THE MAIN MENU

     To enter the Graphics Module, select "G" from the FHX2 Main Menu,
or enter "fhgraph" at the DOS prompt.  Note that additional "hot keys"
are provided for the functions in the bottom portion of the screen that
make use of the function keys.  For example, to view a graph, the user
could hit the letter "v" on the keyboard, or click the left mouse button
on the corresponding line, or simply hit the "F9" key.  Three important
hot keys should always be remembered by the user.  These are the "F8"
("Redraw Graph"), "F9" ("View Graph"), and "F10" ("Plot Graph") function
keys.  Function key "F9" will always create a new graph and display the
graph on screen with its current settings from anywhere within the
Graphics Module.  This is extremely useful when the user is customizing a
particular graph.  No matter in which menu the user is located, pressing
"F9" will create a new plot file to the hard disk, and then display the
graph on screen.  Function key "F8" is similar to "F9" except for one
important difference.  "Draw graph" will simply redraw to the screen the
last graph created without using any settings changed since the last
graph was created.  This is useful when the user wishes to view the graph
again without actually writing the information to the hard disk.
Pressing the "F10" function key will allow the user to enter the plotting
routines.

RETRIEVING A DATA FILE

     Before any graph can be created, the user must supply a data file
containing the fire history information to be graphed.  After selecting
"R" to retrieve a data file, a dialog box opens that asks the user to
supply a file name.  Remember that the full DOS path must be typed in as
well preceding the file name if the user has not specified the path in
the Workspace environment.  The program will then search the directory
for the file and, if found, will read in all data, usually in a fraction
of a second.  To indicate that data are being read, the years are printed
in the dialog box as each line in the data file is read.  After all data
have been read, the file name and DOS path are printed beside the line,
along with the number of samples in the data file.  If the data file is
not found, the program will alert the user and return to the Main Menu.

SPECIFYING AN OUTPUT FILENAME

     After data have been read in, the program automatically will assign
a file name to the file that will contain the graphics information, such
as "PET.PLT".  The program will always take the left-hand portion of the
data file name and append ".PLT" to it to indicate that this is a plot
file.  The user can always change the file name by selecting "I" from the
Main Menu.  Remember that the plot file will be written to the directory
path specified in the Workspace environment, or will be written to the
current directory the user is logged into if no Workspace path has been
specified.  After entering a new plot file, the name will be displayed
beside the second line.
     The main advantage to this function is that the user can develop an
unlimited number of plot files for the same data set simply by using
different file names for the output file.  For example, the user can
create a graph containing the full sample size represented in the data
file with the appropriate additional or customized options (e.g. title,
ID heights, composite line information, etc.).  The information from this
graph can then be saved in an initialization file for this particular
graph so that the user will not have to labor to re-create this graph
(for more information on "Getting and Saving Settings," see the
appropriate section below).  The user can then create another plot file
using a different name that would display more specific information about
the data file.  For example, the user may wish to create a graph using
only a subset of years from the original data file.  This graph can be
created, then the options from this particular graph can be saved in an
additional initialization file for later recall.  Because the
initialization files take the name of the user-defined plot file names
(except with an extension of ".INI"), many unique graphs can be created
and stored by the user.

SETTING GRAPH OPTIONS

     By default, the program will graph all series contained in a data
file, indicated on the line below this function (e.g. "Series: 1 to 40"). 
Occasionally, however, the user will want to graph only a particular
subset of the data file.  For example, the data file may actually contain
two sites, a high elevation site with 15 samples and a lower elevation
site with 20 samples, that were combined into one data file using the
Merge Function in the Data Entry Module.  The user may wish to only graph
those 15 samples from the higher elevation site.  To select which subset
of samples to graph, select "S" from this menu.  A new menu will open
with the following functions: (1) First series to graph; (2) Last series
to graph; (3) Reset series; and, (4) Show series.  The first and last
series to be graphed will be displayed to the right of the first two
lines.
     To change the first and last series to be graphed, simply select
either of the first two functions and enter the appropriate sample
number.  Remember that the sample number is simply the column that sample
occupies in the data file.  If you are not sure which columns contain the
subset of samples you wish to graph, select "Show Series" from this menu,
and the series ID's will appear as well as the column number which they
occupy in the data file.  Note the column numbers, and enter these
numbers in the dialog boxes that open for the first two functions.  If at
any point you wish to reset the series back to the default of all series,
select "Reset Series", and the original first and last series to be
graphed will appear to the right of the first two lines.
     Colors for all major graph elements can be easily changed by
selecting this function.  There are six basic graph elements: (1) the
x-axis and its labels; (2) the composite axis and its information; (3)
the lines drawn for each sample; (4) all text used in the graph (i.e.
title and ID's); (5) the legend if one is selected; and, (6) all symbols
used.  The symbols themselves can be broken down into four sets: (1) sym-
bols used for fire scars; (2) symbols used for all other injuries; (3)
symbols used to designate major fire events (see information under the
Events Menu below); and, (4) symbols used in the composite line.  Colors
for all graph elements can be customized.  The use of colors is actually
only necessary to help differentiate elements on the computer screen.  If
a black-and-white printer is being used, all elements of the graph will
print as black.  Note that colors chosen can correspond to the pens on a
color plotter by matching the color number with the pen number.  In this
way, colors that appear on the screen will be those used on the plotter. 
For more information about plotting, see the section on "Plotting Graphs"
below.
     To change any colors, select "C" from the Graph Options Menu.  A
new menu will open showing the current color settings for the six graph
elements as well as for the four types of symbols used.  To the right of
the menu, all colors are listed by their numbers as well as by their
names.  The number assigned to each color is designated by
internationally-accepted standards to maintain compatibility between
screen and hardcopy graphics devices.  To change the color of any graph
element, choose the appropriate letter.  A dialog box will open asking
the user for the number of the color desired for that particular element. 
After entering a number, the dialog box closes and the new information is
added below the line for the appropriate graph element.  To see the
effects of this color change, hit "F9" to view the graph with the new
color settings.  When a symbol color is chosen to be changed, a new
window opens showing the four symbol types along with their current color
settings.  The user can choose the appropriate symbol color to change and
enter the color desired.  If at any point the user decides to change back
to the original default settings, the user can choose to "Reset default
settings" from the "Color Options" Menu.  Once all colors have been
chosen, the user can enter ESC or type "Q" to return to the Graphics
Options Menu.
     The user can choose from among four type of borders to draw around
the current graph.  To add a border, select "B" from the Graphics Options
Menu.  A new window will open displaying the current settings for the
border information.  To draw a border, select "D" from this menu.  The
option to draw a border will change from "No" to "Yes", and the
additional border options will become highlighted.  To turn off the
option to draw a border, simply type "D" again.  By default, the border
length is set to 10.5 inches but this can be changed by typing "L" and
entering a new border length in the dialog box.  The border height is
automatically determined by the program, and depends on how many series
currently being graphed.  The border height will always be set by default
at an optimum height to include all series.  If additional graphics
elements are chosen to be drawn as well, such as a title or a legend, the
program will automatically adjust the border height to include these
additional elements.  The border height can always be manually adjusted
by typing "H" from this menu and entering a new height in the dialog box.
     Four types of borders can be drawn.  Typing "T" will toggle between
these border types, which include: (1) a single line border; (2) a double
line border; (3) a filled (solid) border; and, (4) a sculpted border.  A
sculpted border has two edges of the border filled while the other two
are double line.  The last option in this menu is to reset the length and
height of the border back to their original settings.  Once all options
have been set, type ESC or "Q" to return back to the Graphics Options
Menu.
     The user can choose between landscape and portrait orientation when
viewing and printing/plotting graphs.  Landscape orientation plots the
long axis (the x-axis) "sideways" or parallel to the length of the paper. 
This is the default orientation.  Portrait orientation plots the long
axis parallel to the width of the paper.  The user can toggle between
these two modes by first entering the Orientation Menu, and selecting "O"
for orientation.  To help the user see how the printed graph will look
positioned on the paper, the user can choose the option "Add PageFrame." 
Turning this option on will plot the 8.5" X 11" paper boundaries that
encircle the graph.  This option is strictly for helping the user
position the graph, and must be toggled off before printing the final
graph.  The user can position the graph on the page by choosing the
appropriate coordinates from the Orientation Menu.  Note that these
coordinates can be easily determined by using the Digitizing function in
the VIEW program (see section below under "Viewing Graphs").  By default,
the initial landscape coordinates are (0,0) while the initial portrait
coordinates are (0,-11).  Note that reducing the y-coordinate for the
portrait orientation will move the graph up the printed page while
increasing it will move the graph down the page.  The initial coordinates
(0,-11) will print the graph at the bottom of the page.

