How to convert a scanned graph into real data

Have you ever had to pull data from an image of a graph? Maybe a supplier faxed you a 1940s era scan of the variable viscosity of peanut butter. Or, maybe your 401k administrator just sent you a glossy brochure showing historic portfolio performance (yay) and recent changes (boo).

Or, maybe you need to pull data off a chart like this one:

You could get out a ruler and start measuring just like you did in high school. Or, you could download an incredibly useful (and totally free) software tool to do the work for you.

Engauge Digitizer converts any image of a graph into numbers. The image can come from a scanner, digital camera, or screenshot. The tool lets you mark key numeric locations on the image, define the axes, and select the desired points/curves. Then, it magically converts everything into x/y point data that you can bring into Microsoft Excel for re-use.

Enjoy!

  • Jeff

    Thanks for posting this! I regularly use charts from spec. sheets and this is going to save me a TON of time and effort.

    • http://lifeupfront.com Jeff Waters

      Wow, my pleasure! Glad it helped.

  • Jeff Waters

    Hi Jeff, great to hear! Is it enough to win me a Bose noise canceling headset? (Just kidding)

  • Jeff Waters

    Hi Jeff, great to hear! Is it enough to win me a Bose noise canceling headset? (Just kidding)

  • mitesh

    thank you for this, so… much thanks… i cant say in words for this help…. thank you …

  • mitesh

    thank you for this, so… much thanks… i cant say in words for this help…. thank you …

  • Jeff

    Thanks for posting this! I regularly use charts from spec. sheets and this is going to save me a TON of time and effort.

    • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

      Wow, my pleasure! Glad it helped.

  • Anup

    Superb…i was blindly searching for this type of software without positive hope..But for my surprize, I got it!!!!! Thanks a ton…:)

  • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

    Glad it helped, thanks for stopping by!

  • MR3100

    Great tool. Thanks!
    Does anybody know how to convert the output data into uniform intervals?
    I’ve generated coordinates with random intervals but I need data that goes 1,2,3….

  • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

    Good question… I have no idea!
    Please post here if you find an answer.

  • ahmed

    thnx

    • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

      your welcome

  • Aj

    Nifty little software. Saving me a ton of time!

  • http://profiles.google.com/kbjeff Jeff Waters

    Glad you like it, AJ.

  • Sat7

    Thank you very much … It save me a lot of time .
    Thank u from Saudi Arabia :)

  • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

     My pleasure!

  • Mick Stevens56

    OMG, fantastic !!

    • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

      Mick, I believe you are the first person to type “OMG” on my blog! Thanks.

  • Mehrda Hojjati

    tnx dude. does anyone have any idea about getting an excel output out of it?

  • mehrdad

    tnx dude. does anyone have any idea about getting an excel output out of it?

  • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

    I think you just save out a .csv and open that in excel, right?

  • ibp

    This saved me so much time today! This is perfect for extracting data from spec sheets. And yes, you can export it as a .csv and open it an excel.

    • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

      Glad it helped!

  • FlowJoe

    Hi Jeff, I’ve never heard of Engauge Digitizer until today.  I’ve been using the Plot Digitizer program for several years and I think its interface is better.  I wanted to get your thoughts on it.  
    http://www.southalabama.edu/physics/software/plotdigitizer.htm

    • http://lifeupfront.com/ Jeff Waters

      Very cool FlowJoe, thanks!