# PetroPlot Conventions

The following rules can help users to work more efficiently with PetroPlot functions.

1. A data sheet should be organized as: row corresponds to sample/analysis; column represents category (location, element, element ratio, etc); the first row contains only header information (i.e. element names etc)
2. All sheet-mode functions except “Compile Rows” work on selected areas in the data sheet. In general, whole sheet, whole column or whole row selections should be avoided. The program works most efficiently if only the data to be worked with are selected.
3. For “Multi XY Plots”, it is recommended that Series Names are stored in Column A, and Series Numbers are stored in Column B, as shown in the PetroPlotExampleData.xls file.
4. To use PetroPlot “ChangeXY” function, data sources for all series in one chart must come from a single worksheet. Series with data from other files will NOT be updated to the new axes.
5. “Spider Diagram” function requires that "PetroPlotSpider.xls" is open.
6. Sample names should be text string, not as number format.
7. For “Grouping” function, at least one group info sheet is needed (e.g. the groupinfo sheet in PetroPlotExampleData.xls). There are no naming restrictions for group info sheets. A “-1” sign should be put in Column A after the last grouping record. No “-1” is needed in the header row.
8. To use “Compile Rows” function, users should pre-sort the data sheet based on analytical quality. Make sure that better data appear first for a single sample.

If you think more or less rules should be listed here, please contact me.

Last modified 05/10/2002, Yong Jun Su
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