Annotation
Annotations are non-data visual elements added to a chart for emphasis, explanation, or layout. MathJet supports shape objects (free-floating or attached to data points), a unique docking system that arranges objects at specific chart positions, the legends control, color bars, and two-way conversion between shapes and graphs.
Shapes
Section titled “Shapes”Drawing shapes on top of a chart is an effective way to annotate visualizations. Add a shape via Insert → Shape Object or the corresponding tool button. MathJet supports a variety of standard shapes (rectangles, ellipses, arrows, polylines, etc.), with the basic manipulations you’d expect — rotation, flipping, grouping, ordering, alignment.
The unique feature is the ability to attach shapes directly to a graph data point using callout shapes or indirectly via a connector line.
To add a sticker note to a specific data point, use a rectangle with text. As you begin drawing a callout shape or a connector line, a red square symbol appears near the closest data point. Hovering the mouse over this symbol changes the cursor to a target symbol; clicking the left button at this point snaps the connector to that data point.
As you zoom, scale, or rotate the chart, any point attached to data moves accordingly. If a connector links a graph data point at one end and a regular shape at the other, the program sets the shape’s Anchor Type property to Marker by default — the shape moves with the graph data point. Anchor Type can be changed to other options; in that case the rectangle stays static but the connector stretches as the data point shifts.
Object arrangement and docking
Section titled “Object arrangement and docking”In MathJet, annotative objects (shapes, legends, marker value tables) can be positioned freely within a chart. The docking feature facilitates orderly arrangement of these otherwise free-standing objects.
Docks are located at specific points on the chart — the mid-points of boundary rectangle edges and the corners of the frame box. When an object is docked, it automatically adjusts in size and position in response to changes in the chart’s geometry.
For an object to be dockable, its Dockable property must be true. Legends, color bars, and marker value tables are dockable by default; regular shapes are not. As you begin to drag a dockable object, symbols indicating potential docking sites appear. Hovering over one of these sites brings out a semi-transparent rectangle previewing the object’s placement upon docking. Dropping the object on a site by releasing the mouse button docks it and triggers an automatic update of the chart’s layout.
When an object is not docked, its reaction to changes in the chart’s client area or frame size is governed by Anchor Type and Scale with Parent. Scale with Parent causes the object to scale in unison with the chart. Anchor Type determines the object’s center or top-left/bottom-right corners relative to the changing geometry.
Legends
Section titled “Legends”The Legends control is a specialized text box for displaying descriptive text labels for graphs in a chart. Toggle visibility via View → Chart Components → Legend or the corresponding tool button.
The Legends control automatically generates an item for each graph present in the chart. Hover the mouse over a legend item to highlight its corresponding graph. The visibility of each legend item is governed by the graph’s Legend Visibility property — most easily modified through the Hide Legend action in the context menu.
By default, the text in the legend is generated based on the type of graph and its series number within the chart. You can modify the LegendText property for any graph either via the Edit Properties dialog or by directly editing the text in the control. LaTeX parsing of the legend text is disabled by default but can be enabled through the context menu.
When first activated, the Legends control is positioned in the East Outside dock and arranges all legends in a column-major order. You can relocate the control to any dock or location within the chart; the legend layout adjusts automatically.
Color bars
Section titled “Color bars”The Color Bar visually represents the active colormap, illustrating the correspondence between data values and colors.
Toggle the color bar on or off via View → Chart Components → Color Bar or the corresponding tool button. For further customization, double-click the color bar to open the Edit Color Map dialog, which lets you choose the colormap type or adjust the color mapping ranges.
By default the color bar is shown to the right of the chart and laid out vertically. You can drag it to any location; it automatically switches to a horizontal layout when docked at top or bottom.
Convert between shapes and graphs
Section titled “Convert between shapes and graphs”MathJet allows you to transform a graph into a shape object and vice versa. Useful for illustrative or decorative work — once converted, the graph behaves like a native shape and can be moved, scaled, rotated, and ungrouped.
Select the graph you want to convert, then click Tools → Convert Graph To Shape. The program creates one or more shape objects that closely match the original graph — a bar graph becomes a group of rectangles, a line graph becomes a freeform line object.
The reverse direction is also supported when the chart uses a Cartesian coordinate system viewed from a top-down perspective. Select a shape and click Tools → Convert Shape To Graph. Simple freeform lines or connectors typically become line graphs; other shapes are converted into primitive patch objects. Coordinates are determined from the geometric positions of the shape’s vertices, taking the current axis limits into account. After the conversion, entries are inserted into the graph companion table, and the graphs change appearance as you zoom or shift the viewing range — just like native graphs.
See also
Section titled “See also”- Markers — annotations specifically tied to data points and their values.