Origin (software)
Encyclopedia
Origin is a proprietary computer program for interactive scientific graphing
and data analysis
. It is produced by OriginLab Corporation, and runs on Microsoft Windows
. It has inspired several platform-independent
open-source
clones like QtiPlot
or SciDAVis
.
Graphing support in Origin includes various 2D/3D plot types.
Data analyses in Origin include statistics
, signal processing
, curve fitting
and peak analysis. Origin's curve fitting is performed by the nonlinear least squares
fitter which is based on the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm.
Origin imports data files in various formats such as ASCII text, Excel
, NI TDM, DIADem
, NetCDF
, SPC
, etc. It also exports the graph to various image file formats such as JPEG
, GIF
, EPS, TIFF
, etc. There is also a built-in query tool for accessing database data via ADO
.
software with a spreadsheet
front end. Unlike popular spreadsheets like Excel
, Origin's worksheet is column oriented. Each column has associated attributes like name, units and other user definable labels. Instead of cell formulae, Origin uses column formulae for calculations.
Origin also has a scripting language
(LabTalk) for controlling the software, which can be extended using a built-in C
/C++
-based compiled language
(Origin C).
Origin can be also used as a COM
server for programs which may be written in Visual Basic .NET
, C#, LabVIEW
, etc.
OriginLab project files (.OPJ) can be read by the open-source library liborigin.
Technical support is available to registered users via e-mail and telephone.
A user forum http://originlab.com/forum is also available, and posts are routinely answered by OriginLab staff and others in the user community.
The software was first published for the public in 1992 by Microcal Software, which later was renamed to OriginLab Corporation, located in Northampton, Massachusetts
.
Open-source projects inspired by Origin:
Other open-source graphing and data analysis software:
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...
. It is produced by OriginLab Corporation, and runs on Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It has inspired several platform-independent
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...
clones like 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 ....
or SciDAVis
SciDAVis
SciDAVis is a platform-independent open-source cross-platform computer program for interactive scientific graphing and data analysis...
.
Graphing support in Origin includes various 2D/3D plot types.
Data analyses in Origin include statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, signal processing
Signal processing
Signal processing is an area of systems engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics that deals with operations on or analysis of signals, in either discrete or continuous time...
, curve fitting
Curve fitting
Curve fitting is the process of constructing a curve, or mathematical function, that has the best fit to a series of data points, possibly subject to constraints. Curve fitting can involve either interpolation, where an exact fit to the data is required, or smoothing, in which a "smooth" function...
and peak analysis. Origin's curve fitting is performed by the nonlinear least squares
Nonlinear regression
In statistics, nonlinear regression is a form of regression analysis in which observational data are modeled by a function which is a nonlinear combination of the model parameters and depends on one or more independent variables...
fitter which is based on the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm.
Origin imports data files in various formats such as ASCII text, Excel
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a proprietary commercial spreadsheet application written and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications...
, NI TDM, DIADem
National Instruments
National Instruments Corporation, or NI , is an American company with over 5,000 employees and direct operations in 41 countries. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it is a producer of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software...
, NetCDF
NetCDF
NetCDF is a set of software libraries and self-describing, machine-independent data formats that support the creation, access, and sharing of array-oriented scientific data. The project homepage is hosted by the Unidata program at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research...
, SPC
SPC file format
The SPC file format is a file format for storing spectroscopic data.The SPC file format is a file format in which all kinds of spectroscopic data, including amongst others infrared spectra, Raman spectra and UV/VIS spectra can be stored...
, etc. It also exports the graph to various image file formats such as JPEG
JPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
, GIF
GIF
The Graphics Interchange Format is a bitmap image format that was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and has since come into widespread usage on the World Wide Web due to its wide support and portability....
, EPS, TIFF
Tagged Image File Format
TIFF is a file format for storing images, popular among graphic artists, the publishing industry, and both amateur and professional photographers in general. As of 2009, it is under the control of Adobe Systems...
, etc. There is also a built-in query tool for accessing database data via ADO
ActiveX Data Objects
Microsoft's ActiveX Data Objects is a set of Component Object Model objects for accessing data sources. A part of MDAC, it provides a middleware layer between programming languages and OLE DB...
.