THE EVENTS MENU

     The Events Menu allows the user to select only certain fire events
to be plotted for each sample.  An event can be either fire scars or
other injuries.  Because seasonal information can be obtained for these
events, it helps to see the distribution of the different seasons over
time to determine whether a change in the seasonality of fires has
occurred.  The Events Menu can be used to plot or suppress the plotting
of only certain seasons if the user wishes.  The user can choose to add
the seasonal designations directly above the symbols.  The Events Menu is
also used to draw all chosen fire events according to the Composite Axis
filter rules (see the section on Composite Axis information below), or to
plot only those major fire years that satisfy the Composite Axis filter
rules.  To enter the Events Menu, select "E" from the Graphics Module
Main Menu.

The "Standard Plot"
     A new window will open displaying the current settings for the
Events Menu.  The top portion of the menu shows the six fire events that
will be plotted by their seasonal designations.  By default, all fire
events, no matter what their season, will be plotted, and this is shown
to the right of each of the six lines.  These six lines are simple
toggles.  For example, if the user does not wish to draw the fire events
with "Undetermined" seasonal designations, the user would select "U" from
the Events Menu.  This will toggle the Undetermined line to "Off," and,
when graphed, all fire events that have undetermined seasons will be
suppressed, i.e. only those with seasons determined will be graphed.  If
the user wished only to display the dormant and early season fire events,
the user would turn all other seasons off by selecting the appropriate
season.  The selection of seasons to be displayed can be reset by using
the option to set all options "Yes" or to set all options "No."  Setting
all options to "No" will essentially not allow any symbols to be plotted
on the graph.

The "Season Plot"
     Setting all event options off may seem redundant at first. 
However, this is useful for creating a "Season Plot" in which nothing but
the letters of the seasons are displayed after having chosen to "Draw
Seasons."  To display the seasons for the fire events, select "S" from
the Events Menu.  This will toggle between "Yes" and "No."  The seasons
will be added directly above the fire event symbols on each sample.  The
seasonal designation is also "event-sensitive."  In other words, the
seasons will only be added to those seasons (for example, only dormant
and early season fires) selected to be graphed by the user.  Note that
the placement of the seasonal designations can not be controlled by the
user.  The letters will always be placed above the symbol, their
appropriate location.  Depending on the options selected for the graph
itself, the season letters may actually overrun some of the graph
elements.  For example, if the user wishes to space the lines very close
together (see the section for the Line Element below), the season letters
will necessarily overlap on top of the symbols.  The prevention of this
problem is actually straight-forward, and judicious customization of the
graph (for example, by choosing certain symbols, or adjusting the line
spacing) by the user can prevent this from occurring.

Plotting Major Fire Years
     The two remaining options in the Events Menu, "Use Composite
Filters" and "Draw Major Fires," concern the display of major fire years.
Both options make use of the composite filters, described in the
Composite Axis information section below.  Briefly, there are three
composite filters: (1) percentage scarred; (2) minimum number of samples;
and, (3) minimum number of samples scarred.  The user can customize these
filters to show the fire history information displayed on the composite
line, which represents the fire history for the entire site.  In the
Events Menu, choosing "Use Composite Filters" will draw only those fire
events in the main body of the graph that satisfy the composite filters. 
For example, if you select to show only those years in which 75% of all
trees sampled were scarred, using the composite filters in the Events
Menu will suppress the drawing of all fire events in all years that do
not satisfy this filter option.  In other words, all fire events in the
years in which less than 75% of all samples were scarred will not be
shown.  This is a way to somewhat "clean" the body of the graph to
display only those fires considered to be the major fire events.
Choosing "Draw Major Fires" is similar to this.  All fire events are once
again drawn, but the major fire years that satisfy the composite filters
will be displayed in the color and symbol chosen by the user for major
fire events (see Symbols section below and the section for customizing
colors above).  This is a means for keeping the fire history information
intact, yet still accentuate those years considered to be major fire
events.

