Process Help

PDRIVE - create a system plot file and optionally send it to the plotter

 

Process Name

Menu Path

Link to Command Table
PDRIVE Command line only Click here

 

Introduction

Sends a plot file to the plotter. This process is machine specific, and details will vary from installation to installation.

How to use

Plots may either be plotted at true size, by specifying absent data (-) to the @SCALE parameter, or they may be re-scaled by specifying the required factor.

Files, Fields and Parameters

Input Files

Name

Description

I/O Status

Required

Type

IN

Plot file. Must contain the fields X, Y, S1, S2 and CODE (numeric, explicit) and XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE, XORIG, YORIG, XRT, YTP, XPICRT, YPICTP, CHARSIZE and ASPRATIO (numeric, implicit).

Input

Yes

Plot

PENFILE

Colour number to plotter pen mapping file. Must contain the fields and PEN. During plotting, the field in the plotfile will be translated into the PEN number in the PENFILE. The field may also contain the code 1126-1140 and will cause any fill codes in the plotfile to be plotted by the PEN number in the PENFILE.

Input

No

Plotter Pen File

FILTER

Filter file to replace data values in the plot file, such as , with values more appropriate for the plotter. Expects fields FIELD, TEST, IN and OUT.

Input

No

Plotter Filter

Output Files

Name

I/O Status

Required

Type

Description

Parameters

Name

Description

Required

Default

Range

Values

PLOTTYPE

Type code for plotter. Select from the following list of plotters.

Option

Description

1.

HCBS text file output

10. HP centre origin

7585,Draftmaster etc.

15. HP corner origin

7475,7550 etc

16.

HP Designjet 650C

20.

DMP 52,56,58 30. CalComp with 906 controller

31.

CalComp with 907 controller

60. Oce,Schlumberger,Benson

VDF Format

Yes

Undefined

1,60

1,10,15,16,20,31,60

SPOOL

The plotfile may automatically be sent to the plotter once the plot file is generated. Spooled plotting is normally done in background mode.

Option

Description

0

To not spool the plot file.

1

To spool the plot file to the plotter.

2

To spool the plot file to the plotter, and then delete the plot file. This assumes the plot file spooler you are using makes a copy of the plot file (1).

Yes

1

0,2

0,1,2

DFLTFILE

Used to determine how the name of the plot file is generated.

Option

Description

0

Force a prompt for a system filename.

1

Force the use the default filename.

2

Prompt for a system file if SPOOL is equal to 0 or 1, but to use the default system file if SPOOL

No

2

0,2

0,1,2

NUM.PENS

The number of pens to be used. If a field is in the plot file, then the number will be used as the required pen, unless this number exceeds NUM.PENS , when pen 1 will be used. The default is (64).

No

64

Undefined

Undefined

HATCHWID

This defines the method of plotting the fill codes [1126-1140]. If this value is absent then different cross hatching styles will be generated using the first available pen. If a value is specified then it will be used as the spacing between horizontal hatch lines. To get a solid fill, specify a hatch width equal to the size of the pen.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

SQUEEZE

Reduce the size of fill codes [1126-] by this amount. Useful for avoiding the overlapping of the edges of fill codes during plotting. If a fill code is squeezed out completely on any axis, it will not be plotted.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

ANGLE

Rotate the plot by a given number of degrees. The default is (0) degrees. This is a replacement for the ROTATE parameter used on older versions of PDRIVE.

No

0

0,360

Undefined

SCALE

The scale factor. E.g. enter 1000 for a scale of 1:1000. Note that user data units of metres are assumed; if metres are not the unit, then the scale must be multiplied by factor f, where f=no. of metres in 1 user data unit [e.g. 0.3048 for feet]. If - [absent data] is entered, then the plot will be the true size [as defined in the prototype].

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

FACTOR

A scaling factor used to change the size of the plot by multiplying the values in the plot file by this value. The default value is (1).

No

1

Undefined

Undefined

XOFFSET

The X offset [along the paper] from the paper origin [mm] at which this plot will start (0).

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

YOFFSET

The Y offset [along the paper] from the paper origin [mm] at which this plot will start (0).

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

PXEND

The X offset from the current plot at which the pen will be left when the plot completes, and the origin for the next plot established here if the plotter supports new origins. The default is (0).

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

PYEND

The Y offset from the current plot at which the pen will be left when the plot completes, and the origin for the next plot established here if the plotter supports new origins. The default is (0).

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

PENDMODE

Determines the corner on the plot the PXEND and PYEND offsets from.

Option

Description

0

for bottom left [0,0],

1

for bottom right [XPICRT,0],

2

for top left [0,YPICTP]

3

for top right [XPICRT,YPICTP]. The default is the bottom left corner (0).

No

0

0,3

0,1,2,3

RASTER

Determines whether a pen or a raster (HPGL2 capable) plotter is used. Use for any HPGL2 capable plotter. HPGL2 polygon plotting features are used for plot codes 1126-1189,2000/2001,3000-3155. Suppresses sorting of plot by colour. For pen plotters, PDRIVE plots the various colours in numerical order to save time. The default is pen plotter (0)

Option

Description

0

plotter is a pen type.

1

plotter is a raster or inkjet type. Only for PLOTTYPE =10-19.

No

0

0,1

0,1

FILLOPT

 

Option

Description

1

No polygon filling will take place.

2

Polygon filling will use fill types defined in the plot file for each polygon.

3

Polygon filling will use fill types defined in the pen file for polygons with matching colours in the plot file. Only for RASTER =1 (1)

No

1

1,3

1,2,3

TRMODE

 

Option

Description

1

White polygon fill is transparent.

