changed even if that value lies outside the current axis bounds.
  • Cases are added but their values already lie within the current axis bounds.
  • The graph is moved or resized.
  • Points are hidden or their corresponding cases are deleted or set aside.

These heuristics evolved during the development of Fathom. I think you may be the first person expressing a desire to know what they are. And I don’t recall anyone ever asking that we change the rules, at least since the very early days.

 

Bill