Re: 3 data sets and 1 B/W color table. How?

[Craig Markwardt <craigmnet(at)cow.physics.wisc.edu>]

raouldukey@my-deja.com writes:

> I finished up some nice plots for publication using utilities I
> have found referenced to here (especially Craig Markwardt's
> plotimage routine).  Thanks for everyone's contributions and
> ideas at this NG.  I don't really have an IDL problem, but was
> hoping for some suggestions on how to plot some data images.
> 
> Anyway, I overlayed these 3 data sets as images on top of each
> other using different color tables, and everything looked great.
> However, along comes the evil boss who states they won't pay for
> the expensive publication costs for color images and tells me
> to re-do in black and white.   It is not obvious to me how to do
> this in shades of gray, and was hoping there was some aspect of
> IDL I wasn't aware of (ok...I know there are many areas, but one
> that comes in handy in this case).

Hi Raoul--

As you admit, you are really asking a stylistic question, "how can I
overlay three different data sets in gray scale?" rather than an IDL
question.

Three data sets is especially hard.  Two you can do sometimes, usually
with contours overlayed on an image.  Perhaps with different
decoration, like hatching, you could do two overlays.  This will work
especially if the contoured data is smooth, and not too busy.  

I don't think I have ever succeeded with image-on-image in pure gray
levels.  Maybe if you have three separate b/w plates at the same
scale?  Maybe that would cost more than coolor, and hence convince
your boss? :-)

Good luck,
Craig



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Craig B. Markwardt, Ph.D.         EMAIL:    craigmnet@cow.physics.wisc.edu
Astrophysics, IDL, Finance, Derivatives | Remove "net" for better response
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