Graphs in STATISTICA

The most common application of graphs is to efficiently present and communicate information (typically, numerical data). However, graphical techniques also provide powerful analytical tools for the exploration of data and verification of hypotheses.

A broad selection of graphics options. STATISTICA includes a comprehensive selection of graphical methods for both data analysis and the presentation of results. All graphs in STATISTICA include a broad selection of built-in, interactive analytic techniques and extensive customization tools that enable you to interactively control virtually all aspects of the display. Also, flexible multi-graphics management facilities are available that are used to integrate various graphical displays and to build dynamic links between applications (e.g., using OLE-Object Linking and Embedding).

Automatic updating of graphs. Graph facilities in STATISTICA not only enable you to create a graph easily, you can also automatically update graphs in real-time whenever your input data change. If the spreadsheet is linked to an outside data source, graphs can be set to update automatically whenever the spreadsheet links are updated (e.g., from a database or data acquisition equipment connected to the serial port). Unless the graph uses its own selection conditions (via the Use selection conditions for this Analysis/Graph only option in the Analysis/Graph Case Selection Conditions dialog), selection condition changes in the spreadsheet will be reflected in the graph as well.

Once a graph is created, you can link the graph to different variables in the spreadsheet, or to a completely different spreadsheet. After the link update, the graph will retain its original customizations while linking to the new data.

The update can go the other way as well. When you change the case states of the data points of an existing graph (using the brushing tool), such as the label or color of the marker, or exclude or hide points from the graph, these changes can be updated to the spreadsheet. Since several graphs can be linked from the same spreadsheet, this makes an efficient tool for exploratory data analysis: as changes are made in one graph to brush and exclude and/or label data points, changes are instantly made in all the graphs based on that spreadsheet.

Note that point marker style and color are predetermined for multiple subsets, frequency scatterplot and overlaid categorization. When brushing graphs of these types, the default point marker and color will take precedence over the brushing color/marker. However, the changes made via the brushing tool will be reflected in the spreadsheet and in the Graph Data Editor.

Comprehensive support for Visual Basic and other languages. STATISTICA graphical options can be accessed programmatically (using the built in STATISTICA Visual Basic or other compatible languages), which creates practically unlimited possibilities to produce highly customized graphical displays. These custom graphs can be permanently added to STATISTICA's user interface (e.g., assigned to buttons on toolbars or added to menus). For additional details, see, for example, the Macro Index or Basic Functions for Editing Objects (Spreadsheets, Graphs, etc.).

General categories of graphs. The STATISTICA system offers a variety of methods in which graphs can be requested or defined. These methods (constituting broad categories of graphs such as input data, block data, and specialized) are reviewed in General Categories of Graphs. They complement each other, providing a high level of integration between numbers (such as raw data, intermediate results, or final results) and graphical displays. For example, specialized graphs can be requested as part of the automatic output from statistical procedures, but they can also be requested via integrated tools to visualize virtually any combination of numbers (and/or labels) that are displayed or generated by STATISTICA.

Microsoft Office Integration. When the mouse pointer is clicked in an area of the graph other than inside the axes or a title or axis label, you can drag the graph into an open Microsoft document (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).

For more details, see Graphs of Input Data, Graphs Menu Graphs, Graphs of Block Data, and the Graph Data Editor Overview.