Here are options (beside MatStrat) that a colleague suggested to me a few months ago.

There is a shareware called sedlog (working via Java on mac I believe) that might correspond to your needs in terms of specialized symbols: http://www.sedlog.com/

You could also use R to produce the column geometry if you do not have access to Matlab or prefer R. You will need to attach the packages  "ggplot2" and "grid" (tip: scale the height of the pdf to scale everything). I haven't tried personally but I have attached files that should be self explanatory if you know R a little.

Cheers

Automated or a drawing software? Adobe Illustrator works good.

Something more automated with presets (like sandstone, limestone etc.)

What do you mean with presets? You mean geologic symbols?

If you use illustrator, there is a swatch library for geologic signatures as used by the USGS.

https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/si-geology/resources/illustrationgraphics-resources/usgs-ai-pack-instructions-and-download-link/

There was a free open source software that drew a column after you gave it a csv file with individual thickness but it required a lot of editing until it looked good. So I switched to illustrator several years ago. I now have a fairly extensive library of sections that I rely on when I have to draw new sections.

In this link you can directly create charts of any portion of the geologic time scale from an extensive suite of global and regional events using JAVA!

https://engineering.purdue.edu/Stratigraphy/tscreator/index/index.php

I Use Ilustrator and the signatures for the USGS. One you have your grain size and depth scale ready, it must be easy to draw your stratigraphic section. Is better that way, looks pretty and you can custumize it.

If you have access to a PC try the demo for RockWare.  It's very helpful and easy to use.  I have often used AutoCAD for this purpose also.

If you have access to Matlab, MatStrat, http://matstrat.princeton.edu/, is a fairly comprehensive solution for plotting stratigraphic information.

Thanks to all of you!

Yes, surely I already tried Adobe illustrator with swatch library for geologic signatures as used by the USGS. But I thought, that there could be something easier and more specialized.

I think that I just should RTFM of illustrator...

If you are dealing with large datasets then I would highly recommend Strater 4 by Golden Software.

Try Rockware (Canvas which can be dowloaded online or logplot which is the best but it has to be bought)

The days I use EZ-Draw. For many years I used Canvas, but it became too expensive and bloated. EZ-Draw is about the levee of Canvas 3.0, which is perfectly adequate for simple technical line drawings and maps.

If you have the mapinfo discover, that's super good for creating stratigraphy columns.

Illustrator is very good too!

Here are options (beside MatStrat) that a colleague suggested to me a few months ago.

There is a shareware called sedlog (working via Java on mac I believe) that might correspond to your needs in terms of specialized symbols: http://www.sedlog.com/

You could also use R to produce the column geometry if you do not have access to Matlab or prefer R. You will need to attach the packages  "ggplot2" and "grid" (tip: scale the height of the pdf to scale everything). I haven't tried personally but I have attached files that should be self explanatory if you know R a little.

Cheers

Mc Draw Pro, is very good and easy. 

Cordially.

Strater - is for Windows 

I'm not familiar with R or Matlab

Mc Draw Pro, Illustrator, EZ-Draw - pretty good software, but as I said before, I need more specialized software.

From all your proposed solutions I think that sedlog is the most corresponding my request!

Thanks again to all of you!

Apologies for not providing a more useful answer, however, one shortcoming to point out for sedlog is that it can feel somewhat limited, depending on your intended use. Specifically, I found it frustrating to use for volcanic stratigraphic sequences, when I'd rather describe grain size as "ash, lapilli, etc." instead of "clay, silt, sand..." I'm not sure what you're using the software for, but I figured it important to note nonetheless.

It does raise the question, though: Does anyone know of some way to circumvent the volcanic stratigraphy shortcoming in sedlog, or of a program that is better suited to volcanic data?

I have actually not used sedlog, it was recommended to me as a potential option, albeit not a very flexible one (as James pointed out). Personally, I opt for creating the building blocks on R or Matlab and editing them in Illustrator (creating supplementary pattern swatches to complete the USGS ones).

Beside editing the sedlog output pdf a posteriori, I do not know what a good tailored option for volcaniclastics would be.

You might also try http://www.lithologs.net/. Maybe it offers the flexibility you need.

If you want a lot of flexibility and a program you can use for more than just strat columns, try OpenOffice - it's free and draw is very similar to illustrator.

If you need it just for a few columns I recommend Inkscape. It can serve you to create a profile from the beginning or to edit a profile that was automatically generated by some software (like the .svg file produced by http://www.lithologs.net/ ). The last is the way I like it more, as you get automatically generated columns with the correct height and then you can add all the structures and other information in Inkscape (and it looks good after some practice).

I think LogPlot software is useful.

I think Grapher and Sigamaplot software is OK.

Try starter 2 if your bed sequences doesn't have any sedimentary structures to display but if they do i recommend that you do it from Ms word and powerpoint.

Sedlog (link attached) is really useful and quick to learn. It works for mac users also.

See here http://www.sedlog.com/

Hello everyone!.

sedlog not work. Is my very recent java version ?

sedlog isn't working here as well. I have a windows 10 laptop and all sedlog does is just popping up for an instance. I don't know what it could be, though.

I would recommend SedLog as well. However, just having changed to Windows10 I have the same problem with sedlog as Jelle. If someone knows how to fix this please share.

Thanks!

I recommend for you "MacDraw Pro". It is a very easy and efficient software to make stratigraphic columns.

Cordially.