fv: New Features

The latest version of fv is version 2.5 released on April 30, 1999. Here is a list of features added since version 2.4 released on November 24, 1998:

fv

• Ported to LinuxPPC (and MkLinux) for Macintosh
• Much greater stability, especially on Windows
• Accepts and opens multiple files from the command line (or drag-n-drop on Windows)
• FTP support added to Windows version
• Window title bars correctly list URL of FTP files (with any password stripped out).
• Internal file-handling rewritten (and File menus redesigned) to make the entire file (not just its individual extensions) an "editable" object. (See next 3 items.)
• All HDU-level modifications (Cut/Paste/Append HDUs) affect a temporary file, not the original. Original file now affected only by the "Save" command.
• Can edit multiple extensions simultaneously. (Previous versions could only operate on one at a time.)
• Revert command added which reloads last-saved version of file. (Compatible with FTP files.)
• New configuration option sets default graph size created in POW
• Can deactivate fv's keyword protection of required keywords
• Tables of 1D images will be displayed vertically instead of horizontally.
• Histogram function will record range and bin information in the output image's header. These will be used to display the correct axes values when plotted.
• When plotting a curve, you can have fv add it to a pre-existing graph, rather than creating a new graph.
• Curves can be created from arithmetic expressions, not merely raw column data. Any expression understood by fv's calculator can be used.
• Calculator engine replaced with one which is faster and more powerful. (See calculator's help file for details.)

POW

• Many new configuration options for graphs, images, and curves added...
• "Edit Graph" dialog box converted to a "tabbed-pane" format with separate panes for options for the Graph, Ticks, Line, Points, and Images.
• Logarithmic axes and tick labels supported.
• Tick marks and/or labels can be turned off on either axis.
• For curves, points and lines can have separate colors. Histogram curves can be drawn as solid boxes instead of outlines.
• Line colors (for curves or grid lines) selected via a 27-element visual color table instead of a list of color names.
• Graphs containing multiple curves will use different colors for each curve.
• Added new "Dot" point shape which can be drawn much faster than the others. This shape is the default for curves with more than 10000 points.
• More than 20 colormaps are available for images.
• Virtually all graph/curve/image options can be saved as the defaults for use in new graphs.
• Default graph options selectable in a window nearly identical to the "Edit Graph" dialog box.
• Most Color menu items change the settings for all the images in the current graph. Use the Edit Graph dialog box to set different options for each image.
• Images with large aspect ratios (eg, 1D images) will be expanded along their narrow axes if they would otherwise be "pencil thin".
• Analysis tools moved to separate Tools menu
• Scope box (reduced overview of current graph) can be made smaller or turned off.

Go to release notes for version 2.4.