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Y-axis scaling in Issac is absurdly implemented

Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:31 pm
by daidnik
When will Isaac allow the user to change the scale of the data?

One is allowed to 'zoom in' over the range of 'x' (time or distance); "great".

By what reasoning is the user denied the ability to change the scale in 'y'?

If there is a program for the purpose of analyzing numerical data that denies the user the ability to change the scale, I have never seen it.

Such a design or architecture, if actually a desired "feature" is of very little value for any kind of analysis of the numeric data via the GUI.

Since this endeavor is precisely what we DO desire when we make a graph of a data set, why do you erode the utility of Isaac to the level of 'toy software' with this ill chosen design or feature?

Name a single case of software design for the graphical representation of numeric data that denies the ability to control the 'Y-axis' scaling AND is too stupid to re-analyze this scaling when the context changes by zooming in the X-axis?

You go thru version changes adding little frills and leave this glaring engineering absurdity version after version after version.

Re: Y-axis scaling in Issac is absurdly implemented

Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 6:46 pm
by Velocomp
Rather than being snarky about what you see is a glaring deficiency, I'd suggest that instead you ask if it is possible to change Y axis scaling.

In fact, it is...

Just click on the limits of the axis you'd like to change, type in the desired limit, hit "Enter", and it will do just what you want.

This is an undocumented feature so I can understand your frustration. We will fix this in the next update of the instructions.

Re: Y-axis scaling in Issac is absurdly implemented

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 5:06 am
by ronpei
It took a couple of tries to get what you mean, but then I got it, you cursor over the limit you wish to change with your mouse, as in a text program you highlight it, then you type in the number you want and preto rescaled! Good one nice to see this.
Ron

Re: Y-axis scaling in Issac is absurdly implemented

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:32 pm
by nsidirop
Velocomp, just a friendly reminder

If you have a great product with great features, like the Isaac software, please make sure you let everybody know about these features. Otherwise you've put endless engineering hours into something that will never be used and appreciated by the customer.
The scale change is just one example, I've been wondering the same thing as the thread author for quite a long time and even if it's dead simple to change the scale it never occured to me that I have to type in the y-axis values myself. If you had a simple instruction in the manual or elsewhere it would have been so much better.

I have already politely requested months ago

Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 1:31 pm
by daidnik
I have posted this in this forum months ago.

I have posted this in the 'software' forum months ago.

I have emailed Travis directly months ago.

FYI; regarding the reply that citing how you CAN change one parameter on the scaling; this IS explicitly true. However, this is ONLY one parameter. As soon as you click anywhere on anything on the graph, the obnoxiously implemented autoscaling routine undoes this. You CANNOT expand about any position within any of the graphs in the Y-direction. Try it for yourself.

I stand by my question regarding this design being spurious or different in this regard from EVERY other piece of software designed fro the purpose of graphing numerical data. If I'm wrong in this assertion, then show me the example.

The autoscaling plain and simply should NOT work this way. As such it is a quite fundamental architectural design flaw making the software not commensurate with the hardware it is designed to support.

The hardware is quite elegant in design. Leaving this fundamental design flaw in the software time after time after time is baffling and discouraging.

Re: Y-axis scaling in Issac is absurdly implemented

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 10:26 am
by Velocomp
We're looking at some improvements now.

Thank you for taking an interest in the issue

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:50 pm
by daidnik
With the addition of 'Powerstroke' the software has become tied tightly to the Newton hardware and is not easily supplanted by more generic software.

Simply allowing the user to override the upper & lower limits of the Y-axis scaling on any selection(s) of traces within the context of a single session is the solution that would be most consistent with the function of existing standards of such software for graphical viewing of numeric data.

The existing Autoscaling routine is too global and heavy-handed in the current implementation. It shouldn't override user input. That aspect is most certainly in violation a existing protocol for this type of software.

Allowing/Enabling the user to select an 'Autoscale' could be convenient, but such a routine must be 'smart enough' when user is 'zoomed-in' in "X" to select ONLY that scope of the data set for autoscaling, NOT the entire data set. That just doesn't make any sense at all and is totally annoying and absurd.