Data Structures

Summary

In the first section we will show that graphical objects can be generated in three steps. Then we will develop a hierarchy for the graphical data structures (datapart, windows, displays). In the next section we will give reasons why matrices are no sufficient structure to store statistical data, so we need multidimensional arrays. Then we will discuss their impact on mathematical and statistical operations. The second section will close with a description why we need hierarchical objects. In the third section several forms of linking will be discussed. First we will give examples of linking plots in the thesis, then we will show further examples of linking, i.e. asking data themselves or linked data, the link of events with subroutines and at last the linking between different datasets. The fourth section will describe in short some statistical packages and indicate which features concerning data structures are available in these programs.