Series Management & Data Selection¶

Cute Plot provides powerful tools for managing data series, making selections, and organizing your analysis workflow.

Understanding Series¶

Data Hierarchy¶

File Widget (e.g., "simulation_results.csv")
├── Series Widget ("Voltage_Bus_1")
├── Series Widget ("Current_Line_A") 
├── Series Widget ("Frequency")
└── Series Widget ("Power_Output")

Each file contains multiple data series (columns), which can be individually selected and plotted.

Series Types¶

Normal Files¶

Immediate access: All series available immediately
Complete data: Full dataset loaded
Fast interactions: No loading delays

Lazy Files (Large Files > 2GB)¶

Preview mode: Series show preview data initially
On-demand loading: Full data loaded when first plotted
Memory efficient: Minimal memory footprint until needed

Series Selection¶

Single Selection¶

Click series: Select individual series in sidebar
Visual feedback: Selected series highlighted
State persistence: Selection maintained during session

Multi-Selection¶

Ctrl+Click: Add series to selection
Shift+Click: Select range of series
Mixed selections: Series from different files

Bulk Selection Tools¶

Select All: Select all visible series
Clear: Deselect all series
Search filtering: Select from filtered results

Selection Counter¶

The status display shows: - Count: Number of currently selected series - Real-time updates: Count updates as selections change

Series Search and Filtering¶

Search Functionality¶

Located at the top of the sidebar: - Real-time search: Results update as you type - Debounced input: 300ms delay for performance - Case-insensitive: Matches regardless of case - Instant filtering: Files and series filtered simultaneously

Search Patterns¶

# Example searches:
"voltage"     → Matches "Voltage_Bus_1", "Line_Voltage" 
"bus_1"       → Matches "Voltage_Bus_1", "Current_Bus_1"
"freq"        → Matches "Frequency", "Freq_Response"

Search Behavior¶

File level: Files without matching series are hidden
Series level: Only matching series shown within files
Hierarchical: Both file names and series names searched

Drag & Drop Operations¶

Select series: Choose one or more series
Drag to subplot: Drag any selected series to target subplot
Automatic processing: All selected series added to subplot

Between Subplots¶

Legend dragging: Hold 200ms on series legend
Drag enabled: Tooltip appears showing "Moving: Series Name"
Drop target: Drop on target subplot
Series transfer: Series moves between subplots

Template-Based Drops¶

When templates are loaded: 1. Drag file: Drag entire file widget to subplot area 2. Auto-distribution: Series distributed based on template patterns 3. Pattern matching: Uses wildcard and substring matching

Series Organization¶

File Expansion¶

Collapsed: File shows only filename
Expanded: Click to show all contained series
Mixed states: Some files expanded, others collapsed
Memory: Expansion state remembered during session

Natural Sorting¶

Series are sorted using natural (human-readable) ordering:

# Natural sort order:
Series_1
Series_2  
Series_10
Series_20

Instead of alphabetical:

# Alphabetical order:
Series_1
Series_10
Series_2
Series_20

Color Coding¶

Series automatically receive colors when plotted: - Color palette: 20 distinct colors available - Cycling: Colors cycle when more than 20 series - Consistency: Same series always gets same color

Accessing¶

Right-click any file widget in sidebar:

Rename File¶

Select Rename File
Edit name inline
Press Enter to confirm
Note: Only changes display name, not actual filename

Close File¶

Select Close File
File and all series removed from session
Warning: Cannot undo file closure

Advanced Selection Techniques¶

Selection Persistence¶

Session memory: Selections maintained during session
Search preservation: Selections preserved during search
File operations: Selections cleared when files closed

Cross-File Selection¶

# Example: Select related series across files
File A: "Voltage_Bus_1" (selected)
File B: "Voltage_Bus_1" (selected)  
File C: "Current_Bus_1" (not selected)

Benefits: - Comparative analysis: Compare same measurements across different files - Batch operations: Apply operations to related series - Template matching: Templates work with cross-file selections

Series Metadata¶

Display Information¶

Each series shows: - Original name: Column name from source file - Display name: User-customizable name - File association: Parent file clearly indicated

Data Properties¶

Available when series is plotted: - Data range: Min/max values in dataset - Time span: Duration of time series - Sample count: Number of data points - Sample rate: Derived from time intervals

Performance Considerations¶

Large File Handling¶

For files with many series (>1000): - Lazy expansion: Series loaded when file expanded - Search optimization: Search limited to loaded series - Memory management: Unselected series don't consume plot memory

Selection Optimization¶

Efficient updates: Selection changes don't trigger data reload
Batch processing: Multiple series processed together when plotting
Cache utilization: Previously processed series cached for reuse

Integration with Templates¶

Template Matching¶

When templates are active: - Pattern matching: Series names matched against template patterns - Wildcard support: Use * and ? in template patterns - Automatic placement: Matching series placed in designated subplots

Template Application¶

Load template: Select template from dropdown
Drag files: Drag file widgets to plot area
Auto-distribution: Series distributed according to template rules
Manual adjustment: Fine-tune placement as needed

Best Practices¶

Naming Conventions¶

Descriptive names: Use clear, descriptive series names
Consistent patterns: Maintain consistent naming across files
Avoid special characters: Stick to letters, numbers, underscores

Selection Strategies¶

Group by purpose: Select related series together
Use search: Leverage search for large datasets
Clear regularly: Clear selections when switching analysis tasks

File Organization¶

Logical grouping: Group related files together
Consistent structure: Maintain consistent file structures
Version control: Use version numbers for iterative analysis

Troubleshooting¶

Series Not Visible¶

Check search: Clear search filter
File expansion: Ensure parent file is expanded
File loading: Verify file loaded successfully

Selection Issues¶

Clear and retry: Use Clear button to reset selections
File access: Check file permissions and availability
Memory: Ensure sufficient memory for large selections

Performance Issues¶

Limit selections: Avoid selecting too many series simultaneously
Close unused files: Remove files not currently needed
Search efficiently: Use specific search terms

Next Steps¶

Master series management and then explore: 1. Plotting & Visualization 2. Data Transformations 3. Templating System

Pro tip: Use Ctrl+Click for multi-selection and search to quickly find related series