ADDING A TITLE

     From the Graphics Module Main Menu, select "T" to add information
for adding and customizing a title.  A new window will open showing the
current settings for the "Add Title" option.  The user must first toggle
the "Add Title" option to "Yes."  The current settings will then become
highlighted.  Next, the user must enter the title itself, by choosing "E"
to enter the title.  Upon selecting "E", a dialog box will open with a
ruler line to let the user know how long the title is currently.  The
title can be up to 70 letters long.  Remember that there are certain
editing functions available to the user, and these are described in the
first chapter.  After entering the title and hitting the "return" key,
the title will be partially displayed on the second line of the Title
Menu.  At this point the user should hit "F9" to show where the current
title is being placed based on the default (X,Y) coordinates.  Note that,
if no title is entered in the Title Menu, even after toggling the option
to add a title "Yes", the Title and Main Menus will default to "No"
because no title was entered.
     The first time a user adds a title, the title will most likely be
misplaced.  To change the (X,Y) coordinates of the extreme left side of
the title line, the user can choose either "X" or "Y" to change the
placement of the title.  In addition, there is a digitizing function in
the VIEW.EXE program that helps the user place the title anywhere on the
graph.  After the graph is completely displayed onscreen (see the section
of creating and viewing graphs below), the user can hit the ESC key to
bring up the VIEW Main Menu.  (Note: the graph does not have to be
displayed completely actually.  It just helps. The user can hit the ESC
key anytime after the first few lines are drawn to enter the digitizing
function.)  Within this menu is the option to "Digitize" and can be
selected by using the up and down arrow keys to highlight this line and
then by hitting the "return" key.  A crosshair will appear in the center
of the  screen along with its (X,Y) coordinates in the bottom left corner
of the display.  The crosshair can be moved anywhere on the graph by
using the arrow keys.  Once the crosshair is located where the user
wishes to begin the title line, the user should note the (X,Y)
coordinates.  These are the values that should be entered in the Title
Menu under "X-coordinate" and "Y-coordinate."
     The final option is to adjust the height of the letters displayed
for the title.  By default, this value is set at 0.15 inches.  However,
some titles appear better at 0.18 inches, and the user should experiment
to determine the proper height for a particular graph.  To change the
title height, select "T" from the Title Menu and enter the new title
letter height.  To view the settings, hit the F9 key and re-adjust the
height as necessary.  Note that if the user wishes to change the font
used for the title, this is accomplished in the "Fonts Menu" (see section
on fonts below).  If a new font is selected after positioning the title,
the title with the new font will have to be re-positioned as the new font
will most likely have different character widths.

THE COMPOSITE AXIS

     The Composite Axis graph element is perhaps the most important of
all elements as it reveals information about the temporal characteristics
of the site on a single line between the sample lines and the year axis.
Subsequently, this element is also the most complex and versatile, and
the user has a wide variety of options available within this Menu to help
interpret the fire regime for a particular site.  The Composite Axis is
nothing more than the aggregate information from the individual samples
compressed into one line.  The user should spend the time to become
familiar with this element above all others, especially with the three
filters.  To enter the Composite Menu, type "C" from the Graphics Module
Main Menu.  The first option is simply a toggle to choose whether or not
to draw the composite axis.  The default is to always draw the axis.  In
some cases, however, it is desirable to create a "cleaner" graph without
the clutter of the Composite Axis at the bottom of the graph, and the
user can toggle this option to "No."

The Composite Filters
     The next three options are the Composite Axis filters used to show
only a subset of the site information that the user may feel is more
important.  The first filter is perhaps the most important, and controls
the percentage scarred information brought down to the Composite Axis. 
By default, the percentage scarred class is set to zero percent, such
that all fire years will be displayed on the Composite Axis regardless of
the percentage of samples scarred.  If the user wanted to show only those
years on the Composite Axis in which at least 50% of the samples were
scarred for any one fire year, the user would select "R" from the
Composite Menu.  A dialog box will open, and the user should enter "50." 
Viewing the graph will show that the Composite Axis now only shows those
fire years in which at least 50% of the samples were scarred.  This
method allows the user to assess in which fire years widespread fires
occurred versus those years in which few specimens were scarred (in other
words, a low percentage scarred).  Note that the minimum value for this
filter is zero while the maximum is 100.
     Sometimes, however, only two samples extended through a period and
only one contained a fire scar.  Because 50% of the samples in this year
were scarred, this information would be brought down to the Composite
Axis and given equal weight as a year in which ten samples were scarred
out of a total of 15 samples.  In this case, the user would like to be
able to control for sample depth, and this can be done using the second
filter.  By selecting "M" from the Composite Menu, the user can select a
minimum sample depth that should be met before the information is
compiled to the Composite Axis.  For example, specifying a minimum sample
depth of four trees in any one year would require at least two trees to
have fire scars before being shown on the Composite Axis.  In the example
given, the year in which only two samples occurred with only one being
scarred would not be shown on the Composite Axis.  Note that the minimum
value for this option is one (because at least one tree has to occur
within any given period in order to be graphed) and the maximum is the
number of samples for the site.  The minimum value can be set to zero
when compressing all information, fire scars and other injuries, to the
Composite Axis (see discussion on Including Other Injuries below).
     In the example above, choosing a minimum sample depth of four trees
required at least two samples to be scarred to satisfy the 50% minimum
percentage scarred previously entered.  We can go one step further and
also choose a minimum number of samples that have been scarred before the
information for that year is compiled to the Composite Axis.  For
example, if we wanted to show only those years in which at least four
samples were scarred, the user would select "A" from the Composite Menu
and enter "4" in the dialog box.  When the graph is viewed, only those
years in which at least four trees were scarred will be brought down to
the Composite Axis.  Note that the minimum value is one; however, this
value can be set to zero when compressing all information, fire scars and
other injuries, to the Composite Axis (see discussion on Including Other
Injuries below).
     The judicial use of these three filters allows a very close
scrutiny of the fire regime for a particular site.  Depending on the site
characteristics, the number of samples obtained, the quality of the
samples, and the length of the overall fire history, the user may wish to
only use one particular filter or various combinations of the three. 
Note that when the graph is viewed, the options for the filters selected
will appear to the right of the Composite Axis.

