User Interface Features

Plots

Box plots, histograms, and line plots are available in netWorks for displaying data collected while the simulation is running. (See Figure 2.11.)

Figure 2.11: Plot Examples

A line plot uses an individual line or bar to represent each data value displayed. The height of the line indicates the value's magnitude. Values are displayed in the order in which they are received. A histogram divides the range of the data values it is displaying into bins and then counts how many values fall into each of those bins. The bars on a histogram represent either the counts or the percentages of the data values in each bin. A box plot calculates order statistics (quartiles, median, and so forth) from the data values it is to display and then creates a graphic representation of them. The details of a box plot can be found in [Tukey 1977].

You can create a plot using the Plot Palette or the pop-up menu on the drawing panel. The basic idea is to drag an object that contains data that you want to display and drop the object on top of a plot. Depending on what is dropped on it, the plot may immediately start to display the data or it may display a dialog box to request additional information from you.

In addition to the graphic displays, plots also calculate various statistical information that can be viewed in the plot dialog boxes. How you use plots during your simulation differs greatly between the telecom and LAN environments, so more details on their usage are provided later in this document.

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