Overview

pro Fit is an interactive tool for the investigation, analysis, and representation of functions and data. Originally designed as a general-purpose curve-fitting program (hence the name "pro Fit"), this program has evolved over the years into an extremely powerful package for data analysis and data visualization. Data is entered using a standard spreadsheet window or imported using different file formats. There are extensive options for plotting data or functions as scatter plots, bar charts, histograms, or 3-D graphs using simple dialog boxes. The resulting graphs are quite handsome and can be easily modified by simply clicking on any graph element. Data can be fitted to a variety of different predefined functions using different algorithms, such as Monte Carlo or Levenberg-Marquardt. User-defined functions for data-fitting or analysis can be written using a built-in, interactive Pascal compiler. This compiler can also control or modify virtually any aspect of pro Fit, allowing the creation of custom data-analysis packages. pro Fit also supports the linking of externally compiled code modules, such as those generated by C⁺⁺ compilers. Alternately, pro Fit can record and play back user actions and can be controlled by AppleScript. Pro Fit's combination of power, ease of use, and depth of features is quite remarkable and makes it the best general-purpose data visualization and analysis tool available for the Macintosh - and for less than $100!

How Long Did It Take to Learn to Use It Productively?

For plotting simple data sets, the program can be used almost immediately. Using the function-fitting aspects of the program takes somewhat longer to master. For users with some experience with programming, it should take less than a day to become productive. Novice programmers could take somewhat longer (up to a week). This is a very deep program. Learning all of the features of the program could take months or years.

Product Quality

Customizability

Excellent. One can create custom programs and functions as well as symbols, arrows, and lines, and add them to the menus. Templates for graphs can be created and saved. The program supports custom dialog boxes and interfaces, making it possible to create an entirely different user interface.

Ability to Program in Scripts, Add Extension Modules, etc.

Excellent. pro Fit includes a Pascal compiler with a built-in debugger. It also provides full support for AppleScript. Actions within pro Fit can be automatically recorded as a series of Pascal commands, which can be added to the program menus or added to preexisting Pascal code. Externally compiled code modules can be created using any standard programming system, such as C⁺⁺ in CodeWarrior. Modules can be automatically added to the program menus simply by placing them into the module folder. For example, the program includes a pie chart module that can be used to create pie charts from within pro Fit.

Ability to Import and Export in Different File Formats

Excellent. It supports a variety of different standard text file formats and can directly import data generated by Igor, KaleidaGraph, and other programs. It supports drag and drop of data from Microsoft Excel. With respect to graphs, there is support for PostScript, PICT format, and high-resolution bitmaps. Export of drawings can be accomplished with copy and paste, drag and drop, publish and subscribe, and by creation of EPS, GIF, or JPEG files.

Useful or Unusual Features

pro Fit appears to be a labor of love for its developers, as evidenced by the dozens of nice design touches. For example, it includes editors for arrows, symbols, and lines that are extraordinarily powerful and allow you to design virtually hundreds of different graphical elements that can be permanently added to the menus for easy selection. There is a wonderful, interactive "curve fitting" feature in the preview window. You can actually "grab" the plotted function and move and stretch it to create an initial parameter "guess." This feature alone is worth the price of this package, since you can use it to understand how different parameter values affect the shape and placement of function curves. Selecting the Plot Data command brings up a dialog for selecting x-axis, y-axis, graph type, and symbols, or generating a plot in the default format. Clicking on any graph element brings up an appropriate dialog for changing its appearance. pro Fit includes a 3-D plotting package based on OpenGL (Mac OS-based graphics functions) that can be used to produce 3-D models of data and functions. The 3-D model can be interactively turned around and edited and the result stored into a pro Fit drawing window.

Everything in this program can be customized to the user's taste. The program actually "learns" a user's preferences. If you select symbols in a certain order, it remembers the order and offers them as the default. Virtually everything can be accessed by clicking and dragging. The number of unique and innovative features of this program are simply too numerous to list. pro Fit is a showcase for Macintosh-specific technologies. This is one of the few scientific programs that is actually fun to use.

Limitations

To get the most benefit out of this program, you must learn some Pascal. There is no simple way to type in an equation to compare to your data. Statistical analysis options are somewhat limited and data transformation operations are limited to being done on a column-by-column basis unless you write a custom program.

Comparisons with Similar Software

pro Fit is easily the most powerful general-purpose data analysis and visualization tool available for the Macintosh. It is far easier to use than Igor and has a much larger range of capabilities than KaleidaGraph. With the exception of statistical analysis, the range of possible analyses is almost unlimited. It produces extremely handsome graphs that can be published without editing. It does require an understanding of programming concepts, but the payoff is considerable. I have been able to reduce a large data-analysis spreadsheet in Excel to a 10-line program in pro Fit. Every new version of pro Fit seems to add to the feature set without making the program more difficult to use.

Technical Support and Documentation

Documentation for pro Fit is outstanding. Without a doubt, pro Fit has the most comprehensive and exhaustive documentation of any scientific program on either the Mac or PC. The only limitation is that it is all online. First, the program comes with a very well-written manual in PDF format that is over 300 pages in length. The first 200 pages consist of a tutorial and an explanation of all of the features of the program. The last 100 pages are a programming reference, a description of file and number types, and an AppleScript cross-reference. While running the program, most windows and dialogs are linked to the Apple Guide, which provides a step-by-step, interactive walk-through for using window-specific features. The programming window provides a complete, interactive user guide, a set of templates, and a list of predefined functions, constants, and procedures. These are all available from a pop-up menu and keyed to balloon help to provide explanations for each function or keyword. You can write a program almost entirely by clicking on the large set of available templates, and it is actually a great way to learn computer programming. pro Fit also comes with dozens of well-annotated programming examples, logically organized into subjects. Help is also available by email and through a discussion group that provides helpful advice for new users.

Target Users

For any scientist interested in quantitative data analysis, this is an excellent package. It is particularly valuable for nonlinear curve fitting of binding data or enzyme analyses. It can also be used as a front end for computer simulations.