Time series graph

The Time series graph displays a line plot of values from a time series variable against time. These variables are typically created using operators that produce a time-based series of values, but they can also be created as raw time series variables (derived directly from data).

Not to be confused with a Line graph: line graphs plot the position of a line (e.g., bottom/altitude) over time, whereas time series graphs plot a value (e.g., Sv mean, heading) over time.

Time series graphs automatically adapt their display to match the type of series being shown:

Linear series appear as standard lines.
Circular series (e.g., heading, pitch, roll) wrap around smoothly; heading retains cardinal N/E/S/W axis labels and may lock to 90° increments, other circular series use data-driven min/max scaling.
Step series display as stepped lines, holding the previous sample's value until the next sample arrives.

Depth-based time series automatically flip the vertical axis so depth increases downward, consistent with echogram displays.

Use the Graph Properties dialog box to set custom labels, axis limits, and grid display options.

Any time series can be displayed either on a time series graph or in a table.

To display a time series graph

In the Dataflow window, right-click the time series variable (virtual or raw).
Click Graph on the shortcut menu.

- OR -

Double-click the time series variable in the Dataflow window.

Notes:

The vertical axis appears on the right-hand side to align with echograms in stacked layouts, improving visual synchronization of time-based data. Matching the echogram legend width with the graph’s axis margin provides optimal alignment.
Time series graphs load measurement data asynchronously in the background. This prevents interface freezes when working with large datasets or recalculating graph results, allowing you to continue navigating and interacting with Echoview while the graph is being generated.
Axis labels display up to five decimal places, improving readability when zooming into small-magnitude ranges. Displayed precision remains consistent with the underlying data-type precision.
The minimum and maximum y-axis fields accept values with up to 8 decimal places, allowing very small-magnitude series (e.g., ABC) to be graphed accurately.
When the series represents ABC (area backscattering coefficient), axis tick labels are automatically shown in scientific notation with three decimal places (e.g., 1.234E-6). Other series use standard decimal formatting.
The graph footer (range display) and tooltip values match the precision of the time series type. This provides consistency with Table views and exports. If a series has no defined precision, values default to six decimal places.

Time series graph

To display a time series graph

See also