Annotations & Markup

Cute Plot provides comprehensive annotation tools for marking important features, creating reference lines, and adding explanatory text to your plots.

Annotation Types

Horizontal Lines

• Purpose: Mark reference levels, thresholds, or target values
• Features: Spans entire plot width, intersection detection
• Use cases: Voltage limits, power ratings, control thresholds

Vertical Lines

• Purpose: Mark specific time points or events
• Features: Spans entire plot height, time-based annotations
• Use cases: Event markers, simulation start/end, fault times

Linked Vertical Lines

• Purpose: Mark time points across multiple subplots simultaneously
• Features: Synchronized across all subplots in plot
• Use cases: Multi-parameter event correlation, synchronized time markers

Text Annotations

• Purpose: Add explanatory text, labels, or comments
• Features: Draggable positioning, custom text content
• Use cases: Feature labeling, analysis notes, value callouts

Creating Annotations

Right-Click Context Menu

Access annotation tools via right-click on any subplot:

1. Right-click in subplot: Opens context menu
2. Select "Add Annotations": Expands annotation submenu
3. Choose annotation type: Select from available options
4. Automatic placement: Annotation created at cursor position

Annotation Creation Process

Add Horizontal Line

1. Right-click in subplot at desired Y position
2. Select Add Annotations → Add horizontal line
3. Line created at cursor Y coordinate
4. Spans full width of subplot

Add Vertical Line

1. Right-click in subplot at desired X position
2. Select Add Annotations → Add vertical line
3. Line created at cursor X coordinate
4. Spans full height of subplot

Add Linked Vertical Line

1. Right-click in any subplot at desired X position
2. Select Add Annotations → Add linked vertical line
3. Line appears in ALL subplots at same X coordinate
4. Synchronized movement across subplots

Add Text Annotation

1. Right-click at desired position
2. Select Add Annotations → Add draggable text label
3. Text annotation created at cursor position
4. Default text can be customized

Annotation Features

Color-Coded System

Annotations use intelligent color assignment: - Automatic colors: Distinct colors for each annotation type - Color cycling: 10 different colors available per type - Visual distinction: Easy identification of different annotations

Color Palette

Orange, Green, Red, Purple, Brown
Pink, Gray, Olive, Teal, Magenta

Draggable Positioning

All annotations support drag-and-drop repositioning:

Drag Activation

1. Hover over annotation: Cursor changes to indicate draggable
2. Click and hold: Begin drag operation
3. Move to position: Drag to desired location
4. Release: Annotation positioned at new location

Drag Constraints

• Horizontal lines: Constrained to vertical movement only
• Vertical lines: Constrained to horizontal movement only
• Text annotations: Free movement in both directions
• Plot boundaries: Constrained within plot area (when enabled)

Interactive Features

Hover Effects

• Visual feedback: Annotations highlight on hover
• Cursor changes: Indicates interactivity
• Context awareness: Different cursors for different operations

Context Menus

Right-click annotations for additional options: - Delete: Remove annotation - Edit text: Modify text content (text annotations) - Properties: Adjust appearance and behavior

Advanced Annotation Features

Intersection Detection

Horizontal lines can detect intersections with plotted series:

Automatic Intersection Points

• Real-time detection: Intersections calculated dynamically
• Visual markers: Intersection points highlighted
• Value display: Intersection coordinates shown
• Multiple series: Detects intersections with all series in subplot

Intersection Information

For each intersection: - Time coordinate: X-axis value at intersection - Value coordinate: Y-axis value at intersection
- Series identification: Which series intersects - Proximity tolerance: Configurable detection sensitivity

Linked Vertical Line Manager

Advanced management for synchronized vertical lines:

Global Synchronization

• Cross-plot sync: Lines synchronized across all plots in session
• Automatic updates: Moving one line updates all linked instances
• Consistent appearance: Same color and style across all plots

