Animation through Time Travel
The user can generate graph
animation using time-dependent column and cell
formulas. This method of creating
animation is called time travel. There are two closely related but subtly different ways of
performing time travel. We will discuss them in the following two sections.
Time Travel of a Time-dependent Data Table
When a time-dependent data table is selected as
the active document, the Time Travel tool
on the
ToolBox can be used to open the Time
Travel dialog box with which a time
travel of the active data table can be performed. Once the time travel starts, the current time of all
time-dependent column formulas of the active data table will be stepped from the
start value to the end value. At each time value, the
formulas are evaluated and the new values are filled into the active data table.
As a consequence, all dependent graphs
- graphs that use the
active data table as their data source - will be refreshed with the new data. After
having refreshed the graphs, DataScene pauses for a specific time
interval and then begins to step the current time again. This happens over and over again
until the time travel is stopped. As a result, the user will see that all dependent graphs of the
active time-dependent data table keep plotting new data and an animation is thus
generated.
Time Travel of a Time-dependent Graph
When a time-dependent graph
document is selected as
the active document, the Time Travel tool
on the
ToolBox can be used to open the Time
Travel dialog box with which a time
travel of the active graph document can be performed. Once the time travel starts, DataScene
finds out all
time-dependent data tables that are used as the data sources of the active graph document. For each of these
time-dependent source data tables, DataScene steps the current time and
evaluates its time-dependent formulas and fills it with the new values. This
causes all dependent graphs to be refreshed with the new data. After having
updated the current
time of all source data tables and refreshed their dependent graphs, DataScene pauses for a specific time interval and then starts the
whole process again until the time travel is stopped. As a result, the user will see that the
all graphs (including the active graph document) that depend on one of the
source data tables are animated.
See Also
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