Composite Axis Detail
     The Composite Axis can be customized apart from using the filters
by selecting "C" from the Composite Menu.  A window will open showing
four additional options.  The first two options control the information
displayed below the composite line.  The default is "Line to Axis," which
shows the years of fire events as a vertical line from the Composite Axis
down to the Year Axis.  This option presents a cleaner, less cluttered
graph in which the temporal spacing of fires is much more apparent.  In
addition, the appearance simulates a dendrochronological record of tree
rings as seen on an increment core.  For this reason, this type of
composite is called an "event trace."  Periods of high frequency fires
will appear closely packed along the trace while periods of low frequency
fires will appear widely spaced along the trace.  The second option in
the Composite Detail Menu, "Year with Line," shows the actual year of
fire events with lines drawn upward to the Composite Axis to help show
the spacing between lines.
     The next option is a toggle that determines whether or not to add
the composite line information to the right of the graph.  By default,
this information is always given, and shows the selected filter settings
to help the user identify exactly what is being displayed on the
composite.  Occasionally, the user will want to suppress the text
information, perhaps prior to importing the graphics file into another
graphics program such as CorelDraw, and this can be done by selecting "A"
from the Composite Detail Menu.
     The last option, "Include Other Injuries," controls how to treat
the fire events that are not actual fire scars.  Remember that these are
entered in the data file with small or lowercase letters, and represent
some other injury possibly associated with a fire event.  Occasionally,
the user may wish to treat these other injuries as direct indicators of
fire events as opposed to indirect indicators.  For example, on giant
sequoia trees, fire events are sometimes associated with a growth release
after the fire event.  These growth releases persist for many years after
the fire and are readily identifiable.  In this situation, the growth
releases can be treated as direct evidence of fire receiving equal weight
as if a fire scar was present.  By selecting "I" for "Include Other
Injuries," the software will treat the other injuries as direct evidence
of fire.  This will cause the percentage scarred filter to include other
injuries in its computation.  Note that this option does not apply to the
other two filters - the "Minimum scarred" filter will always apply to
actual fire scars only, and the "Minimum sample depth" will always apply
to the number of trees only.  For example, if the user chooses to show
only those years in which 50% of the trees were scarred, and the user
chooses to include the other injuries, a year in which two fire scars and
two injuries occurred in a year with eight trees will receive equal
weight as a year in which four fire scars occurred out of eight trees. 
This will cause these years to be shown on the composite axis.
     Note that by choosing this option to include other injuries, the
minimum allowable value of "Minimum samples scarred" changes from one to
zero.  Remember that, by keeping the value set at one, at least one tree
will have to scarred by fire to show up on the Composite Axis.  If a year
has nothing but other injuries, this information will not show up on the
composite axis with the value set to one.  Setting the minimum to zero
will allow a year in which only other injuries occur to be included in
the percentage-scarred evaluation, and will subsequently be shown on the
composite axis after choosing to include the other injuries.  The user
must know the fire events and the ecology of fire for that particular
region.

Composite Axis Symbols
     The user has the option to select which symbols are displayed on
the Composite Axis to denote the fire years.  To change or select any of
the available symbols, select "S" from the Composite Menu.  A window will
open showing the options.  By default, the option is set to "None" and no
symbols are drawn on the Composite Axis.  This keeps the composite
information less cluttered.  For a complete description of the
information available for symbols, see the appropriate section below
under "Symbols."

Export to File
     The last option in the Composite Menu is to export the information
on the Composite Axis to a separate file.  By exporting the information
to a file, a user can create a master data file containing several
composites of various sites that were sampled.  After selecting "E" from
the Composite Menu, a new menu will open showing the various options to
export the information.  The first option, "E" to "Enter file name," is
to give the file containing the exported information a valid file name. 
A new dialog box will appear asking the user to input the file name.  The
same program procedure that inputs this file name is the same that inputs
the file name from the "Retrieve Data File" option from the Main Menu, so
the user should refer to that section above for additional information.
     The next option selects one of two formats in which to export the
composite information.  By default, the format is "FHX2," the standard
fire history format.  Selecting "D" will toggle between FHX2 and "Epoch"
format.  "Epoch" format is used by the Superposed Epoch Module for
investigating the relationship between fire and climate.  Choosing
"Epoch" will export the Composite information to a file compatible with
this Module.  The last option is to enter an ID for this composite
information, which is usually related to the name of the file containing
the data being graphed.  For example, an accurate ID for file "PET.DAT"
would be "PET." 
     After all the information is entered, the user can select "X" to
export the information.  If the file name specified by the user already
exists, and this file is in FHX2 format, the program will then prompt the
user to "(A)ppend, (O)verwrite, or (C)ancel" the export process.  If the
user chooses to append to the file, all information from the Composite
Axis will be added to the pre-existing data file in a new column.  This
is by far the easiest and fastest way to create a data file containing
the composite information for numerous individual data files.  If the
user chooses to overwrite the file, note that all information in the
previous file will be erased.  Once the information has been exported,
the program will alert the user.  After a successful export, the user can
return to the Graphics Module Main Menu and retrieve the data file
containing the exported information.  Viewing the data will reveal a
sample line similar to the Composite Axis of the original data file.

