I recently finished a consulting project using EStat that involved comparing values of an electric field component along the scan lines for several solutions. The standard approach is to create a short analysis script to run from the EStat analysis menu. The script opens a data file, loads each solution and performs sets of scans. Because EStat does not know the user’s data requirements a priori, the convention in the past was to record all computed quantities at each scan point. The result is a large file with considerable information that may not be of interest. I usually extracted information using the column-select feature of ConText, but in this case the process was proving to be laborious and redundant.
To speed up data reduction, I added a new feature to EStat (and the other TriComp) programs. Now you can specify which computed quantities should be included in data records generated by the Line scan and Matrix file commands. A new command in the Analysis menu (Analysis/Analysis settings/Set recorded quantities) brings up the dialog shown in the figure. Only checked quantities are included in any subsequent records. Here is an example of a scan record with two quantities active:
Scan between points Start: 0.0000E+00 RStart: 8.000E+00 ZEnd: 4.5000E+00 REnd: 8.000E+00 Z R Potential Ey|Er ================================================ 0.0000E+00 8.0000E+00 -2.1863E+05 -4.8177E+06 4.5000E-02 8.0000E+00 -2.1864E+05 -4.8177E+06 9.0000E-02 8.0000E+00 -2.1864E+05 -4.8177E+06 1.3500E-01 8.0000E+00 -2.1865E+05 -4.8177E+06 1.8000E-01 8.0000E+00 -2.1866E+05 -4.8177E+06 2.2500E-01 8.0000E+00 -2.1866E+05 -4.8177E+06 ...
There are a few rules:
- Quantity selection is available when the program runs interactively in a window. It does not apply when the program is run in the background.
- In the interactive mode, quantity selection applies both to direct calls to the Line scan and Matrix file commands and to calls from an analysis script.
- All quantities are active when the program starts.
- The state of active quantities is preserved when a new data file is loaded.
We will add the feature to the AMaze programs next week. On this topic, please let us know if you have suggestions for features that would make it easier to work with the codes.
Dialog to set recorded quantities in TriComp program