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\chapter{Step--by--Step Tutorials}
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\tikzset{external/figure name/.add={}{tutorials_}}%

\section{Introduction}
Visualization of data is often necessary and convenient in order to analyze and communicate results of research, theses, or perhaps just results.

\PGFPlots\ is a visualization tool. The motivation for \PGFPlots\ is that you as end--user provide the data and the descriptions as input, and \PGFPlots\ takes care of rest such as choosing suitable scaling factors, scaling to a prescribed target dimension, choosing a good displayed range, assigning tick positions, drawing an axis with descriptions placed at appropriate places.

\PGFPlots\ is a solution for an old problem of visualization in LaTeX: its descriptions use the same fonts as the embedding text, with exactly the same font sizes. Its direct embedding in LaTeX makes the use of LaTeX's powerful math mode as easy as possible: for any kind of axis descriptions up to user--defined annotations. It features document--wide line--styles, color schemes, markers... all that makes up consistency. 

\PGFPlots\ offers high--quality. At the same time, it is an embedded solution: it is largely independent of 3rd party--tools, although it features import functions to benefit from available tools.

Its main goal is: you provide your data and your descriptions -- and \PGFPlots\ runs without more input. If you want, you can customize what you want.

\section{Solving a Real Use--Case: Function Visualization}

\input pgfplots.tutorial1.tex

\section{Solving a Real Use--Case: Scientific Data Analysis}

\input pgfplots.tutorial2.tex

\section{Use--Cases involving Scatter Plots}

\input pgfplots.tutorial3.tex

\section{Solving a Real Use--Case: Functions of Two Variables}

\input pgfplots.tutorial4.tex
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\endinput
