LabPlot
Encyclopedia
LabPlot is a platform-independent
open-source
cross-platform
computer program for interactive scientific graphing
and data analysis
, written for the KDE
desktop. It is similar to Origin
and is able to import Origin's data files.
. He separately published liborigin, a library for reading OriginLab OPJ project files.
In 2008, developers of LabPlot and SciDAVis (another Origin clone, forked from QtiPlot
) "found their project goals to be very similar" and "decided to start a close cooperation" with the aim of merging their code into a common backend, while maintaining "two frontends, one with full KDE4 integration (called LabPlot 2.x) and one with no KDE depenencies (pure Qt so to say) for easier cross-platform use (called SciDAVis)".
Since then, however, LabPlot development seems to have stalled.
desktop and has drag and drop support with KDE's applications. The handbook is written in KDE and conforms to the Khelpcenter standards. It is scriptable using Qt Script for Applications (QSA). 2D and 3D plots of data can be rendered in a "worksheet", either by directly reading datafiles or from a spreadsheet
, which LabPlot supports. It has interfaces to several libraries, including GSL
for data analysis, the Qwt3d libraries for 3D plotting using OpenGL
, FFTW
for fast Fourier transform
s and supports exporting to 80 image formats and raw PostScript
. Other key features include support for LaTeX
and Rich Text
labels, data masking, multiple plots in the same worksheet, pie charts, bar charts/histogram
s, interpolation
, data smoothing
, peak fitting, nonlinear curve fitting, regression
, deconvolution
, integral transforms, and others (see developers website listed below for details). The graphs are publication-quality. Interface translated in various languages.
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
open-source
Open-source software
Open-source software is computer software that is available in source code form: the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, improve and at times also to distribute the software.Open...
cross-platform
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
computer program for interactive scientific graphing
Plot (graphics)
A plot is a graphical technique for representing a data set, usually as a graph showing the relationship between two or more variables. The plot can be drawn by hand or by a mechanical or electronic plotter. Graphs are a visual representation of the relationship between variables, very useful for...
and data analysis
Data analysis
Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making...
, written for the KDE
KDE
KDE is an international free software community producing an integrated set of cross-platform applications designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, Solaris and Mac OS X systems...
desktop. It is similar to Origin
Origin (software)
Origin is a proprietary computer program for interactive scientific graphing and data analysis. It is produced by OriginLab Corporation, and runs on Microsoft Windows...
and is able to import Origin's data files.
History and Perspective
LabPlot was initiated by Stefan Gerlach, a scientist and IT administrator at the University of KonstanzUniversity of Konstanz
The University of Konstanz is a university in the city of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was founded in 1966, and the main campus on the Gießberg was opened in 1972. As one of nine German Excellence Universities today University of Konstanz is counted among Germany's most prestigious...
. He separately published liborigin, a library for reading OriginLab OPJ project files.
In 2008, developers of LabPlot and SciDAVis (another Origin clone, forked from QtiPlot
QtiPlot
QtiPlot is a platform-independent open-source cross-platform computer program for interactive scientific graphing and data analysis. It is similar to the proprietary programs Origin or SigmaPlot, and is being used to substitute these in universities ....
) "found their project goals to be very similar" and "decided to start a close cooperation" with the aim of merging their code into a common backend, while maintaining "two frontends, one with full KDE4 integration (called LabPlot 2.x) and one with no KDE depenencies (pure Qt so to say) for easier cross-platform use (called SciDAVis)".
Since then, however, LabPlot development seems to have stalled.
Features
It uses the Qt widget set for its graphical interface. It is integrated with the KDEKDE
KDE is an international free software community producing an integrated set of cross-platform applications designed to run on Linux, FreeBSD, Microsoft Windows, Solaris and Mac OS X systems...
desktop and has drag and drop support with KDE's applications. The handbook is written in KDE and conforms to the Khelpcenter standards. It is scriptable using Qt Script for Applications (QSA). 2D and 3D plots of data can be rendered in a "worksheet", either by directly reading datafiles or from a spreadsheet
Spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper accounting worksheet. It displays multiple cells usually in a two-dimensional matrix or grid consisting of rows and columns. Each cell contains alphanumeric text, numeric values or formulas...
, which LabPlot supports. It has interfaces to several libraries, including GSL
GSL
-Biology:* Glycosphingolipids, a subtype of glycolipids containing the amino alcohol sphingosine-Companies and organizations:* Geological Society of London* Ghana School of Law...
for data analysis, the Qwt3d libraries for 3D plotting using OpenGL
OpenGL
OpenGL is a standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. The interface consists of over 250 different function calls which can be used to draw complex three-dimensional scenes from simple primitives. OpenGL...
, FFTW
FFTW
FFTW, for "Fastest Fourier Transform in the West", is a software library for computing discrete Fourier transforms , developed by Matteo Frigo and Steven G. Johnson at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology....
for fast Fourier transform
Fast Fourier transform
A fast Fourier transform is an efficient algorithm to compute the discrete Fourier transform and its inverse. "The FFT has been called the most important numerical algorithm of our lifetime ." There are many distinct FFT algorithms involving a wide range of mathematics, from simple...
s and supports exporting to 80 image formats and raw PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
. Other key features include support for LaTeX
LaTeX
LaTeX is a document markup language and document preparation system for the TeX typesetting program. Within the typesetting system, its name is styled as . The term LaTeX refers only to the language in which documents are written, not to the editor used to write those documents. In order to...
and Rich Text
Rich Text Format
The Rich Text Format is a proprietary document file format with published specification developed by Microsoft Corporation since 1987 for Microsoft products and for cross-platform document interchange....
labels, data masking, multiple plots in the same worksheet, pie charts, bar charts/histogram
Histogram
In statistics, a histogram is a graphical representation showing a visual impression of the distribution of data. It is an estimate of the probability distribution of a continuous variable and was first introduced by Karl Pearson...
s, interpolation
Interpolation
In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points....
, data smoothing
Smoothing
In statistics and image processing, to smooth a data set is to create an approximating function that attempts to capture important patterns in the data, while leaving out noise or other fine-scale structures/rapid phenomena. Many different algorithms are used in smoothing...
, peak fitting, nonlinear curve fitting, regression
Regression analysis
In statistics, regression analysis includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables...
, deconvolution
Deconvolution
In mathematics, deconvolution is an algorithm-based process used to reverse the effects of convolution on recorded data. The concept of deconvolution is widely used in the techniques of signal processing and image processing...
, integral transforms, and others (see developers website listed below for details). The graphs are publication-quality. Interface translated in various languages.