Interface
Origin is primarily a GUIGraphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
software with 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...
front end. Unlike popular spreadsheets like Excel
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a proprietary commercial spreadsheet application written and distributed by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It features calculation, graphing tools, pivot tables, and a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications...
, Origin's worksheet is column oriented. Each column has associated attributes like name, units and other user definable labels. Instead of cell formulae, Origin uses column formulae for calculations.
Origin also has a scripting language
Scripting language
A scripting language, script language, or extension language is a programming language that allows control of one or more applications. "Scripts" are distinct from the core code of the application, as they are usually written in a different language and are often created or at least modified by the...
(LabTalk) for controlling the software, which can be extended using a built-in C
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
/C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
-based compiled language
Compiled language
A compiled language is a programming language whose implementations are typically compilers , and not interpreters ....
(Origin C).
Origin can be also used as a COM
Component Object Model
Component Object Model is a binary-interface standard for software componentry introduced by Microsoft in 1993. It is used to enable interprocess communication and dynamic object creation in a large range of programming languages...
server for programs which may be written in Visual Basic .NET
Visual Basic .NET
Visual Basic .NET , is an object-oriented computer programming language that can be viewed as an evolution of the classic Visual Basic , which is implemented on the .NET Framework...
, C#, LabVIEW
LabVIEW
LabVIEW is a system design platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. LabVIEW provides engineers and scientists with the tools needed to create and deploy measurement and control systems.The graphical language is named "G"...
, etc.
OriginLab project files (.OPJ) can be read by the open-source library liborigin.
Editions, Support
Origin is available in two editions, the regular version (Origin 8) and the pricier OriginPro 8. The latter adds additional data analysis features like surface fitting, short-time Fourier Transform, and more advanced statistics.Technical support is available to registered users via e-mail and telephone.
A user forum http://originlab.com/forum is also available, and posts are routinely answered by OriginLab staff and others in the user community.
History
Origin was first created for use solely with microcalorimeters manufactured by MicroCal Inc. The software was used to graph the instruments data, and perform nonlinear curve fitting and parameter calculation.The software was first published for the public in 1992 by Microcal Software, which later was renamed to OriginLab Corporation, located in Northampton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Release history
- 2011.11 Origin 8.6
- 2011.6 Origin 8.5.1 SR2
- 2011.4 Origin 8.5.1 SR0
- 2010.9 Origin 8.5.0
- 2009.10 Origin 8.1
- 2009.8 Origin 8 SR6
- 2009.4 Origin 8 SR5
- 2008.10 Origin 8 SR4
- 2008.6 Origin 8 SR2
- 2007.12 Origin 8 SR1
- 2007.10 Origin 8
- 2006.1 Origin 7.5 SR6
- 2003.10 Origin 7.5
- 2002.2 Origin 7.0
- 2000.9 Origin 6.1
- 1999.6 Origin 6.0
- 1997.8 Origin 5.0
- 1995.2 Origin 4.1
- 1993.? Origin 2
Alternatives and clones
Similar proprietary software includes:- SigmaPlotSigmaPlotSigmaPlot is a proprietary software package for scientific graphing and data analysis. It runs on Microsoft Windows.The software can read multiple formats , and can also perform mathematical transforms and statistical analyses.-History:SigmaPlot was developed by Jandel Corporation for Windows 3.1x...
- GraphPad PrismGraphPad PrismGraphPad Prism is a commercial scientific 2D graphing and statistics software published by GraphPad Software, Inc., a privately-held California corporation...
- MagicPlot
Open-source projects inspired by Origin:
- QtiPlotQtiPlotQtiPlot 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 ....
- SciDAVisSciDAVisSciDAVis is a platform-independent open-source cross-platform computer program for interactive scientific graphing and data analysis...
, a fork of QtiPlot - LabPlotLabPlotLabPlot 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.-History and Perspective:...
, project merged with SciDAVis
- SciGraphica, dormant since 2005
Other open-source graphing and data analysis software:
- gnuplotGnuplot- License :Despite gnuplot's name, it is not part of or related to the GNU system and it is not distributed under the GNU General Public License .However, some GNU packages do use gnuplot....
, script-driven plotting - R, statistics
- FitykFitykFityk is a curve fitting and data analysis application, predominantly used to fit analytical,bell-shaped functions to experimental data.It is positioned to fill the gap between general plotting softwareand programs specific for one field, eg...
, data vizualisation and fitting