Surface Specifications

Click the Surface specs button in the Graph: Surface options pane of the Graph Options dialog to display the Surface Specifications dialog. The options in this dialog provide full control of the colors, shading, and other surface and contour line options used in 3D and 2D contour (of 3D) plots. As indicated in the help text on this dialog, major Surface colors are attached to either the minor or major tickmarks of the vertical axis of the 3D plot (or the projection of that axis in 2D contour plots). Intermediate surface colors are determined by transitions between the major colors. You can also plot the entire surface in a single color by selecting the Top style - Solid option button. If you then select, for example, a white Top and Bottom color, you can achieve a wire frame effect for the plotted surface.

Get shading levels from. Use the Get shading levels from drop-drop box to attach the major Surface colors (see below) to either the major or minor tickmarks of the vertical axis of the 3D plot (or the projection of that axis).

Close. Click the Close button to close this dialog and return to the previous one.

Surface style. Use the options in the Surface style group to attach different colors to the levels (heights in the vertical dimension) of the surface, or plot the entire surface in a single color.

Top style. Select the Shaded option button to attach different colors to the levels of the surface; select the Solid option button to draw the surface in a single (solid) color.

Top, Bottom. If the Top style - Solid option button is selected, then you can select the color here to be used for the drawing of the (solid, single-color) surface. Like practically all options of STATISTICA graphics, the respective selections can be saved as a style or default style for future use, or can be retrieved from an existing style.

Surface/contour lines. The options in the Surface/contour lines group are used to select/deselect lines for the "wire-frame" that is drawn to represent the surface. You can turn on or off the lines in the two horizontal dimensions, and, if turned on, select the patterns, sizes, colors, etc. of the lines to be used (see also Line Properties).

X axis, Y axis, Level. The surface is constructed as a "wire-frame" or fishnet, made up of small squares formed by lines in two horizontal dimensions; you can select the Line Properties of those lines via the X and Y axis buttons. In addition, contour lines are drawn "around" the surface to mark identical levels or heights in the vertical dimension; change the Line Properties of those lines via the Level button.

Surface colors. The options in the Surface colors group provide full control of the specific colors that are used for surfaces and projected contours to mark different levels or heights in the vertical dimension.

Number of defining colors. Select the Number of defining colors from this drop-down box.

Use colors directly. Select this check box to force the program to use the exact color selections for the surface as specified on this dialog. By default, when this check box is not selected, the selected colors will be "interpolated" between levels to create (as much as possible) smooth transitions between colors (i.e., "shades" to indicated intermediate levels of the surface).

Defining colors. Specify the colors that are used for surfaces and projected contours for each of the available Defining colors fields. Note that each color can be saved to a style, default style, or retrieved from an existing style; see Graph styles for additional details.

Contour lines. The options in the Contour lines group are used to specify the Line Properties for the contour lines.

Lines. Select Automatic (the same colors as for surface) from the Lines drop-down box to request that the lines used in contour projections use the same colors as the corresponding Surface colors for the same levels in the vertical dimension. To define different colors, select Custom defined.

Pattern. Click the Pattern buttons to select the Line Properties for the different contour lines.

Define contours/levels based on min/max of Z-axis. Select the Define contours/levels based on min/max of Z-axis check box to include the full range of Z-axis values when defining contours/levels. When this check box is selected, the legend and surface colors are created as if the range of data were the entire range of the Z-axis. By selecting this option, you will be able to compare the data from several surfaces or contours even if one surface has a smaller spread of data range than the others. When this check box is cleared, the legend and surface colors will be created based on the real (fit) data range, i.e., STATISTICA will use different colors for the data range for different surfaces. Note that other aspects of the legend for surface and contour plots can be controlled using options in the Graph: Surface options pane of the Graph Options dialog. See, for example, the Legend (surface/contour) option, which you can use to specify the detail of the levels (surface colors) used in surface and contour plot legends.

Highlight contour line. Select Heavy or Light from the Highlight contour line drop-down list to highlight the contour line indicated in the Line number list using a heavy (thick) or light (thin) contour line. Select Off if you do not want to highlight the contour line at all. Note that the Level check box must also be selected under Surface/contour lines (i.e., contour lines must be drawn on the graph).

Line number. Select the contour line number that will be highlighted in the manner indicated by the selection in the Highlight contour line drop-down list. To highlight the middle line of the plot, select Medium. Note that the Level check box must also be selected under Surface/contour lines (i.e., contour lines must be drawn on the graph).

General surface options. Click the General surface options button to display the Surface dialog. In that dialog you can further refine various surface options. These options can also be selected in the Surface options pane of the Graph Options dialog.

Vertical (z) axis tickmarks, options. Click the Vertical (z) axis tickmarks, options button to display the Vertical axis dialog. These options can also be set via the Axis Major Units tab.