Editing Legends

Most plots in Prism applications provide a default legend where the visual attributes of the plot are shown along with a text description. There is also a mechanism of making a custom legend that could, for example, group plots by certain characteristics. This is best shown by example.

The figure below shows a plot from PrismSpect. The lines represent spectra at different temperatures and densities.

• Group the lines by temperature and density values. Double clicking on a line, or selecting the menu command Graph | Line Properties, will display the line properties dialog:

• Select all lines at the same temperature and give them a common color.
• Select all lines at the same density and give them the same line style.

We now have the plot and legend shown below:

• Double click on the legend to edit it. The Textbox Properties dialog will be shown.
• Delete the contents of the text box.
• Density legend:
  • Add a header line e.g. 'Density (cm^-3)' and press Enter.
  • Click on the Stipple button and select the plot whose stipple attribute will be used for the first density value.
  • Type the density value and press Enter.
  • Repeat for the next two density values.
  • The image below illustrates selecting the stipple attribute for the third density value.
  • Click on OK.

• Temperature legend.
  • Create a new text box via the Text | New Text Box menu item.
  • Add a header line e.g. Temperature (eV)' and press Enter.
  • Click on the Color button to select the plot whose color attribute will be used for the first temperature value.
  • Type the temperature value and press Enter.
  • Repeat for the next temperature value.
  • Click on OK.

The legends should now appear as shown in the image below.