ENVI Classic Tutorial: Plot

Functions
Introduction to Plot Functions
Files Used in this Tutorial
Plot Functions
Create a Plot Function
Add the Plot Function to the Menu
Set up ENVI Classic to Run the Plot Function
Open a Spectral Library and Plot Spectra

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Introduction to Plot Functions

This tutorial describes how to implement an ENVI Classic plot function, which is a user-defined
function that you can add to and call from the Plot_Function menu of any ENVI Classic plot window.
This tutorial assumes that you are familiar with the Interactive Data Language (IDL) and that you
understand how to write functions and procedures in IDL. ENVI Classic+IDL is required for this
tutorial.

Files Used in this Tutorial

Download data files from the Exelis website.
File
pf_1st_derivative.pro
pf_2nd_derivative.pro
useradd.txt
usgs_min.sli (.hdr)

Description
Plot function to take the first derivative of a spectrum
Plot function to take the second derivative of a spectrum
Modified (replacement) version of useradd.txt, which resides in
the menu directory of your ENVI Classic installation
USGS mineral spectral library

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of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Plot Functions
Plot functions are a special class of ENVI Classic user functions that modify data in an ENVI Classic
plot window, such as a Z Profile window. For example, ENVI Classics built-in plot functions (which
are listed in the Plot_Function menu in any plot window) include items such as Binary Encoding and
Continuum Removal. Define user plot functions by adding a new line to the useradd.txt file that
resides in your ENVI Classic menu directory. However, while ordinary user functions are automatically
called by XMANAGER and receive the event structure variable as a positional parameter, plot
functions are automatically called by ENVI Classic and receive several variables (as both parameters
and keywords) that are related to the data in the plot window.
When you call a user plot function, normal plot data (all the spectra in the plot window) are passed to the
user plot function. The plot function is applied to the data, and the resulting data are returned to the plot
window where they are displayed. The user plot function is applied to every spectrum placed in that
window until a different plot function is selected.
All user plot functions must have the following function definition statement:

Where:
X_DATA: Data values for the x-axis
Y_DATA: Data values for the y-axis
BBL: Vector whose values identify the band positions of the bad bands in the Z Profile data. For
example, if the Z Profile contained 224 bands, but bands 3, 4, and 5 were in marked as bad bands
in the ENVI header file, then BBL would be set to [2,3,4]. This applies only to Z Profile windows
and will be undefined for all other plot windows.
BBL_ARRAY: Vector of ones and zeros with as many elements as x-axis data points. A value of
1 indicates that the corresponding y-axis value is good, and a value of 0 means it is bad (i.e., for Z
Profiles, a value of 0 means the band is in the bad bands list).
L_POS: Indicates the index into the X_DATA array where the x-axis plot begins. If the plot
window is not zoomed-in, then L_POS is 0.
R_POS: Indicates the index into the X_DATA array where the x-axis plot ends. If the plot
window is not zoomed-in, then the value of R_POS is n_elements(X_DATA)-1.
_EXTRA: Keyword variable that must be present to receive extra variables that ENVI Classic
may need to pass into the plot function. If the plot function is defined without this keyword, then
you will likely receive errors when trying to use it in ENVI Classic.

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2014 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is not subject to the controls
of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Create a Plot Function

1. Start ENVI Classic+IDL.
2. From the IDL menu bar, select File > Open. The Open File dialog appears.
3. Select pf_1st_derivative.pro. The following code appears in the IDL Editor:

This function accepts x and y data and a list of bad bands. Excluding the bad bands, the function
takes the first derivative of the y value and returns it to the plot window.
4. Follow Steps 2-3 to open the file pf_2nd_derivative.pro. When you understand how
these functions work, close the files.

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of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Add the Plot Function to the Menu

To add a new button to a plot windows Plot_Function menu, add a new line to useradd.txt in the
menu directory of your ENVI Classic installation. For this tutorial, you will copy a previously edited
version of useradd.txt to your menu directory. The following steps outline this process.
1. From the IDL menu bar, select File > Open. A file selection dialog appears.
2. Select useradd.txt. Click Open. This file contains the following code. Note the fourth and
fifth lines:

Using the fourth field above as an example, the format is as follows:

{plot}: Tag that indicates the following definition is a plot function (since useradd.txt can
contain several different types of routines)
{1st Derivative}: Menu button name for the Plot_Function menu. Note that 1st Derivative
will be placed immediately after the Binary Encoding menu option.
{pf_1st_derivative}: Name of the user plot function
{type=0}: Type of plot function updates. Set {type=0} to call the plot function only when
new data are available. Set {type=1} to call the plot function when new data are available or
the plot is zoomed.
you are satisfied that you understand the user function format, exit ENVI Classic+IDL.

3. Copy and paste useradd.txt to the menu directory of your ENVI Classic installation,
overwriting the existing file. On a Windows platform, this directory is in the following location
(where xx indicates the software version):
C:\Program Files\Exelis\ENVIxx\classic\menu

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2014 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is not subject to the controls
of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Set up ENVI Classic to Run the Plot Function

1. ENVI Classic requires that IDL functions reside in the save_add directory of your ENVI
Classic installation. Copy Data\programming\pf*.pro to the following directory
(assuming a Windows platform):
C:\Program Files\Exelis\ENVIxx\classic\save_add

2. Restart ENVI Classic+IDL. ENVI Classic looks in the save_add directory for new functions
and automatically loads them when it starts.

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2014 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is not subject to the controls
of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Open a Spectral Library and Plot Spectra

1. From the ENVI Classic main menu bar, select Spectral > Spectral Libraries > Spectral
Library Viewer. A Spectral Library Input File dialog appears.
2. Click Open and select Spectral Library. A file selection dialog appears.
3. Select usgs_min.sli. Click Open.
4. Click OK in the Spectral Library Input File dialog. The Spectral Library Viewer dialog appears.
5. Select one or more spectra; the corresponding spectral profiles appear in a Spectral Library Plots
window.
6. From the Spectral Library Plots window menu bar, select Plot_Function > 1st Derivative. ENVI
Classic calculates the first derivative spectra of all plots and displays the results in the Spectral
Library Plots window.

7. From the Spectral Library Plots window menu bar, select Plot_Function > 2nd Derivative.
ENVI Classic calculates the second derivative spectra of all plots and displays the results in the
Spectral Library Plots window.
8. From the Spectral Library Plots window menu bar, select Plot_Function > Normal to return to
the standard reflectance spectrum.
9. When you are finished, select File > Exit from the ENVI Classic main menu bar.

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2014 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is not subject to the controls
of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.

Copyright Notice:
ENVI Classic is a registered trademark of Exelis Inc.
QUAC and FLAASH are registered trademarks of Spectral Sciences, Inc.

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2014 Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is not subject to the controls
of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). However,
this information may be restricted from transfer to various embargoed countries under U.S. laws and regulations.