Classic (non-multiple variables) heat maps created with Prism 10.6 or newer and using categorical colors with values in scientific notation appear empty when opening in earlier versions of Prism

The Issue

When files created in Prism version 10.6.0 are opened in earlier versions, some classic (non-multiple variables) heat maps may appear empty. These heat maps utilize categorical color maps with values in scientific notation to specify their color coding. While these graphs may initially display correctly, any modifications made in the 'Format Graph' dialog causes the graph to appear empty.

Why does the issue occur?

This issue occurs because categorical color maps for heat maps in earlier versions of Prism are unable to process numbers represented in scientific notation for their color coding. If values in this format are used to create a heat map graph in Prism 10.6 or newer, these values will be saved to the file. When that file is subsequently opened in a previous version of Prism, the 'Format Graph' dialog is unable to interpret these values and ranges correctly. The result is that these values are replaced by "blank" values, and the graph appears empty.

What can I do?

Currently, the most effective solution is to upgrade to the latest version of Prism (10.6 or newer), which includes improved handling of values in scientific format.

What if I'm unable to update?

A partial workaround is to re-enter all categories using a simple decimal format. Please note that the text field is limited to 13 characters, meaning the maximum number you can enter is 9999999999999 (9.999999999999e+012).