Section 4-5: Setup of the GCG Plotting Environment

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WPI automatically displays graphics on the screen. If you want to recapture graphics, open the "output manager window" and select either the print or display option button. Depending on your site, various devices will be configured.

NOTE: WPI output files can become very large easily. Make sure to have enough disk space or quota if you produce many plots or delete them frequently. WPI deletes files only if selected.

% setplot

If you issue the command 'setplot', you get a menu which allows you to choose from different options. Remember that the GCG package can either display graphics on the screen or print them on a printer. It is usually not possible with the default configuration to do both simultaneously. The typical cycle of commands, therefore, is

 

  
setplot  (-> set output to display device) 
  
program  (-> run program first time and display result) 
  
program  (-> rerun program if you need to optimise output)
  
...      (rerun program, or other programs, as often as you need) 
  
setplot  (-> set output to printer) 
  
program  (-> generate hardcopy output) 
  
setplot  (-> reset output to display device)
  
...
  

  

If the command 'setplot' is not supported at your site, the following graphics drivers will be important. There are more available, ask your program manager for details. The setup is performed by typing one of the following commands:

 

  
regis       for DEC terminals 
  
tektronix   for many kinds of graphics, including terminals and PCs 
  
hpgl        for Hewlet-Packard devices 
  
postscript  for postscript devices
  
xwindows    for X-Windows
  

  

To verify that your environment is setup and working properly, give the command

% plottest

A Make sure that you are close to the printer when you try to print the plot test for the first time. In the worst case, the graphics output is misconfigured and the printer spits out paper like mad. Refer to section "Need to Stop a Print Session" to stop a misguided output.