Support for the creation and customization of a wide variety of 2-D and 3-D plots using a point-and-click interface.

Plots appear directly in the worksheet, rather than a separate preview window.

Changes to plotting options made in the plot builder panel are reflected in the plot immediately.

Build a plot from a single mathematical expression, or plot multiple curves by starting with a sequence or list of expressions.

When the worksheet is saved and reopened, the plot builder settings are remembered.

Easy-to-dismiss panel:

When you invoke the plot builder, the panel emerges from the right side of your Maple window.

Click away from the plot (return focus to the worksheet) and the plot builder controls are no longer shown.

To make further modifications, click the output region of the displayed plot in the worksheet to again view the plot builder controls on the right.

You can activate the plot builder from the Context Panel, the Tools menu, or by using the PlotBuilder command.

When you activate the Plot Builder on an expression, a plot is displayed in the worksheet's main window, and a panel appears from the right side of the Maple window. You can use this panel to change the type of plot and to specify plot options.

Show Command: The panel contains a button that toggles (on or off) the display of the plotting command in a text area beneath the displayed plot. This command may be copied and reused elsewhere in the worksheet. Plotting options whose controls are set to their respective default values are not included in the plotting command, with the exception of the computational ranges for the independent variables.

You can build interactive plots through the Plot Builder:

Animation See the Animations in the Plot Builder section below.

Exploration See the Explorations in the Plot Builder section below.

Plot type: The Plot Builder initially selects a type of plot based on the given input.  (In the example shown above, the plot type is 2-D plot.)  If you want another plot type, select it from the list.

Global Options: Select to see options that affect the entire plot.

For example, you can change the view, the axis style, or add a title to the plot.

In the case of a plot of multiple expressions, the panel shows a preview of each plotted expression. Click the Edit button beside one of these previews to see options that affect that curve.

For example, you can change the plot color and line style.

The set of displayed controls depends dynamically on the valid plotting options for the currently selected plot type. Selecting some specific plot options choices may cause some related controls to change. For example, when the control for style is set to point then the control for thickness becomes hidden and is replaced by controls for symbol and symbol size.

Assign to Name: To assign the plot to a name, in the Assign to Name field, enter the name.

The embedded controls in the panel have tooltip descriptions to facilitate their use.

Tip: You can change the font size in the Plot Builder panel by changing the worksheet zoom factor.  For instance, you can increase the font size by holding Ctrl (Command, on Mac) and using the mouse scroll wheel.  For more ways to change the worksheet zoom factor, see Worksheet Zoom Factor.

If you want to revisit the Plot Builder to modify the plot and the Context Panel is not currently open, click the plot region and in the Context Panel the Plot Builder panel reappears.

Note: When the panel reappears its components are in the same state as when they were last changed. This includes the case of restarting the kernel engine or closing and reopening the worksheet.

However, re-executing a page or selection with Plot Builder plots resets the Plot Builder.

More than one such interactive plot can exist in a single worksheet, but only one instance can be created within any single execution group.

From the context panel for an expression, select Plot Builder.

Select the Animation toggle button to create an animation.

Below that toggle button, select the desired animation parameter.

Specify other options as desired in the context panel.

Click Build Animation to create the plot animation.  

Use the animation toolbar to play the animation.

From the context panel for an expression, select Plot Builder.

Select the Exploration toggle button to create an exploration.

Select the desired independent variable. (The other variable in your expression will be the interactive parameter.)

Specify other options as desired in the context panel.

Click Build Exploration to create the interactive plot exploration.  

Select Edit > Delete Element.  Alternatively, press Ctrl + Delete (Command + Return, for Mac).