I invite anyone interested to download and try this new Root Locus application:
It's a free download. The ZIP file size is 939K. Comments are welcome.
The ZIP file also contains a 48-page User's Guide in PDF format. This guide explains the basics of the root locus method and the ways the program, RootLocus, can be applied. It includes several plotting examples that demonstrate both the features of a root locus plot and the features of RootLocus. The maximum numerator and denominator order is 20.
Please take at least a brief look at the User's Guide before running the program.
RootLocus computes and plots the root locus for an open-loop transfer function that you provide. It uses a scrollbar to conveniently vary the loop gain so that you can watch the poles as they move along the locus. The values of the zeros, open-loop poles, the selected gain, and the values of the closed-loop poles at the selected gain are listed in a separate panel.
You can zoom in on interesting areas of your root locus to see finer details.
Under certain conditions, RootLocus will compute the damping factor.
You can easily copy the plot to the Windows Clipboard by clicking a button. Simply paste the image into your applications for reports, presentations, etc. You can also easily copy and paste the tabular information that's contained in a separate panel.
Because I had a recent need for a root locus plotting routine, I revised and updated one that I had written back in the DOS days. The new, improved version is a 32-bit Windows application for use on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.