Origin 8.5 Top Features
Origin 8.5 is the latest version of Origin--a complete graphing and data analysis software package that provides a suite of features catering to the needs of scientists and engineers.
This page provides a list of top new features in Origin 8.5. For a document comparing version 8.5 to the two previous versions of Origin, click here.
Transparency and Gradient Fill Control for Graphs
Color transparency support is available for most graph objects, including Columns and Bars, Fill Areas, Symbols and Lines, 3D Surfaces, and Contours.
Transparency is useful for displaying datasets that are partially or fully covered by other data.
A Gradient Fill can be applied to the page background or the axes background (layer) of a graph, and to the fill pattern and fill color of a graph object such as a column, bar, or area. Both one-color and two-color gradient fill is supported.
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Zoom and Pan on Worksheets and Graphs
Origin 8.5 supports zooming in and out of worksheets, matrices (images and data), and graphs using the mouse wheel. A hand tool has been added for panning within a page. With the hand tool, you can easily move the contents of a graph, worksheet or matrix within its window. This is especially handy when the graph, worksheet, or matrix has been zoomed into such that the contents greatly exceed the screen dimensions.
Zoom + Pan (with the z key) is available when using other graph tools, such as the data selector, regional data selector, and mask tool, allowing you to pick exactly the desired point or region from a dense plot. |
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Z-Axis and Color Map Support for Waterfall Plots
The 2D waterfall graph now supports a Z-axis, which can have either a linear or nonlinear scale.
In addition, the 2D Waterfall graph now supports both Y-value and Z-value color-mapping. Four color-mapping methods are supported in the GUI:
- Z - Value: Indexing,
- Z - Value: Direct RGB
- Z - Value: Color Mapping, and
- Y - Value: Color Mapping
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Embed Equations, MS-Word, and Excel Objects in Origin Graphs
MS-Word, MS-Excel, Equation objects can be embedded in Origin graphs. The embedded objects can be displayed on the graph as preview or icon. With the corresponding application program installed, the inserted objects may be edited simply by double clicking on them. Other objects, such as video and audio objects, can also be inserted into Origin graphs. Select from the existing object types, or use an existing file to create an object.
Insert Equation object |
Insert MS-Excel object |
Insert MS-Word object |
Insert object from Insert Object dialog |
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Gadgets: Regional Stats, Differentiation and Interpolation
The Region Statistics Gadget. Select an elliptical or rectangular region on a graph, and perform descriptive statistics on the data points inside and outside of the region immediately; the Gadget works for single or multiple plots. This is useful for statistical analysis of data point clusters and dealing with outliers. |
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The Differentiate Gadget. Select a region on a graph and obtain the derivative of the curve instantly. The order of the differentiation can be customized. |
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The Interpolate Gadget. Select a region of data on a graph and then interpolate for more data points. Three interpolate methods are supported: linear, spline and b-spline. You can also specify the number of points to interpolate. |
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Fitting Function Wizard
The Fitting Function Wizard guides you through the steps to define a fitting function. This includes defining the function name, independent and dependent variables, parameters, and the function body. |
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3D Graphing: Multiple intersecting surfaces, surface color from another matrix, vectors, error bars on symbols, error bars on surfaces, and drop lines from symbols to surfaces
3D vector plots depict three-dimensional fields and illustrate flow patterns in three-dimensional coordinates. In Origin, 3D vector plots can be created from XYZ XYZ data, which specify the start-point and the end-point of each vector; or they can be created from XYZ dXdYdZ data, which specify the change in distance dXdYdZ from the start point XYZ.
3D Error Bars are now supported in 3D Scatter graphs and 3D Surface graphs.
Intersection of multiple surfaces is supported. When multiple matrices are plotted in the same layer as surfaces, intersection can be properly displayed.
Another 3D graphing improvement allows plotting data from one matrix and designating the color map for the plot using the Z-values from a second matrix .
The option of adding drop lines from data points to a 3D surface is now available.
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Matrix Improvements: Thumbnails and Color Mapping
Matrices now support thumbnails and more complete metadata . For each matrix object, a thumbnail image provides a preview of the data (thumbnails can be toggled on and off). In addition, matrix thumbnails can be used to navigate among several matrix objects within the same matrix sheet. Matrix header information has been improved to include Long Name, Units, and Comments for X Headers, Y Headers, and Z Headers.
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Contour or Surface Plot from a Virtual Matrix
In Origin 8.5, a worksheet can be treated as a virtual matrix for creating contour and surface plots. Supported plot types include:
- 3D Color Fill Surface
- 3D X constant with Base
- 3D Y constant with Base
- 3D Color Map
- Contour Color Fill
- Contour B/W lines
- Gray Scale Map 3D Scatter
- 3D Wire Frame
- 3D Wire Surface
- Matrix 3D Bars
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Improved Image Profile Tool
The image profile tool has been redesigned. You can create vertical and horizontal profiles of contour plots and image plots. Multiple profiles can be created on the same plot in order to compare profiles at different positions. |
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Redesigned Data Information Window
The data information window has been redesigned to allow customization of the display, and can now include images and text from worksheet cells in addition to the data values themselves.
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2D Plotting Enhancements: Label Customization and Flexible Ternary Scale
Label customization now allows data in any worksheet column to be used as a label in a graph. Labels can combine data from multiple columns as well
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Ternary plots now support a more flexible scaling range. Specify any subrange between 0 - 1
Ternary Contour at Full Scale |
Ternary Contour Showing Zoom Area |
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Origin 8.5
