Graph Colors

The Select Color Scheme and Customize Colors item in TableCurve 2D Graphs is used to set the colors for the current graph to one of the predefined color schemes or to select or revise a custom color scheme for the type of graph displayed. This dialog incorporates a copy of the current graph. Any color scheme selection is immediately reflected in the graph.

Note that you may print a Black and White graph from any color scheme (TableCurve 2D internally changes to the Page White BW color scheme for printing a monochrome graph). The most recent custom color scheme for each graph in the program is saved across sessions. Saved also for each graph is the most recent customized color set.

Color Selection

The various graphs within TableCurve 2D are preassigned a default color scheme. If you dislike a given color scheme, you can select one of the ten predefined schemes or build your own custom scheme.

Note that many of the color schemes are not immediately apparent if the Graph Layout is currently maximized. If you wish to modify or create a custom color scheme, you may wish to first change to one of the other graph layouts containing titles and a standard background.

Selecting or Reading a Custom Color Scheme

A custom color scheme for each graph is automatically saved across sessions. This color scheme is listed as the User Customized option. Initially, this user color scheme will contain the Page White Color scheme, the one you would most likely want to modify for color printing. To first create a custom color scheme, first select the one existing color scheme closest to the desired colors and then select the Customize Colors button. To read a custom colors [CLR] file from this initial color selection dialog, simply select the Read option.

Creating a Custom Color Scheme

The Customize Colors button opens a Custom Colors dialog. Like the color scheme dialog, it too contains a copy of the current graph which will be updated with each color modification. This dialog will display the graph colors used in the program and to the left of each you will see the current colors. Simply click on the color you wish to customize and then select one of the 16 pure Windows colors in the selection palette. The graph will immediately change to reflect your choice if that element exists within the current graph.

These 16 colors are those which are guaranteed to be present in all Windows applications, regardless of palette settings.

Saving a Custom Color Scheme

The most recent custom color scheme for a given type of graph is automatically saved across sessions. If you wish to have more than one custom color scheme for a given type of graph, such as plotter and color laser printer color schemes for peak fit graphs, you will have to Save the custom colors to a disk file and use the read item to recall them prior to printing. You will also wish to save the custom color scheme to disk if you wish to use these same colors in other program graphs. Colors files have CLR default extensions. These are binary files which can only be generated from within the program.

Reading a Custom Color Scheme

The Custom colors option also has a Read option to import custom color [CLR] files.

Reset

The Reset option restores colors to the state existing when the dialog was opened.