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Using the iContour Tool

The IDL iContour tool provides interactive access to contour data. You can visualize contours and then modify and manipulate those contours in a single interactive environment.

Displaying a Contour

To import a file containing binary data into the iContour tool:

  1. Follow steps in Accessing Binary Surface Data for instructions on how to read in the binary marbells.dat file.

    2.  

  2. After entering all steps to read in your binary template, at the IDL Command Line, type: iContour, MARBELLS_BINARY.MARBELLS

The contour is now displayed in iContour.

 

Figure 7-2: Maroon Bells Binary Data Visualized in the iContour Tool

Figure 7-2: Maroon Bells Binary Data Visualized in the iContour Tool

Modifying a Contour

The iContour tool allows you many options for contour modification and manipulation. For example, you can add a legend to your contour which shows the levels of the contour in their increments. To add a legend, select Insert Legend from the iContour tool window. Once you have placed a legend on your contour can edit the legend settings such as the title and level increments as well as the color options on the legend. Double-clicking on the legend itself will show you the Visualization Browser.

There are many other tasks available within iContour such as manipulating contour color, values, and annotating among other things. For much more information on working with the iContour tool, see Working with Contours.

  IDL Online Help (March 06, 2007)