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## Managing operators

When an operator is applied to a plot, it modifies the data that the plot uses to generate a visualization. Any number of operators can be applied to a plot. Each operator added to a plot restricts or modifies the data that is supplied to the plot. By using a series of operators, you can create very sophisticated visualizations.

Since operators are applied to plots and the controls for managing plots are in the Main Window's Active plots area, the controls for the operator are found in the same location as the plot controls. The Plot list, which displays the list of plots found in the current visualization window, also displays the operators applied to each plot. Each entry in the Plot list displays the database being plotted, the plot type, the variable, and all operators that are applied to the plot. When an operator is applied to a plot, the name of the operator is inserted in front of the plot variable. If multiple operators are applied to a plot, the most recently added operator appears first when reading left to right while the operator that was applied first appears just to the left of the variable name. Plot list entries can also be expanded to allow you to change the order or operators or remove operators from any place in the pipeline.

Figure 1

In addition to containing controls for managing plots, the Plot list contains controls that manage operators. Operators can be added, removed, and have their attributes set using controls found in the Active Plots area.