ADDING A LEGEND

     No graph is complete without a legend explaining the various
symbols used, and FHX2 makes it possible to add a legend to any graph.
The legend appears as a title box with the following symbols explained:
fire scar symbols; other injury symbols; pith date and inner ring date
symbols; bark date and outer ring date symbols; and, recorder and null
year symbols.  (For more information about these symbols, see the section
on symbols below.)  Choosing "L" from the Main Menu will open the Legend
Menu.  To add a legend, select "D" to "Draw Legend."  This is a toggle
that decides whether to add or delete the legend from the graph.
     The legend can also be positioned anywhere on the graph by
specifying the (X,Y) coordinates in exactly the same way as a title is
positioned.  For information on how to determine the (X,Y) coordinates
using the built-in digitizer, see the section on Adding Titles above.
Note that when positioning a legend, the position on the graph is
determined by the lower left corner of the legend box.  The last option,
"L" for "Legend Scale," is a convenient feature for creating different
sized legend boxes.  The default option is 100%, a full-sized legend
box.  However, the user may wish to position the legend box within a very
tricky graph containing numerous samples of varying length.  By changing
the legend scale, the legend box can be expanded or contracted to fit
almost anywhere within the graph.  Note that the legend position as
determined by the (X,Y) coordinates does not change when changing the
legend scale.  The software will always place the lower left corner of
the legend at the specified (X,Y) coordinates no matter how large or
small the legend box.  If the graph is extremely complex and there is no
room for placing a legend of any size, the user should "expand" the graph
itself by choosing a new beginning year for the x-axis (see the section
below on how to change x-axis information).  The legend can then be
placed towards the left side of the graph in the newly created space.

ADDING OR CHANGING LINE INFORMATION

     The lines drawn for each of the samples can be customized in any
number of ways.  To enter the Lines Menu, select "N" from the Graphics
Main Menu, and the Lines Menu will appear.  The first option is nothing
more than a toggle whether to draw the lines for each sample or not.  The
default is to always draw the lines.  Turning this option off will draw
all other features for the samples, but will suppress the drawing of the
horizontal line for each sample, thus losing the information on null and
recorder years.  However, the resulting plot, called an "Event Plot," is
esthetically pleasing because the graph becomes less cluttered and the
fire years appear to align much better.  Note that this toggle can be
turned off, the option to draw the seasons turned on, and no symbols
selected to draw a "Season Event Plot" in which nothing appears in the
graph except the seasonal designations of the fire events.
     The next option in the Lines Menu allows the user to change the
amount of separation (in inches) between the sample lines.  The default
is automatically determined by the software and depends on the number of
sample in the data file.  Changing the line separation to a smaller value
brings the lines closer together from the top down.  Conversely,
increasing the value increases the separation between lines.  The user
can experiment with this value in order to optimally fill a page with the
graph.  Note that a separation of 0.157 inches allows the "Long Vertical
Bar" symbols (see section on Symbols below) to just touch, creating the
illusion of a continuous line for a year in which fire was widespread. 
The default line separation can be returned by selecting the "Reset
Separation" option from within this menu.
     The next option controls whether or not the sample ID's are drawn
to the right of each line in the graph.  This is also a simple toggle,
and setting it to "No" will suppress the drawing of ID's.  This also
creates a more simple and esthetically pleasing graph when the additional
information of the ID's is not required.  The height of the ID's can also
be changed by selecting "H" from the Lines Menu and entering a new height
(in inches).  A height should be chosen for the ID's where the ID's are
still clearly readable with a small gap between the letters.

SYMBOLS

     Symbols can be chosen by the user to show all fire events for four
separate classes of event types: (1) fire scars; (2) other injuries; (3)
major fire events; and 4) composite axis symbols.  Separate symbol types
can be chosen for all four categories, and the user should experiment by
viewing the graphs with each of the symbols.  Eight symbols are
available:
1) Inverted Triangles: equilateral traingles pointing downward;
2) Triangle Pointers: narrow triangles that taper toward to the tip
pointing downward, resembling small arrows.
3) Centered Diamonds: four-sided diamonds centered with the horizontal
axis across the sample line.
4) Wildfire Flames: a small surface flame sweeping to the right, often
used to designate major fire events (see Events Menu above).
5) Short Vertical Bars: a small vertical bar centered on the sample line.
6) Long Vertical Bars: a longer vertical bar centered on the sample line.
7) Vertical Lines: a simple line drawn vertically and centered on the
sample line.
8) Pattern: a thicker symbol with diagonal cross-hatching to help
designate major fire events.
9) None: no symbol drawn for this particular event type.
After choosing an event type, a new window will open showing the nine
symbols types listed above.  Note that the symbol type is listed in the
Title Bar at the top of this window to remind the user which event type
was chosen.  To the left of the symbol currently chosen for that event
type, either a check mark or the letters "F" or "O" will appear.  The
letters "F" and "O" indicate whether the symbol chosen is "filled"
(solid) or "open."  To select a symbol, press the appropriate number next
to the symbol.  If the symbol is anything other than a Pattern type or
"None," a new smaller window will open asking the user to select either a
"Filled" or "Open" symbol type. After selecting "filled" or "open," the
small window will close and return to the Symbols Menu, and an "F" or "O"
will appear next to the chosen symbol.  If this choice is satisfactory,
the user can hit ESC or select "Q" to return to the previous Symbols
Menu.  After choosing a symbol, the user should press "F9" in any of the
three Symbols Menus to view the current symbol type and determine whether
it is appropriate for this graph.
     This procedure applies to all four event types, and the user can
"mix and match" any symbol for any event type.  For example, the default
symbol for fire events (fire scars) is a solid long vertical bar, while
the default symbol for other injuries is an open long vertical bar.  The
user may wish to draw short open vertical bars for other injuries to
"minimize" the visual effect of this event type.  Alternatively, the user
may wish not to display the other injury event type by selecting "None"
form the Symbols Menu.  This will allow only fire events to be drawn.
As mentioned before, the user may wish to draw a "Season Graph" by
choosing to draw the seasonal designations from the Events Menu
(described above) and selecting "None" for the symbols for both fire
events and other injuries.  If the user has chosen to highlight the major
fire events in the Events Menu using the Composite Axis filters, the
major fire years satisfying the composite filters will be drawn in the
body of the graph with the currently chosen symbol.  By default, this
symbol is the wildfire flame.

