Menus

  1. Plot Options:  Show Circular Convolution **
  2. Plot Options:  Tutorial Mode
  3. Plot Options:  Conserve Space
  4. Plot Options:  Grid On
  5. Plot Options:  Reset Axes
  6. Plot Options:  Set Line Width
  7. Plot Options:  Close *
  8. Signal:  Get x[n] | h[n] *
  9. Signal:  Flip x[n] | h[n] *
  10. Help

*   These menu items are only available when in Conserve Space mode
**  Currently under development and included for testing purposes only.

  Plot Options:   Show Circular Convolution

This feature is still in development and has been included for testing purposes only.  Any feedback about this feature is welcome and encouraged.  This menu item is for advanced students who want to learn about circular convolution.  By selecting this option, the MATLAB convolution tool will be put into Circular Convolution mode.  In this mode there are four axes.  The new axis displays the circular convolution results.  The user can adjust the circular convolution length by dragging the capital N text and arrow around.  The linear convolution axis still shows the full linear convolution, but also displays points which get aliased in red.

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  Plot Options:   Tutorial Mode

This menu puts the MATLAB convolution tool into Tutorial Mode.  Unchecking the menu item returns the window to its normal mode.  In Tutorial Mode, the Output plot is hidden from view and replaced by a Get Output button.   Clicking the button unhides the Output Plot and the convolution result is shown.  When the Output Plot is shown, clicking inside the plot area will replace the plot with the Get Ouput button again.  If new signals are picked, the Output plot will be hidden from view automatically.

This feature was implemented so students could try to guess the result before actually seeing it.  A lecturer using the tool as a lecture aid might want to use this feature to hide the convolution result while teaching students how to calculate it.

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  Plot Options:   Conserve Space

This menu item maximizes the use of the screen by removing the formula text box from the window, converting the command buttons into menu items, and stretching the 3 main plots so that they fill the entire window.  Unchecking the menu item returns the window to its normal mode.  This feature was implemented as a lecture aid to both de-clutter the screen and to maximize the screen usage which is important when projecting the image of the computer screen in a classroom environment.

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  Plot Options:   Grid On

This menu item will toggle the display of a grid.

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  Plot Options:   Reset Axes

This menu item allows you to bring the index back to its default position of n   = -5.  You probably will not need to do this unless the signals are dragged outside the plot box where, admittedly, the program animation is not as smooth.

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  Plot Options:   Set Line Width

This menu item allows you to interactively change the default line width used in all the plots.  This feature was implemented as a lecture aid since thin lines are sometimes hard to see from the back of a room when projecting an image of a computer screen.

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  Plot Options:   Close

When in Conserve Space mode, this menu item allow you to exit the MATLAB convolution tool since the button usually used for this purpose is no longer in the main window.

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  Signal:   Get x[n] | h[n]

When in Conserve Space mode, these menu items allow you to pick new signals for x[n] and h[n] since the buttons that are usually used for this purpose are no longer in the main window.

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  Signal:   Flip x[n] | h[n]

When in Conserve Space mode,  these menu items allow you to change which signal is being flipped since the radio buttons usually used for this purpose are no longer in the main window.  Note that only one of these menu items will appear depending on the current signal being flipped

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  Help

This menu item tries to launch the host computer's internet browser and to load the index.html page found in the help directory.  If an error occurs you can manually load the page into your browser or navigate to http://www.ece.gatech.edu/users/jr/convolution/help/index.html where another copy of the help pages are found.  (Of course, you probably know this or else you could not be reading this!)

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