Export formats
CGRAPH allows calculated values or data to be exported at various points. The format used for this is a semicolon-separated text format with the extension CSV, which is understood by spreadsheet programmes such as Microsoft Excel.
The format has multiple columns. The first column always contains an identifier to describe the type of the object, while the other columns contain the object's data, such as coordinates in the x, y and z directions and, in the case of circles and spheres, a radius. Finally, there is a colour number with which the object is to be displayed. This is optional.
All graphic types except for objects from Linear Algebra in 2D and 3D simply export a sequence of individual points.
| Object type | Identifier | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 2D point | PTS | This is followed by two columns with coordinate data for x and y. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 3D point | PT3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinate data for x, y and z. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 2D line in parameter form | LP | This is followed by two columns with coordinates for x and y for the starting point and two more for the direction vector. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 2D line in normal form | LN | This is followed by two columns with coordinates for x and y for the starting point and two more for the normal vector. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 2D circle | C3 | This is followed by two columns with coordinates for x and y for the centre point and another for the radius of the circle. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 3D line | LP3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinates for x, y and z for the starting point and three more for the direction vector. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 3D plane in parametric form | PP3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinates for x, y and z for the starting point and two more for the two direction vectors. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 3D plane in normal form | PN3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinates for x, y and z for the starting point and three more for the normal vector. The last column contains a colour value. |
| Sphere | C3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinates for x, y and z for the centre point and another for the radius of the sphere. The last column contains a colour value. |
| 3D circle | CP3 | This is followed by three columns with coordinates for x, y and z for the centre point and three more for the normal vector of the circle. This is followed by the radius of the circle. The last column contains a colour value. |
Linear algebra in 2D and 3D processes all these formats when loading from a file. Points are summarised in the process: in 2D space, point sequences are created, while in 3D space, point clouds are created, as is also the case with implicit surfaces. All points within a file are combined into a single point sequence or cloud. If 3D objects are loaded in Linear Algebra for 2D, they lose their z-extension and are therefore displayed flat. Spheres become circles. Conversely, 2D objects can be loaded in linear algebra for 3D, but then have no z-extension and are displayed in the x-y plane. The only exception are 3D circles and 3D planes; these will not be displayed in 2D.
For interpolations, files that only have two columns for the x and y coordinates of the values can also be used. A single-column format is also possible – in this case, the x values are first added consecutively starting from zero. They can then be converted later.