THE X-AXIS

Setting the X-Axis Range
     The first two options control the range of years displayed on the
x-axis.  To change the beginning or ending years, type "F" (for "First"
year) or "L" (for "Last" year) and input the new beginning or ending
years in the dialog box.  Hitting "F9" will then display the graph with
the new beginning and ending years.  Note that the default ending year
is the year "2000" designed to maintain compatibility between graphs for
different data files.  However, a year less than the year "2000" can
always be input by the user by changing the last year.  The user can
graph any subset range of years between the beginning and ending years
contained within the data file.  On occasion, the user may wish to extend
the first year of the graph back in time, perhaps to make the graph
compatible with the graph from a longer data file for another site
(allowing the user to overlay graphs one on top of another with a
common x-axis).  The user may input a year less than the default
beginning year.  Note that this option also allows the user to create
"open space" at the beginning of the graph that may be used to position
a legend.  The default (original) beginning and ending years can always
be returned by selecting "Reset Range" from the X-Axis Menu.

Setting the X-Axis Length
     The length of the x-axis can be changed by selecting "X" from the
X-Axis Menu.  The default length is nine inches, designed to fill the
length of an 8.5" X 11" paper in landscape mode.  The user may wish to
extend the length of this x-axis if the printer or plotter being used
can support longer lengths.  A 12 inch length for the x-axis is ideal for
graphing on paper 14 inches in length.  Note that when graphing these
longer axes, the graph may extend far off to the right of the screen.
These areas of the graph can be viewed by either pressing the "-" key
(to reduce the screen display) or pressing the right and left arrows to
position the graph on the screen.  Note that the x-axis length need not
be set differently when graphing in Portrait mode because the graph is
always graphed in landscape mode and re-scaled and re-positioned to graph
in portrait mode.  If the length of the x-axis is increased, the user may
wish to customize the placement of the tic marks and tic labels.

Customizing Tic Mark Information
     The drawing of tic marks, major tic marks, and tic labels on the
x-axis can be changed according to the user's preferences.  The default
settings for all three properties are set by the program depending upon
the number of years in the data file.  Choosing "M" will open a dialog
box and the user should enter a new value (in years) to draw tic marks.
Major tic marks are tic marks longer in length, usually used to denote
decade years, every 50th year, and/or every 100th year.  Choosing "T"
from the X-Axis Menu will open a dialog box and the user should input
the new value (in years) to draw major tic marks.  Tic labels are the
years associated with the tic marks and are usually drawn at convenient
locations on the x-axis.  Selecting "I" will open a dialog box and the
user can enter a new value (in years) indicating when to add tic labels.
To reset the default tic mark information, select "D" from the X-Axis
Menu.

SELECTING FONTS

     Several fonts are available for all text, including: (1) the title,
if one is added; (2) the sample ID's; (3) the Composite Axis text
information; and (4) the seasonal designations, if added.  Note that
changing fonts does not affect the text in the legend, the tic labels, or
the year on the Composite Axis, as these text elements must always remain
static to allow them to be scaled or positioned.  The fonts available
include: (1) Sans Serif (or Simplex); (2) Sans Serif Bold; (3) Script;
(4) Script Bold; (5) Times Roman; (6) Times Roman Bold; (7) Times Roman
Italic; and, (8) Times Roman Italic Bold.  The default font is Sans
Serif, a simple font with a clean display on screen and in the final
hardcopy graph.  This font also takes less time to graph, and plot
to either screen or hardcopy devices (less maneuvering by the plotting
positions).  To select a new font, select "F" from the Graphics Module
Main Menu, and a new window will open displaying the available fonts.
The user should select a font, then hit the "F9" key to view the graph
with the new font.

ADDING CUSTOM LINES

     Researchers have found it beneficial to accentuate the major fire
years within a graph by means other than symbols.  For example, the user
may wish to use triangle pointers to indicate fire events, and keep the
use of other symbols to a minimum.  To highlight the major fire years,
the user may wish to bracket these years, as well as the symbols, with
vertical lines.  This can be accomplished by adding custom lines.
The user can input the (X,Y) coordinates for the beginning and ending
locations of the line, and the software will add the line between those
coordinates.  Note that a custom line can be added to any point in time
of particular interest to the researcher, whether it is a single year
or range of years.  For example, one or more lines can be used to
designate points in time when major (or minor) shifts in the fire regime
occurred.  In addition, the lines do not have to be vertical.  Horizontal
lines can be placed anywhere in the graph, perhaps to separate two sites
that exist in the same data file (see section on merging data files in
the Data Entry Module documentation for more information).  With
judicious placement, the user can create three-sided "brackets" (either
vertical or horizontal) to designate certain periods of particular
concern to the user, or to help designate "groups" of samples within the
data file being graphed.  Up to 18 custom lines can be drawn on any one
graph.  Custom lines are drawn in the same color chosen for the
Composite Axis.
     Prior to entering the coordinates for the custom lines, the user
should first determine the coordinates using the digitizer function of
the View program, discussed in the Titles section above.  Remember that
the line requires two sets of coordinates, one each for the beginning
and ending points of the line.  Note that if a horizontal line is to be
drawn, the Y-coordinate will be the same for both points.  Likewise, if
a vertical line is to be drawn, the X-coordinate will be the same for
both points.  To begin adding custom lines, select "U" from the Graphics
Module Main Menu.  A new window will open for the Custom Lines Menu,
which is divided into two sections: the options section at the top and
the coordinate section containing the "Line Numbers" (up to 18) below.
     To add custom lines to any graph, first select "A" from this menu.
This is a toggle that switches from "Yes" to "No."  To begin entering
coordinates, enter "E" from this Menu, and a dialog box will open
prompting the user for all four numbers needed for the two points.  The
user will enter the (X,Y) coordinates for the first point, followed by
the (X,Y) coordinate for the second point.  Once all point information
has been entered, the (X,Y) coordinate pair will appear on the first
line of the table in the Custom Line Menu.  To change the coordinates
for any line, select "C" from this Menu and the program will ask the
user for which line to change the coordinates (if more than one line
has been entered).  After the user indicates which line, the program
will once again prompt the user for the four numbers needed for the two
points.  To delete any coordinate pair, select "D" from this menu and
enter the line number to be deleted when asked by the program.  Any
lines below that line number will then be raised up one level.  After all
information has been entered, the user should hit "F9" to view the graph
and the placement of the custom lines.

