Anyone know a good 2D plotting program?

**ayla** · 08-06-2006, 07:21 PM

I'm looking for a basic 2-dimensional x-y coordinates plotting program, the simpler and cheaper the better. Anyone have any recommendations?

(Just plotting and not just for stock prices but for any numbers though I will be using it for stocks.)

**ebbnflow** · 08-06-2006, 11:50 PM

There's a 2d and 3d plotter online.

http://qudata.com/online/

**airlift** · 08-12-2006, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by ebbnflow

There's a 2d and 3d plotter online.

http://qudata.com/online/

Ebbnfow and Ayla,
Can you explain to me what this is and how this works? Thanks

**airlift** · 08-12-2006, 08:51 PM

Ebbnflow,
I just checked the website you posted, and I realize this is very complex stuff...At least for my understanding. Is there any simple way for an untrained mind to understand how to use this?

**ChemEng** · 08-12-2006, 08:56 PM

Excel has the best 2d plotter available...

**ayla** · 08-13-2006, 05:44 AM

ebbnflow - apologies for not thanking you earlier for posting the link to qudata. Thank you. I have definitely saved it for my "favorite links" for studying more later but as far as drawing a graph, I was unable to get it to do anything but to plot individual points such as TSP I-Fund share prices (Y) vs an integer value corresponding to date (X). Wouldn't connect the points so was just a splatter of points.

Since qudata sells some other products, I wonder if this isn't a very low-scale utility just to draw you in. Anyway, will explore some later. But also in the meantime, I am looking into Excel as ChemEng suggested. Seems like a lot of references to this on the web - i.e. using Excel for plotting.

sponsor, not sure if I can explain a 2d plot. Basically a graph with x values (usually horizontal) vs y values (usually on vertical axis). I had hoped to do some variation of a moving average plot of stock prices but looks like qudata doesn't allow you to compose an equation for y that is an average of numerous values of x.

As far as how I entered the data, I was able to enter the values for the TSP I Fund stock prices from the share price page at: http://www.tsp.gov/rates/share-prices.html. I cut and pasted 30 days into Excel. Couldn't see a way to just cut one column of I-Fund prices.

Then from Excel, I was able to cut just the column of I-Fund prices only (not c-fund, s-fund, etc.).

sponsor, if you need an explantion of a 2d plot, I think there are text books with sections on this. I don't think I could explain this very well here, any more than my statements above.

Hope this helps a little.

**rokid** · 08-13-2006, 08:31 AM

Ayla,

If you're interested in plotting moving averages, here's a link to an Excel spreadsheet.-----Rokid

http://gummy-stuff.org/MA.htm

**airlift** · 08-13-2006, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by ayla

ebbnflow - apologies for not thanking you earlier for posting the link to qudata. Thank you. I have definitely saved it for my "favorite links" for studying more later but as far as drawing a graph, I was unable to get it to do anything but to plot individual points such as TSP I-Fund share prices (Y) vs an integer value corresponding to date (X). Wouldn't connect the points so was just a splatter of points.

Since qudata sells some other products, I wonder if this isn't a very low-scale utility just to draw you in. Anyway, will explore some later. But also in the meantime, I am looking into Excel as ChemEng suggested. Seems like a lot of references to this on the web - i.e. using Excel for plotting.

sponsor, not sure if I can explain a 2d plot. Basically a graph with x values (usually horizontal) vs y values (usually on vertical axis). I had hoped to do some variation of a moving average plot of stock prices but looks like qudata doesn't allow you to compose an equation for y that is an average of numerous values of x.

As far as how I entered the data, I was able to enter the values for the TSP I Fund stock prices from the share price page at: http://www.tsp.gov/rates/share-prices.html. I cut and pasted 30 days into Excel. Couldn't see a way to just cut one column of I-Fund prices.

Then from Excel, I was able to cut just the column of I-Fund prices only (not c-fund, s-fund, etc.).

sponsor, if you need an explantion of a 2d plot, I think there are text books with sections on this. I don't think I could explain this very well here, any more than my statements above.

Hope this helps a little.

Ayla,
Thank you for your information. I realize that this material is somewhat distant from my usual mindset, professional scope, and work approaches. This seems to be quite suitable for more mathematical oriented types than I am. It doesn't mean that I can't eventually learn this, but it could take some time. Right now I am playing only the I-fund and the G-fund more defensively. However, I will appreciate to hear any conclusions that your work with 2D produces inasmuch as it might affect the trading or investing in the TSP funds. The fact that I don't have a grasp of this subject doesn't mean that I am unable to understand your hypothesis! I am certain that others with similar limitations would also be open to your ideas. Thanks again!