Axis Tag Updates

• Dynamic tags: Axis tags update when lines move
• Value display: Current coordinate values shown on axes
• Real-time updates: Updates during drag operations

Text Annotation Customization

Text Properties

• Custom content: Editable text content
• Font styling: Size, weight, and color options
• Background: Optional background with transparency
• Positioning: Precise coordinate-based positioning

Smart Positioning

• Offset capability: Position relative to data points
• Boundary awareness: Avoid clipping at plot edges
• Collision avoidance: Smart positioning to avoid overlaps

Annotation Management

Selection and Editing

• Click to select: Single-click to select annotation
• Multi-selection: Ctrl+click for multiple annotations
• Property editing: Access properties via context menu or panel

Deletion and Cleanup

• Individual deletion: Right-click → Delete
• Bulk deletion: Select multiple and delete
• Auto-cleanup: Orphaned annotations removed automatically

Persistence

• Session memory: Annotations maintained during session
• Plot association: Annotations tied to specific subplots
• Template integration: Can be included in template definitions

Best Practices

Annotation Placement

• Strategic positioning: Place annotations at meaningful locations
• Avoid clutter: Don't over-annotate plots
• Clear purpose: Each annotation should serve a specific purpose

Color and Style

• Consistent usage: Use similar colors for related annotations
• High contrast: Ensure annotations are clearly visible
• Professional appearance: Maintain clean, professional look

Text Annotations

• Concise text: Keep text brief and informative
• Clear fonts: Use readable font sizes
• Meaningful labels: Provide context and explanation

Use Cases and Examples

Power System Analysis

Horizontal Lines:
- Voltage limits (0.95 pu, 1.05 pu)
- Power ratings (100 MW, 200 MW)
- Frequency limits (59.5 Hz, 60.5 Hz)

Vertical Lines:
- Fault initiation (t = 1.0 s)
- Fault clearing (t = 1.1 s)
- Steady state (t = 5.0 s)

Text Annotations:
- "Fault occurs"
- "Protection operates"
- "System recovers"

Time Series Analysis

Horizontal Lines:
- Statistical thresholds (mean ± 2σ)
- Control limits
- Target values

Linked Vertical Lines:
- Event synchronization across multiple measurements
- Phase alignment markers
- Correlation points

Text Annotations:
- Peak identification
- Anomaly labeling
- Feature descriptions

Research and Reports

Professional Annotations:
- Key findings highlighted
- Reference values marked
- Important events labeled
- Statistical boundaries shown

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Annotations Not Appearing

1. Check layer order: Annotations may be behind data
2. Color visibility: Verify annotation color contrasts with background
3. Plot bounds: Ensure annotations are within visible plot area

Dragging Not Working

1. Hover activation: Ensure proper hover over annotation
2. Click and hold: Must maintain mouse button during drag
3. Boundary constraints: May be constrained by plot boundaries

Performance with Many Annotations

1. Limit count: Avoid excessive annotations per subplot
2. Cleanup unused: Remove annotations no longer needed
3. Simplify complex plots: Consider multiple plots for clarity

Visual Issues

1. Refresh display: Click in plot area to refresh annotations
2. Zoom operations: Zoom in/out to refresh annotation positions
3. Window resize: Resize window to trigger complete redraw

Integration with Other Features

Templates

• Template inclusion: Annotations can be part of templates
• Automatic placement: Template-based annotation positioning
• Consistent layouts: Maintain annotation consistency across analyses

Data Querying

• Query integration: Annotations work with data query results
• Reference markers: Use annotations to mark query regions
• Result highlighting: Highlight important query findings

Screenshots

• Included in captures: All annotations captured in screenshots
• Professional output: Clean annotation appearance in exports
• Documentation ready: Suitable for reports and presentations

Next Steps

Master annotations and markup, then explore: 1. Data Querying & Analysis 2. Data Transformations 3. Advanced Configuration

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Annotation tip: Use linked vertical lines for multi-parameter analysis and horizontal lines for threshold monitoring