Creating a New Diagram of Digitized Data
RockPlot2D | Data | Oprions | Convert to Diagram | Create New Diagram

The Digitize menu tools in RockPlot2D are designed to capture point, line, polyline, and polygon coordinates in the Data Window. As you digitize these items, the program also plots the points, lines, polylines, and polygons on the map, for your reference.

Unlike the Draw menu tools (which are actually added to the map), the digitized shapes displayed on the map are VERY temporary in nature: They are not saved along with the underlying image if you choose File | Save. They are not printed with the image if you choose File | Print. In fact, if you rescale or redraw the graphic image in any way (using Zoom In, Zoom Out, Best Fit, Stretch, or Vertical Exaggeration), they will disappear from the screen display. (Their coordinates, however, will remain in the RockPlot2D Data Window.)

If you would like to keep the digitized shapes in a graphic format, you can either create a new image with them alone (this topic) or you can append them to the underlying image.


Step-by-Step Summary

  1. If necessary, open the diagram onto which you want to digitize points, lines, etc. (see Opening Plot Files) or click in the current RockPlot2D window containing the diagram.
  2. Configure the items you wish to digitize using the File menu’s Options tool. These establish line styles, colors, decimal accuracy, etc.
  3. Digitize the points, lines, polylines, or polygons onto the screen display. Each item and its coordinates are recorded in the RockPlot2D Data Window to the right of the image screen.
  4. When you are ready to create a new window that contains these digitized items, click on the Options menu above the data pane, and select Convert to Diagram | Create New Diagram.
  5. RockPlot2D will create a new, blank, untitled RockPlot2D window. It will then read the contents of the original Data Window and draw the points, lines, polylines, and/or polygons in this new window, using the File | Options | Digitize & Measurement settings.
  6. At this time, you can save the image (File | Save), draw items (Draw menu), print the image (File | Print), etc.

! Because the new-window process is done by reading the Point, Line, Polyline, and Polygon listings in the Data Window, the New Graphic tool will work even if the digitized items are no longer visible in the image display due to a screen redraw.

See Also

RockWare home page