Shafiq Ur Rehman

Shafiq Ur Rehman

Computational Physicist and Material Science Engineer

OER/HER Figure Editor

OER/HER Figure Editor

This self-contained Windows application reproduces the four validated manuscript figures, imports new OER/HER data, provides a real-time preview, and creates one-, two-, or four-panel publication layouts. It is designed for users with little or no Python experience.

Easiest method

  1. Double-click Launch_Figure_Editor.bat.
  2. Select one or more datasets on the Data & Layout tab.
  3. Choose Single, Two horizontal, Two vertical, or Four (2x2).
  4. Change appearance on the Appearance tab.
  5. Watch the right-hand preview update automatically.
  6. Click Export current preview.

Every run creates a new timestamped folder under outputs. Previous figure versions and the validated input tables are never overwritten.

One-command method

Double-click regenerate_figures.bat, or run:

.\regenerate_figures.bat

Add a version label if desired:

.\regenerate_figures.bat --tag larger_fonts

Folder structure

  • data/: protected copies of the exact values used in the four figures.
  • imported_data/: safe project copies and normalized records of uploaded data.
  • templates/: beginner-friendly OER and HER CSV templates.
  • settings_default.json: validated publication appearance; keep unchanged.
  • settings_user.json: your current editable appearance settings.
  • figure_definitions.json: fixed titles, pH, carrier potentials, and descriptors.
  • plot_figures.py: simple figure-generation program.
  • figure_gui.py: full two-pane live-preview application.
  • data_importer.py: automatic CSV/TXT/DAT/Excel column and reaction detection.
  • outputs/: a new folder for every generation run.
  • settings_history/: automatic backups of previous settings.
  • .venv/: private Python environment created by setup.

Appearance controls

The editable appearance block is settings_user.json:

  • output: figure dimensions and DPI.
  • fonts: font family and all text sizes.
  • colors: dark, illuminated, annotation, zero-line, and background colors.
  • lines: OER/HER line widths, axes, zero line, and arrow width.
  • markers: marker shape and size.
  • axes: OER and HER y-axis limits.
  • legend: legend location and frame.
  • labels: switches for values, arrows, and descriptor text.

The GUI edits these fields safely and uses the same plotting engine for both the preview and the final files.

Uploading a new data file

Click Upload data file(s). Supported formats are CSV, TSV, TXT, DAT, XLS, and XLSX. The required numeric columns are:

  • Dark_eV
  • Illuminated_eV

Optional columns are State_index, State, Reaction, pH, Material, and Carrier_potential_V. Five data rows are automatically classified as OER and three rows as HER. Excel tables may have title rows above the real header; the importer scans the first 15 rows automatically.

Use the files in templates/ as examples. Uploaded originals are copied into imported_data/; the source file is never edited.

Grouping plots

Use Ctrl+click in the dataset list to select multiple datasets, then select:

  • Single;
  • Two horizontal;
  • Two vertical;
  • Four (2x2).

The configured width and height apply to each panel. A 2x2 layout therefore uses twice the configured width and twice the configured height.

Origin-style detailed editing

Open the Appearance tab and click Detailed Axis / Frame / Grid Settings. The tabbed dialog provides:

  • Scale: x/y ranges, linear/log/symlog type, reverse direction, major and minor ticks.
  • Tick Labels: show/hide and rotation.
  • Title: default OER/HER mathematical axis titles and visibility.
  • Grids: major/minor x/y grids, color, width, and line style.
  • Line and Ticks: open or closed frame, individual frame sides, frame width/color, tick direction, and tick lengths.
  • Reference Lines: arbitrary horizontal or vertical reference positions.
  • Layout: automatic or manual margins and spacing between grouped panels.

For example, change the OER vertical title from Cumulative $\Delta G$ (eV) to $G$ (eV) in the Title tab.

Editing one dataset

Select one dataset and click Edit title, labels & text. This dialog lets you:

  • replace the full plot title;
  • set a panel-specific x-axis or y-axis title;
  • edit each reaction-state label;
  • hide any individual dark or illuminated numeric label;
  • add, update, position, rotate, recolor, or delete arbitrary text objects;
  • update the displayed pH and carrier potential.

Custom text can use axes coordinates (0 to 1, convenient for fixed page placement) or data coordinates (convenient for labeling a scientific point). Mathematical text uses Matplotlib syntax such as $G$ (eV), $\Delta G$ (eV), or H$_2$O.

Mathematical symbol and equation palette

You do not need to remember MathText commands. In the detailed Title tab or the dataset Titles and States / Custom Text tabs, click Symbols… or Open symbol/equation palette. You can also right-click a mathematical text field and choose Insert mathematical symbol.

The Symbol Map follows the familiar Origin-style workflow. It displays the actual glyphs in a character grid, includes a large selected-symbol preview, and reports the Unicode code and official symbol name. Single-click selects a symbol; double-click inserts it. The Go to box accepts a hexadecimal Unicode code such as 0394 for Δ. The font menu offers Cambria Math, Segoe UI Symbol, Arial, and DejaVu Sans.

The searchable and category-filtered map includes:

  • Greek letters such as Delta, eta, mu, alpha, beta, theta, and Omega;
  • operators such as plus/minus, approximately, arrows, equilibrium, and degree;
  • fractions, subscripts, and superscripts;
  • thermodynamic expressions such as Delta G, Delta G(H*), eta(OER), eta(HER), Uh, Ue, and URHE;
  • OER/HER species including H2O, OH, O, OOH, O2, H, H+, and electrons;
  • common electrochemical units.

By default, Insert places the real Unicode character at the current cursor position. Enable Use Matplotlib MathText notation when you want a publication-formatted expression such as $\Delta G_{H^*}$ instead. The Close dialog on Insert option may be cleared when inserting several symbols. The same dataset dialog also permits custom dark/illuminated legend labels, custom limiting-step text, custom descriptor text, and complete legend hiding from the Appearance tab.

Publication outputs

Each figure is exported as:

  • editable SVG;
  • editable-text PDF;
  • PNG at the selected DPI (minimum 600);
  • LZW-compressed TIFF at the selected DPI.

Scientific-data safety

The built-in .dat files are read-only. Uploaded originals are copied before use. Every export creates a new timestamped folder, saves the exact settings and dataset manifest beside the figure, and never overwrites earlier outputs.