Signal Plot

Signal Plot Quickstart

Signal plots are best for extremely large datasets. They use render using special optimizations that allow highspeed interactivity with plots containing millions of data points.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

double[] values = Generate.RandomWalk(1_000_000);

myPlot.Add.Signal(values);

myPlot.Title("Signal Plot with 1 Million Points");

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal Plot Styling

Signal plots can be styled in a variety of ways.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

var sig1 = myPlot.Add.Signal(Generate.Sin());
sig1.Color = Colors.Magenta;
sig1.LineWidth = 10;
sig1.LegendText = "Sine";

var sig2 = myPlot.Add.Signal(Generate.Cos());
sig2.Color = Colors.Green;
sig2.LineWidth = 5;
sig2.LegendText = "Cosine";

myPlot.ShowLegend();

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal Offset

Signal plots can be offset by a given X and Y value.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

double[] values = ScottPlot.Generate.Sin(51);

var sig1 = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sig1.LegendText = "Default";

var sig2 = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sig2.Data.XOffset = 10;
sig2.Data.YOffset = .25;
sig2.LegendText = "Offset";

myPlot.Legend.IsVisible = true;

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal Scaling

Signal plots can be scaled vertically according to a user-defined amount.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

// plot values between -1 and 1
double[] values = ScottPlot.Generate.Sin(51);
var signal = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);

// increase the vertical scaling
signal.Data.YScale = 500;

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal Marker Size

Signal plots can have markers displayed at each point which are only visible when the plot is zoomed in.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

var sig1 = myPlot.Add.Signal(Generate.Cos());
sig1.LegendText = "Default";
sig1.Data.YOffset = 3;

var sig2 = myPlot.Add.Signal(Generate.Cos());
sig2.LegendText = "Large Markers";
sig2.MaximumMarkerSize = 20;
sig2.Data.YOffset = 2;

var sig3 = myPlot.Add.Signal(Generate.Cos());
sig3.LegendText = "Hidden Markers";
sig3.MaximumMarkerSize = 0;
sig3.Data.YOffset = 1;

myPlot.Legend.IsVisible = true;

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Partial Signal Rendering

Even if a signal plot references a large array of data, rendering can be limited to a range of values. If set,only the range of data between the minimum and maximum render indexes will be displayed.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

double[] values = Generate.RandomWalk(1000);

var sigAll = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sigAll.LegendText = "Full";
sigAll.Data.YOffset = 80;

var sigLeft = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sigLeft.LegendText = "Left";
sigLeft.Data.YOffset = 60;
sigLeft.Data.MaximumIndex = 700;

var sigRight = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sigRight.LegendText = "Right";
sigRight.Data.YOffset = 40;
sigRight.Data.MinimumIndex = 300;

var sigMid = myPlot.Add.Signal(values);
sigMid.LegendText = "Mid";
sigMid.Data.YOffset = 20;
sigMid.Data.MinimumIndex = 300;
sigMid.Data.MaximumIndex = 700;

myPlot.ShowLegend(Alignment.UpperRight);
myPlot.Axes.Margins(top: .5);

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal Generic

Signal plots support generic data types, although double is typically the most performant.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

int[] values = Generate.RandomIntegers(1000, -100, 100);

myPlot.Add.Signal(values);

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub

Signal DateTime

A signal plot may use DateTime units but be sure to setup the respective axis to display using DateTime format.

Signal.cs

ScottPlot.Plot myPlot = new();

DateTime start = new(2024, 1, 1);
double[] ys = Generate.RandomWalk(200);

var sig = myPlot.Add.Signal(ys);
sig.Data.XOffset = start.ToOADate();
sig.Data.Period = 1.0; // one day between each point

myPlot.Axes.DateTimeTicksBottom();

myPlot.SavePng("demo.png", 400, 300);

Edit on GitHub