SAVING AND RETRIEVING GRAPH SETTINGS

     After a graph has been meticulously customized by the user, the
settings and options chosen for the graph should be saved in an
initialization file that can be recalled later.  This prevents making the
user remember all the original options and settings from a previous
session.  To save settings, select "S" from the Graphics Module Main
Menu.  A window will open indicating the settings are being saved.  All
settings, whether active or disabled, are stored in a file containing the
first part of the file name for the plot file of the original data file.
For example, a plot file named "PET01.PLT" will have an associated
initialization file named "PET01.INI" containing all the settings.
Note that as many initialization files as plot files can be created and
saved.  In other words, each data file can have many plot files, each
with its own initialization file.  To create different plot files, just
create new names for each plot that are unique using the "Output File
Name" option from the Main Menu (e.g. "PET02.PLT," "PET17-18.PLT,"
etc.).  Once the graph is customized, save the settings.  The first part
of the new plot file name will be used for the initialization file.
     Conversely, a set of saved options can be retrieved by typing "G" at
the Graphics Module Main Menu.  If no initialization file exists that
uses the first part of the plot file name, then the software will alert
the user and no action will be taken.  Any valid initialization file can
be retrieved by first inputting the proper plot file name for which the
settings were saved.  For example, to retrieve the settings for the
graph "PET02.PLT," the user must first input this name using the "Output
File Name" option from the Main Menu, and then type "G" from the Main
Menu.  The retrieved settings will then be added to the right side of the
Main Menu.

CONFIGURING THE HARDCOPY AND VIDEO DEVICES

     Within the Graphics Module main Menu is an option titled "Set
Configuration," accessed by selecting "O." This option should be used to:
(1) install a hardcopy device; (2) specify the printer port; (3) indicate
whether to send the output to a graphics file rather than a hardcopy
device; and (4) select a video adapter.  After selecting "O" from the
Main Menu, a new window will open, and the user should select whether to
install a "Graphics Card" or "Printing Device."  To change the graphics
card, select "C" from the Configuration Menu.  Usually, the software does
an adequate job by setting the choice to "Automatic."

Installing a Hardcopy Device
     To install a Printing Device, select "D" from the Configuration
Menu.  At this point, control is turned over to the program PLOT.EXE in
installation mode using the "/i" parameter.  The Graphics Module screen
will be cleared, and a new screen will appear that lists the current
configuration of the printing device.  These options include: (1)
Printer/Plotter; (2) Output Port; (3) Baud Rate; (4) Plot Size; (5) Pen
Velocity; and (6) Plot Rotation.  To change a printer or plotter output
device, select "1" from this menu.  At this point, the user can scroll
through four screens containing 120 different printer/plotter devices
supported by the FHX2 system via software furnished by Golden Software,
Inc.  Once the user has identified an appropriate hardcopy device, the
user should select the number beside the device and hit return.  The
change will be reflected in the Current Configuration screen.
     The next option in this menu is to specify the port to which output
should be sent.  Alternatively, the user can specify a file name to which
the printing instructions can be sent rather than to a printing device.
After selecting "2" from this menu, the screen will list the available
ports to which output can be sent, including LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, COM1, and
COM2.  By default, the first parallel port (LPT1) is always specified as
this is the port to which output is usually sent on DOS-based personal
computers. An important option here is to specify an output file name
that will contain the printing instructions for that particular printing
device rather than sending the output directly to a printer port.  Using
this option, the user can create plot files containing the actual
printing instructions for that particular hardcopy device for any created
graph.
     The user should not have to change the option for "Baud Rate."  The
size of the plot can be changed from its default of 8.5" X 11" by
selecting option "4" from this menu.  Option "5" can be used to change
the pen velocity on hardcopy devices that use pens.  Changing the pen
velocity can ensure that graphs are drawn cleanly by specifying a slower
velocity.  The final option, to rotate the plot, simply rotates the plot
90 degrees from its orientation coming into the hardcopy device.

Printing to an HPGL File
     Perhaps the most important non-hardcopy output device is an output
file created in Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language (HPGL) format, a format
recognized by nearly all major graphics packages.  By sending the output
to an HPGL file, the user can import this file into many different soft-
ware packages that support importation of HPGL files, such as many word
processors (e.g. WordPerfect) and graphics programs (e.g. CorelDraw).  I
highly recommend using this option frequently within the FHX2 system.
The initial graph can be created by FHX2.  However, a program like
CorelDraw can import the graph in HPGL format, and the user can change,
rotate, edit, add, delete, manipulate, and color any of the individual
objects (e.g. lines, symbols, text, etc.) within the FHX2 graph.  One
word of caution.  On graphs with many fire events, I recommend using open
symbols rather than filled symbols because this will decrease the amount
of time to import the graph and will make using the graphics software
much easier when manipulating the individual objects, especially the
symbols.
     To send the output to an HPGL file, select "1" from the Installation
Menu, and advance to the second screen.  Select "43" from this screen,
"Hewlett Packard Graphics Language," then hit return.  This option will
now show in the first line of the Current Configuration settings.  In
addition, note that the option for "Output Port" now reads "xxx.PGL"
indicating that, when the user sends the graph to an output port, the
graph will be routed to a file with the extension ".PGL".  Once the HPGL
graphics file has been created, the user will be returned to the Graphics
Module Configuration Menu.  The graphics file is now ready to be imported
into another software package.

VIEWING GRAPHS

     Two functions are available in the Graphics Module Main Menu that
display the current graph on-screen, and it is important to know the
difference between the two.  The first is "View new graph," be accessed
by pressing "F9" or selecting "V".  The second is "Redraw old graph,"
accessed by pressing "F8" or by selecting "W".  Choosing to "View new
graph" will create a completely new graph file with the current settings,
and is usually selected after changing any options.  Once chosen, the
software will create a graph from scratch to a plot file.  Choosing to
"Redraw old graph" will simply display on-screen the contents of the
last plot file created without updating any new settings that the user
may have changed.  Choose this option to view the previous graph and to
help change any of the settings. Redrawing the graph is much faster
than creating a new graph from scratch.

