Plot Area

The context menu for the Plot Area contains an item labeled Plot Area Properties. Choosing this menu item displays a dialog box whose tabs depend on the type of the plot. There are, however, some tabs that are common to several plots:

Observations

This tab controls the appearance of observation markers. The tab provides the following controls:

Shape: This list enables you to specify the shape of observation markers. The shape of the marker for each observation is stored in the DataObject associated with the plot.
Fill: If the Blend by list is set to None, the Fill list enables you to specify the fill color of observation markers. If the Blend by list is not set to None, the Fill list enables you to specify the color blend to be used to color the interiors of observation markers. The fill color of the marker for each observation is stored in the DataObject associated with the plot.
Blend by (Fill): This list enables you to specify the data set variable whose values should be used to perform color blending for the fill colors of observation markers. If this control is set to None, color blending is not performed.
Outline: If the Blend by list is set to None, the Outline list enables you to specify the outline color of observation markers. If the Blend by list is not set to None, the Outline list enables you to specify the color blend to be used to color the outlines of observation markers. The outline color of the marker for each observation is stored in the DataObject associated with the plot.
Blend by (Outline): This list enables you to specify the data set variable whose values should be used to perform color blending for the outline colors of observation markers. If this control is set to None, color blending is not performed.
Apply to: This option enables you to specify whether marker shape and color changes should be applied to all observations, or just the ones currently selected.
Size: This list enables you to specify the size of observation markers. All observation markers are drawn at the same size. Selecting Auto causes the size of markers to change according to the size of the plot.
Show only selected observations: This check box enables you to control whether observation markers are shown only for selected observations.
Label all observations: This check box enables you to control whether labels are displayed next to each observation marker.
Label observations by: This check box enables you to specify the variable to use to label observations.
Show rays: This check box, which is only available in the 3D rotating plot, enables you to specify whether lines are drawn from the center of the bounding cube to each observation marker.
Show depth perception: This check box, which is only available in the 3D rotating plot, enables you to specify whether observation markers are drawn in varying sizes to indicate their distance from the viewer.

Reference Lines

Reference lines are vertical or horizontal lines originating at major tick marks. This tab provides the following controls:

Style: This list enables you to specify the style (solid, dotted, dashed, etc.) of the reference lines.
Width: This list enables you to specify the width of the reference lines.
Color: This color selector enables you to specify the color of the reference lines.
Show X reference lines: This check box enables you to specify that reference lines should be displayed for the X axis.
Show Y reference lines: This check box enables you to specify that reference lines should be displayed for the Y axis.
Show Z reference lines: This check box, which is only available in the 3D rotating plot, enables you to specify that reference lines should be displayed for the Z axis.

Font

This tab provides the following controls:

Font: This list box enables you to specify the typeface of the font used to display text in the Plot Area.
Font style: This list box enables you to specify the style of the font used to display text in the Plot Area.
Size: This list box enables you to specify the point size of the font used to display text in the Plot Area.
Color: This color selector enables you to specify the color in which text in the Plot Area should be displayed.
Strikeout: This check box enables you to specify whether a line is drawn through text in the Plot Area.
Underline: This check box enables you to specify whether a line is drawn below text in the Plot Area.

Plot Area

This tab provides the following controls:

Left: This box enables you to specify the distance between the left edge of the Plot Area and the left edge of the plot. The distance is specified as a fraction of the Plot Area's width. The distance must be in the range 0 to 0.8.
Right: This box enables you to specify the distance between the right edge of the Plot Area and the right edge of the plot. The distance is specified as a fraction of the Plot Area's width. The distance must be in the range 0 to 0.8.
Top: This box enables you to specify the distance between the top edge of the Plot Area and the top edge of the plot. The distance is specified as a fraction of the Plot Area's height. The distance must be in the range 0 to 0.8.
Bottom: This box enables you to specify the distance between the bottom edge of the Plot Area and the bottom edge of the plot. The distance is specified as a fraction of the Plot Area's height. The distance must be in the range 0 to 0.8.
Background: This color selector enables you to specify the background color of the Plot Area.
Show plot frame: This check box enables you to control whether the Plot Area's frame is displayed.

Because the plot area has margins, the edges of the plot area do not generally correspond to the minimum and maximum values of the axis.

For a discussion of the remaining tabs that are specific to a particular type of plot, see the following:

Bar Chart: Plot Area Properties

Box Plot: Plot Area Properties

Contour Plot: Plot Area Properties

Histogram: Plot Area Properties

Line Plot: Plot Area Properties

Mosaic Plot: Plot Area Properties

Polygon Plot: Plot Area Properties

Rotating Plot: Plot Area Properties

Scatter Plot: Plot Area Properties