Plot Panel¶

The Plot Panel visualizes your signal data as interactive time-series charts. It's designed for analyzing signal behavior over time with features like zooming, panning, and precise measurement capabilities.

Overview¶

The plot panel displays signals as line charts with time on the x-axis and signal values on the y-axis. Each signal gets its own color and can be toggled on/off individually. The panel supports real-time streaming data and historical analysis.

Basic Usage¶

Adding Signals¶

Drag and drop signals from the signal tree directly onto the plot panel. Each signal will appear as a colored line with a legend entry.

Click and drag to pan when zoomed in
Double-click to toggle between live view and paused mode

Signal Management with Signal Chips¶

Below the plot, each signal is represented by an interactive signal chip that provides comprehensive signal management:

Color Management¶

Color indicator - Colored circle showing the signal's current plot color
Color picker - Click the color circle to open a color picker with preset palette and custom color selection
Visual states - Solid circle when active, hollow circle when hidden

Signal Control¶

Toggle visibility - Click anywhere on the chip to show/hide the signal line
Remove signal - Click the X button to remove from the panel entirely
Drag to other panels - Drag chips between panels to reorganize your data

Information Display¶

Signal name - Shows full path or shortened name based on panel settings
Data type - Hover to see signal data type in tooltip
Status indicator - Grayed out when no data available for current time range

Signal Management — Signal chips for managing individual signals in the plot.

Measurement Tool¶

The measurement tool allows you to make precise measurements between two points on your signals. This is particularly useful for analyzing signal deltas, timing relationships, and precise value changes.

Activating Measurements¶

Pause the view - The measurement tool is only available when not in live mode
Click the ruler icon in the panel header to enable measurement mode
Click on the plot to place your first cursor
Click again to place your second cursor
A measurement popup appears showing detailed results

Pause Required

The measurement tool is only available in paused mode. If you try to activate it while in live mode, you'll see a tooltip indicating you need to pause first.

Using Measurement Cursors¶

Once enabled, the measurement tool provides interactive cursors:

Cursor Placement¶

Click anywhere on the plot to place cursors
Cursors automatically snap to nearby data points for precision
Cursor 1 (blue) must be placed before Cursor 2 (green)
Cursors cannot cross each other

Moving Cursors¶

Drag the cursor lines to reposition them
Drag the numbered labels for easier cursor manipulation
Cursors snap to actual data points

Measurement Cursors — Blue and green measurement cursors positioned on the plot.

Measurement Results¶

The measurement popup displays comprehensive results for all visible signals:

Time Information¶

Start Time - Timestamp of cursor 1 position
End Time - Timestamp of cursor 2 position
Delta - Time difference between cursors

Signal Measurements¶

For each visible signal, you'll see:

Start Value - Signal value at cursor 1 position
End Value - Signal value at cursor 2 position
Delta - Value difference (End - Start)

Visible Signals Only

Measurements only include signals that are currently visible (not hidden via signal chips). Hidden signals won't appear in the measurement results.

Time Offset Indicators: When signal data points don't align exactly with cursor positions, small time offset indicators show the actual data timestamps. This ensures you know exactly which data points are being measured.

The measurement results popup is fully interactive:

You can:

Drag the header to reposition anywhere on the panel
Drag the resize handle (bottom-right corner) to adjust size
Click the chevron to collapse/expand the popup
Click the X button to clear both cursors and close the popup

Measurement Data Formats¶

Time Formatting¶

Clock format (HH:MM:SS.mmm) for start/end times
Delta format (+/-X.XXX s/ms/µs/ns) for time differences
Automatic unit selection based on magnitude

Value Formatting¶

Integer values displayed without decimals
Decimal values limited to 8 decimal places
Scientific notation preserved when present
Enum values show both text and numeric representations

Precision¶

All timestamps stored and calculated in nanosecond precision
Values use the original signal precision
Delta calculations account for actual data point timestamps

Plot Panel Settings¶

Access panel settings through the edit panel dialog:

Display Options¶

Panel Title: Set a custom title for the panel. Leave empty to use the default display.

Display Full Name: Toggle between showing full signal paths (source/message.signal) or shortened names (signal).

Tips¶

Measurement Accuracy¶

Zoom in closer to your area of interest before placing cursors
Use the snap-to-data-point feature for maximum precision
Check time offset indicators when exact timing matters
Hide irrelevant signals to focus measurements on signals of interest

Export Data¶

The plot panel supports exporting data in multiple formats:

CSV - Tabular format with timestamps and signal values
JSON - Structured format with metadata and arrays

Exported data respects the current time range and includes all visible signals. Measurement cursors do not affect export scope - the full visible time range is always exported.

Interaction Controls¶

Double-click - Toggle between live and paused modes
Scroll wheel - Zoom in/out on time axis
Click and drag - Pan when zoomed in

Data Availability

Measurement accuracy depends on data resolution. Sparse data may result in measurements between data points rather than at exact cursor positions. Time offset indicators help identify these situations.