0

White polygon fill is opaque. Only for RASTER =1 (1)

No

1

0,1

0,1

EMPTYCOL

 

Option

Description

0

All polygons will be filled using the colour in the plotfile. >0: Polygons of this colour will be treated as empty [i.e. as if they had =0] Only for RASTER =1 (0)

>0

Polygons of this colour will be treated as empty [i.e. as if they had =0] Only for RASTER =1 (0)

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

EDGEOPT

 

Option

Description

0

No polygon edging will take place.

1

Edge polygons using colour from plot file or EDGECOL

2

Force edging of empty polygons, using either EDGECOL or 1

3

Force edging of all polygons without edging, using either EDGECOL or 1

4

Force edging of all polygons using either EDGECOL or 1 Only for RASTER =1 (1)

No

1

0,4

0,1,2,3,4

EDGECOL

Default colour for polygon edging [see EDGEOPT ] Only for RASTER =1 (0)

No

0

Undefined

Undefined

CHARBGR

Default colour for text background.

Option

Description

0

Opaque white background for text.

>0

Coloured background for text.

Undefined

No background for text. Only for RASTER =1

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

SYMBGR

Default colour for symbol background.

Option

Description

0

Opaque white background for symbols.

>0:

Coloured background for symbols.

Undefined

No background for symbols. Only for RASTER =1

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

FITPAPER

Fit to paper.

Option

Description

0

Plot at nominated scale.

1

Fit onto paper - preserve relative sheet dimensions.

2

Fit onto paper - adjust scales in X and Y independently. Only for PLOTTYPE =10-19 (0)

No

0

0,2

0,1,2

SHADEPCT

The percentage shading required for solid-filled polygons Only for PLOTTYPE =10-19 (0)

No

100.0

1,100.0

Undefined

Notes

  1. The process sorts the plot file on , CODE, X and Y prior to plotting. Where plots are a combination of color shading and text, it is       preferable to plot the text last. In this case, for example color 1 for text plotting could be re-defined as pen 8 using the a penfile (&PENFILE).

  2. Retrieval criteria can be used to plot particular colors separately if required. 

  3. If using a filter file the following message is displayed:

>>> RECORD FILTER FILE IS IN USE <<<

and if valid filters are established:

>>> VALID FILTERS ESTABLISHED ARE AS FOLLOWS:
IF ffffffff tttt nnnnn.nn THEN RESET TO nnnnn.nn

  1. The operation of each specific plotter is controlled by Datamine environment variables. Please refer to the appendix on environment variables for more details.

  2. An example of a valid filter file is:

============================================================
FILENAME PDFILT TEMPXDIR

Filter file for HP plotter.
---------------------------------------------------------
FILE CONTAINS 4 RECORDS EACH OF LENGTH 5
----------------------------------------------------------
FIELD TYPE WORD.NO STORED START DEFAULT
-----------------------------------------------------------
FIELD A 1 Y 1 
FIELD A 2 Y 2 
TEST A 1 Y 3 
IN N 1 Y 4 0.0 
OUT N 1 Y 5 0.0 
================================================================================================================
FIELD TEST IN OUT 
=====================================================
EQ 9.0 1.0 
EQ 10.0 2.0 
EQ 11.0 3.0 
GE 12.0 4.0 

In this case, all records in the plot file with the field value equal to 9 are reset temporarily to have a field value of 1 prior to plotting, records with the field value equal to 10 are reset to have a field value of 2 and so on.

  1. An example of a valid penfile is:

==============================================================
FILENAME PENFILE demo1dir

Pen file for HP plotter
--------------------------------------------------------------
FILE CONTAINS 2 RECORDS EACH OF LENGTH 2
--------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD TYPE WORD.NO STORED START DEFAULT
--------------------------------------------------------------
N 1 Y 1 0.0 
PEN N 1 Y 2 0.0 

==============================================================

============================
PEN 
============================
1.0 8.0 
1128.0 7.0

In this case, all records in the plot file with the field value equal to 1 will be plotted by the pen number 8, and records with the CODE field value equal to 1128 will be plotted by the pen number 7. 8.

Example

!PDRIVE

     &IN(PLOTFILE),@NUM.PENS=1,@SCALE= -

Will plot file plotfile at its true size (no re-scaling) with 1 pen only. This means that pen 1 will be used continuously, even if the field exists.

Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

Solution

>>> NOT A VALID PLOTTER TYPE <<<

An illegal value of the @PLOTTYPE parameter has been entered. Fatal; the process is exited.

 

 

 

 

>>> NOT A VALID PLOT FILE <<<

The file associated with &IN is not a valid plot file. Fatal; the process is exited.

 

 

 

 

>>> NOT A VALID FILTER FILE <<<

The filter file does not contain one or more of the required fields FIELD, TEST, IN, OUT. The FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> FIELD ffffffff MUST BE OF TYPE ALPHANUMERIC <<<

The required fields FIELD and TEST must be alphanumeric. The FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> FIELD ffffffff MUST BE OF TYPE NUMERIC <<<

The required fields IN and OUT must be numeric. The FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> FIELD ffffffff IS NOT VALID

Filter field ffffffff is not present in the plot file. The particular record in the FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> TEST tttt IS NOT VALID

The values of the test field must be one of EQ, NE, LE, LT, GE, GT. The particular record in the FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> NO VALID FILTERS IN FILTER FILE <<<

No valid filters have been established. The FILTER file is ignored.

 

 

 

 

>>> THE NUMBER OF FILTERS ESTABLISHED HAS REACHED THE MAXIMUM PERMISSABLE (64) <<<

A maximum of 64 filters is allowed, all others are ignored.