Exporting Graphs
The drawing programs, Canvas, Illustrator or PowerPoint, are generally used when preparing a figure for publication. This document contains step-by-step instructions on how to transfer a graph into each of these drawing programs.
Step 1 - Preparing a Graph for Export
When a graph is pasted into a drawing program, it generally needs to be resized to fit the figure layout. There are no problems if the proportions are maintained (same scaling for X and Y), but non-proportional scaling will distort any symbols used in the graph, and may distort text labels. Where possible, decide on the final size and layout of the figure, then set up the graph so that it is exported with the correct proportions.
Example: export a graph so that it fits into a square area 10 cm x 10 cm
In AxoGraph, bring a graph window to the front and select File -> Page Setup
In the Page Setup dialog select Paper Size -> Manage Custom Sizes
In the Custom Page Sizes dialog, click '+' to add a new item
Name it '10 cm Square' and fill in the Page Size and Printer Margins as shown...
Click OK, and return to the Page Setup dialog.
Set Paper Size to the new '10 cm Square' custom size and click OK.
Note that AxoGraph leaves room around the graph for axis labels. Only if axes and labels are turned off, will the graph be square.
AxoGraph's 'Page Layout' feature permits you to specify a sub-region of a page to export a graph into. This is useful when working with standard paper sizes. If the graph is to fill the entire '10 cm Square' custom paper size, the default settings are OK. To check these settings Select File -> Page Layout...
To resize the graph to fit inside the top half of the page, change 'Vertical' to 50%. The graph is now ready to export.
Step 2 - Exporting a Graph
The simplest way to export a graph is using copy and paste. This works with all three of the drawing programs (Canvas, Illustrator and PowerPoint). However, for Illustrator the recommended approach is to export the graph to an SVG file, then read the file into Illustrator.
Print to PDF can also be used for exporting a graph. In AxoGraph select Print, then in the print dialog click the PDF button and select 'Save as PDF'. Both Canvas and Illustrator can import PDF files.
Adobe Illustrator
These instructions apply to Adobe Illustrator 10 for Mac, and to Adobe Illustrator CS3 (www.adobe.com/products/illustrator/)
Copy and Paste Technique
In AxoGraph, select Edit -> Copy, then choose 'Drawing' in the resulting dialog
Switch to Illustrator and Paste
Object -> Transform -> Scale, and choose 25% uniform scaling
Object -> Ungroup
Object -> Clipping Mask -> Release
Export to SVG Technique (recommended)
In AxoGraph, select File -> Export, then set 'Format' to 'Illustrator SVG' in the export dialog
Switch to Illustrator and open the exported file
Select -> All
Object -> Transform -> Scale, and choose 25% uniform scaling
Object -> Ungroup
Each trace is converted to a single 'path', and can't be further ungrouped.
To edit a trace, first change to the 'Direct Selection Tool'.
This is the white arrow icon in the top-right of the floating toolbar.
Using this selection tool, drag a selection box over the points of the trace to be edited.
The selected points can now be moved relative to the rest of the trace.
To remove part of a trace, use the Direct Selection Tool to drag a selection box over the part to be deleted then hit the 'delete' key.
When increasing line thickness of a trace, Illustrator creates a jagged line.
You can work around the problem as follows..
Display the 'Stroke' tool window (under Window menu)
In the 'Stroke' tab, click the small blue triangle button and select 'Show Options'
Change the 'Join' option from square (left hand button) to bevel (right hand button).
Microsoft PowerPoint
These instructions apply to PowerPoint X for Mac, a component of Microsoft Office X (www.microsoft.com/mac/)
In AxoGraph, select Edit -> Copy, then choose 'Drawing' in the resulting dialog
Switch to PowerPoint and Paste
Select Edit -> Picture Object
The resulting dialog asks whether to 'Convert it to a Microsoft Office drawing'. Click OK.
Each trace is converted to a single 'path', and can't be further ungrouped.
To edit a trace, select that trace then...
Drawing Toolbar -> 'Draw' button (top) -> Edit Points
It is difficult to remove part of a trace in Power Point. Individual points can be removed by holding down the 'option' key and clicking on each point. A faster approach may be to maks the points by drawing a white box on top of them.
Canvas X
These instructions apply to Canvas X (build 898) from ACD Systems (www.acdamerica.com)
In AxoGraph, select Edit -> Copy, then choose 'Drawing' in the resulting dialog
Switch to Canvas X and Paste
Select Object -> Path -> Convert to Paths
Object -> Ungroup
Each trace is converted to a single 'path', and can't be further ungrouped.
To edit a trace, select that trace then...
Object -> Path -> Edit Path
To remove part of a trace, drag a selection box over the part to be deleted then...
Edit -> Cut (or right mouse click -> Delete Selected Points)
When increasing line thickness of a trace, Canvas creates a jagged line.
You can work around the problem as follows..
Tear off the line thickness dialog
Click the 'Edit' button
Change the 'Join' option from square (left hand button) to rounded (central button).
Then type in the line thickness you want (in points)
Click 'Add Preset'
This 'Attributes' dialog is buggy - it only works if you first change 'Join' then change 'Weight'.