How can I efficiently plot data that varies over time?

[Kudaros]

I am having a difficult time finding a way to efficiently plot something that varies over time. I have written a program that outputs three lists of numbers like:

time space value
x
y
z
.
.
.

I want to be able to input those lists and plot 'space' and 'value' against each other in a single plot for time =x and then, perhaps, press a button and move onto the next time.

I have access to MATLAB and maple and I've toyed around with it for hours. Short of plotting all of these time frames manually, I am not sure how I would go about doing this.

It is probably helpful to note that my programming knowledge is minimal for anything outside of C.

Thanks!

 

[KLoux]

I've done things like this in MATLAB. Why do you think it will be difficult? What are you getting hung up on? Do you want a GUI or are you looking for something you can run from the command line?

-Kerry

 

[oswaler]

I understand your struggle in finding an efficient way to plot data that varies over time. I would suggest using a 3-D plot instead of a 2-D plot, as it would allow you to visualize all three variables (time, space, and value) simultaneously. You can use MATLAB or Maple to create a 3-D plot by inputting your three lists of numbers.

Alternatively, you can also use a line plot to show the variation of 'value' over time for a specific 'space'. This can be achieved by plotting a line for each space value and using the time as the x-axis.

If you want to plot 'space' and 'value' against each other for a specific time, you can use a scatter plot. This will allow you to see the relationship between the two variables at a particular time.

If you want to automate the process of plotting for different time frames, you can write a loop in your program to plot the data for each time frame sequentially. This will save you time and effort in manually plotting each time frame.

I understand that your programming knowledge may be limited, but with some practice and utilizing the resources available in MATLAB or Maple, you should be able to create the desired plot efficiently. I hope this helps. Good luck with your research!