Running the VIEW Program
     The graph is displayed on-screen in a rectangle to the right of the
screen.  Note that this rectangle has no meaning as to the boundaries of
the page itself.  To the left of the rectangle is a blank area.  Pressing
the ESC key will reveal the VIEW Menu within this area.  Several options
are presented: (1) Resume; (2) Trace; (3) Go; (4) Digitize; (5) Restart;
and (6) Quit.  These options are chosen by using the up and down arrow
keys to highlight the desired option, and then hitting the RETURN key.
For example, to return back to the Graphics Module Main Menu, highlight
the line containing "Quit" and hit return (alternatively, the user can
hit the "Q" key to highlight the line then hit the RETURN key).
     The option to "Trace" will almost never be used by the user as this
function plots the graph one line at a time.  The option "Go" is used to
plot multiple lines of the graphics file and should not be used that
often by the user.  "Resume" continues the plotting of all lines in the
graphics file.  "Restart" can be chosen by the user to begin drawing the
graph from the beginning - this must be done by also selecting the
"Resume" option after selecting "Restart."

Obtaining Coordinates using the Digitizing Function
     Of these options, the most important is the option to "Digitize,"
already discussed in a previous section.  The digitizing function allows
the user to determine the (X,Y) coordinates needed for: (1) positioning a
title; (2) positioning a legend; (3) determining the spacing needed
between lines (samples) on a graph; (4) determining starting and ending
coordinates for custom lines; and (5) determining the (X,Y) location for
positioning the entire graph on a piece of paper (see section above for
the "Orientation Menu").  To obtain the coordinates for any point on the
graph, highlight the line containing the Digitizing function and hit
RETURN.  A crosshair will appear in the middle of the screen that can be
moved by using the up/down and left/right arrow keys.  The coordinates of
the location of the crosshair are printed in the lower left corner of the
screen, and these should be recorded once the correct position is
obtained for the desired element.  Note that using the "1-9 Zoom/Pan
increment" can increase or decrease the lengths which the crosshair moves
across the screen.  Pressing "1" followed by an arrow key will move the
crosshair a very small amount, while pressing "9" followed by an arrow
key will cause the crosshair to jump a large distance across the screen.
To stop digitizing, hit the ESC key to once again bring up the VIEW Menu.

Panning and Zooming the Graph
     At the bottom of the screen are special instructions that read
"Arrow keys Pan, +Zoom in, -Zoom out, 1-9 Zoom/Pan increment, ESC
exits."  The graph displayed within the rectangle can be moved within the
screen by using the arrow keys ("Arrow keys Pan").  The graph can be
enlarged by pressing the "+" key ("+Zoom in").  Repeatedly pressing the
"+" key will continue to zoom in on the graph.  The exact opposite occurs
by pressing the "-" key ("-Zoom out").  The function to zoom in on the
graph is useful for precisely determining the (X,Y) coordinates of a
particular element the user wishes to position.  The graph should first
be enlarged within the desired section using the "+" key and positioned
correctly within the rectangle using the arrow keys.  The user can then
select "Digitize" from the VIEW Menu.  The last option, "1-9 Zoom/Pan
increment" has already been discussed above, but it also applies to the
zooming rate and panning distance of the graph. Selecting a large number
will cause a large jump to occur during both zooming and panning, while
a small value will have the opposite effect.

PLOTTING A GRAPH TO A HARDCOPY DEVICE

     Once a graph has been completed, the last option is to plot the
graph to a hardcopy output device.  Before doing so, be sure you have
selected the correct output device in the installation process described
above in "Configurating a Hardcopy Device."  Once the hardcopy device is
installed, select "P" from the Graphics Module Main Menu, or strike the
"F10" key.  During the plotting process, the program will first prompt
the user whether to shift the graph on the paper.  Presumably, the user
will have already positioned the graph using the functions available in
the "Orientation Menu" described above.  However, the user can always
answer "Yes" to this option and then answer the prompts requesting how
much to shift the graph in both the "X" and "Y" directions.  Usually, the
user will simply answer "No" to the first question.  However, on some
printers, the user may have to shift the plot by a few tenths of an inch
in either direc- tion.  The program will then prompt the user whether to
scale the graph.  This option may occasionally be useful for reducing the
size of the plot to fit within designated margins for a publication.  The
user should answer each question asking how much to reduce in both the
"X" and "Y" directions.  For example, answering 0.5 to both questions
will reduce the overall graph by 50%.  If a graph is either reduced or
enlarged, the user should also consider how these changes will affect
the placement of the graph on the paper.  A good rule of thumb is to
first plot out the graph (perhaps in draft mode to save ink) and
determine which options (shifting, reduction, or enlargement) would be
adequate for this graph.  If a plotting device (as opposed to a printing
device) has been chosen for the output, the program will also ask whether
or not to change the pen velocity.
     Once all questions have been answered, the program will then create
an "optimized" output file containing the original information in the
graph.  The optimized file has the same first part of the original file
name with the extension ".OPT" (e.g. "PET.OPT"). The optimization process
may take several seconds depending on whether a math coprocessor is
present on the personal computer system, and on how many lines currently
exist in the plot file.  Note that the "OPT" file is a proprietary format
of Golden Software, Inc., and is not a graphics format ready for exchange
or importation.  Once the plot file has been optimized, the program will
then send the information to the installed hardcopy device.  Two actions
by your system should be noted.  First, as information is sent to the
hardcopy device, the PLOT program prints periods on the screen to show
the user that the operation is currently taking place.  Second, depending
on your hardcopy device, it should indicate somewhere that output is
being received (e.g. a blinking light on the front panel of your laser
printer).  If a plotting device has been installed, then the plotter
will plot the information as it is received from the system.  Once all
information has been passed to the hardcopy printing device, the graph
is then printed.
