Update Data in the Graphic Function

QUESTION: I'd like to update the image data in an IDL 8.0 Image or Plot graphic function. What's the correct way to do this?

I've been doing this.

    a = dist(256)    b = -1    im = image(a)
   im = image(b,/OVERPLOT) 

This works, but it feels wrong, and it seems to me I'm just stacking one image on top of the other. I was expecting to be able to do something like this, but this code doesn't seem to work.

    im = image(a)
   im.Data = b 

Am I missing something?

ANSWER: I think you have the right idea here, but you are hampered by incomplete documentation. What you want is the undocumented PutData method, like this.

   im = image(a)   im.PutData, b 

The same PutData method works for plots and other types of IDL 8 graphics, since this method is inherited from the Graphic object class. Note, however, that it only takes (currently) a single variable. As a result, only the absissa changes when passed a single vector.

To change both coordinates (or all three for a 3D plot), you have to pass a single 2xN (or 3xN) variable. For example, consider this plot.

   x = Indgen(100)    y = Indgen(100)    p = Plot(x, y) 

If you wanted to change the dependent data, you can do this.

   p.PutData, y^2 

If you now wanted to change the independent data vector x, and tried this:

    p.PutData, x+100 

You might be surprised to see the Y (or dependent) data axis change!

To change both axes at the same time, you must do this.

   p.PutData, Transpose([[x+100], [y^2]]) 

Version of IDL used to prepare this article: IDL 8.0