3-D surface and wireframe
Shows how the mean of one scale variable changes over two others as a coloured surface or a wireframe, rotatable. Gridded data keep their own grid; scattered data are averaged in a regular grid.
Menu: Graphs → More charts → 3-D surface / wireframe…
When should I use it?
- Response surfaces from experiments; mapping an outcome over two continuous predictors.
What are the assumptions?
- Three scale variables; enough cases to fill the grid.
How do I run it in StatLab?
- Choose X, Z (horizontal) and the height variable; choose surface or wireframe.
How do I read the output?
| Output | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Surface | Colour shows height (viridis scale); gaps are grid cells without data. |
Worked example
On the practice survey dataset (File → Sample dataset), this command — which the dialog's Paste button also produces — runs the procedure:
PROC vizSurface /x=score /z=age /y=pre /style=surface.
Computed by StatLab's validated procedure code when this page was built. The example only illustrates the steps; choose variables that fit your own research question.
What are common mistakes?
- Treating the averaged grid as a fitted model.