Multiple 2D data objects can be used to create a three-dimensional data object. This can be very useful to display multiple spectra, for example
from a sequential measurement, in one 3D data object and thus provides a simple overview of the whole data set.
Since the data for the additional third dimension usually is not contained in the originating 2D data objects, the 3D data creation dialog offers
a range of options to combine the individual 2D data objects. These options vary from simple incremental combination to using numerical data from
attached labels to create the 3D object. The following options for combining 2D data objects are available:
User Defined
Incrementally combines the 2D data objects. The user can choose the order in which the objects are combined and the increment interval.
Creation Date
Incrementally combines the 2D data objects by their date and time of creation.
Label
Combines the 2D data objects incrementally according to the numerical values that are stored in an attached label. Only one label can be selected.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites for creating a 3D data objects from 2D data objects:
All 2D data objects need to be opened and merged into a single data view.
This can be achieved by either manually opening the individual 2D spectra and merging them into one data view or by organizing all required 2D data files in a project and opening them by using the project explorer context menu command Show
contents.
The label of all objects
needs to contain the numerical data.
If the method "label" is used to create a 3D object, all 2D data objects need to have the desired label attached and this label
of every 2D data object needs to contain a numerical value. Verify and check or edit the attached labels by using the label editor.
Open the Create 3D Data Dialog by selecting the command Create 3D data from the 2D View
menu. The dialog looks like this:
The dialog consist of two main fields. The 3D Creation method selection and a parameter selection. Besides the unit selection drop down box, the
parameter section is only important for the user defined method.
All 2D data objects will be shown in the parameter text box. To combine
all objects with user defined parameters, please follow the instructions
below:
Adjust the order of your data in the 3D object.
If the displayed sequence does not match the order in which you want
to combine the data objects, you can move individual data objects by selecting
them with the Left
mouse button and using
the Up
and Downbuttons.
Enter a axis start
value for the z-axis.
This will be the z-data value for the first 2D data object and the
first value of the z-axis.
Enter an increment.
This increment specifies the z-data interval between two successive
2D data objects.
Enter the desired target unit
for the 3rd dimension.
The drop down box offers all available units in the software. This
unit will label the new z-axis data.
Click on the OK
button to create the new 3D data object.
A separate data view with the new 3D data object will be opened.
Example:
A 3D data object created with the user defined method and the parameters
shown in the above picture will have a z-axis ranging from 0 to 4, with
the first 2D data object located on the z-value 0. The following 2D data
objects will be incrementally located on the z-points 1,2,3, with the
last object located on z-value 4.
The creation date of all 2D data objects will be show in the parameter
text box. All objects will be sorted automatically according to their
creation date. The oldest object will be displayed first and youngest
object last. The z-axis will be automatically labeled with the corresponding
creation dates. The oldest object will be the first z-axis data object,
the youngest object the last. The options axis start, increment and unit
are not used in the date based creation methods.
The parameter text box will display all labels that are attached to
the 2D data objects. The user needs to select a single label that has
to contain numerical values. The 3D data object will be created incrementally
according to the numerical values stored in the selected label. Essentially
this method is the same as the date based methods. Instead of using a
label containing a date, the 3D data is created by use of numerical value
stored in the selected arbitrary label. The options axis start and increment
are not used in the label based creation method.
Depending on the selected method the text box will display variable
information:
User defined
Shows a list of all 2D objects that are used to create the 3D object.
The order of the 2D objects can be changed by using the Up
and Down buttons. The 3D object will be created according
to the sequence of 2D objects shown in the list.
Creation date
Shows a list of creation dates of all 2D objects. The objects will
be sorted ascending according to their date and time of creation. Thus
the oldest object will be in first position and it will the first 2D object
in the newly created 3D data object.
Label
Shows a list of all labels attached to the 2D data objects. You can
only select one label. The numerical data stored in this label will be
used to create the 3D object. The Upand Down
buttons are not used in this method.
The parameter axis start defines the first data point of the z-Axis.
This parameter will only be used with the user defined method and additionally
forms the z-data value of the first 2D data object.
The parameter increment defines the interval between two consecutive
2D data objects. This parameter can only be modified when selecting the
user defined method. All other methods automatically calculate the increment.
The parameter unit defines the desired unit that is used to label the
z-axis. The drop down box shows all units that are available in the software.
If no explicit unit is needed, the value "arbitrary" is to be
chosen.
