Process Help

PLOTLN - create a line segments plot

 

Process Name

Menu Path

Link to Command Table

PLOTLN

Command line only

Click here

 

Introduction

Generates a line plot file from line segments. A line segment is identified by 4 fields *X1,*Y1 (the line start) and *X2,*Y2 (the line end).

How to use

The line type may be chosen by optional parameter. Currently available are broad or narrow. All points are connected in the order in which they appear in the file by the chosen line type.

 


Files, Fields and Parameters

Input Files

Name

Description

I/O Status

Required

Type

IN

Input data file.

Input

Yes

Undefined

PROTO

Plot prototype file. Must contain the fields X, Y, S1, S2 and CODE (numeric, explicit) and XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE (numeric, implicit).

Input

Yes

Plot Prototype

Output Files

Name

I/O Status

Required

Type

Description

PLOT

Output

Yes

Plot

Output plot file.

Fields

Name

Description

Source

Required

Type

Default

X1

Line segment start X co-ordinate.

IN

Yes

Numeric

Undefined

Y1

Line segment start Y co-ordinate.

IN

Yes

Numeric

Undefined

X2

Line segment end X co-ordinate.

IN

Yes

Numeric

Undefined

Y2

Line segment end Y co-ordinate.

IN

Yes

Numeric

Undefined

Parameters

Name

Description

Required

Default

Range

Values

LINECODE

Line Type to be used to join each point. Default (1). Line Types:

Option

Description

1

Solid line

2

Bold line

3

Dashed line

4

Dotted line

5

Dot-Dash line

No

1

1,5

1,2,3,4,5

SYMBOL

Plotted symbol at each point. Default (92). Point symbol number 91 : Circle (o) 92 : Cross (+) 93 : Cross (x) 94 : Triangle 95 : Box 96 : Diamond 97 : Star ( ) 98 : Pie Segment

No

92

91,98

91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98

SYMSIZE

Symbol size in millimetres (3). Set to 0 for no symbol.

No

3

Undefined

Undefined

 

Colour [as 'pen' number] for plot (1).

No

1

Undefined

Undefined

APPEND

Plot append flag. If set to 1 then the new plot will be appended to the PLOT file, if it exists and is a valid plot file (0).

No

0

0,1

0,1

XMIN

Minimum value of X for plot. None of XMIN, XMAX, YMIN, YMAX, XSCALE, YSCALE need be set if this information is already in the prototype.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

XMAX

Maximum value of X for plot.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

YMIN

Minimum value of Y for plot.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

YMAX

Maximum value of Y for plot.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

XSCALE

X scale in user data units per millimetre.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined

YSCALE

Y scale in user data units per millimetre.

No

Undefined

Undefined

Undefined


Notes

An empty plot file may be generated if the specified fields do not exist, or the line segments do not lie within the plot region.


Example

!PLOTLN   

 &IN(LINESEGS),&PROTO(PLOTPROT),&PLOT(LINESEG.P), @XMIN=5000,@XMAX=10000,@YMIN=3000,@YMAX=8000, *X1(XSTART),*Y1(YSTART),*X2(XEND),*Y2(YEND), @=3


Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

Solution

>>> ERR 411 <<< ( 0) IN TRANDP

The scale has been defined or calculated as zero. Fatal; the process is exited.

 

 

 

 

>>> CANNOT APPEND TO NON-EXISTENT OUTPUT FILE.

>>> A NEW OUTPUT FILE WILL BE CREATED

The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, but the specified plot file does not exist. A new file will be created to contain the new plot being produced.

 

 

 

 

>>> ERROR - CANNOT APPEND TO PLOT FILE AS IT DOES

>>> NOT CONTAIN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS.

>>> THE PLOT FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN.

The @APPEND parameter has been set to 1, the specified plot file exists but is invalid. The existing plot file will be overwritten by the new plot being produced.

 

 

 

 

>>> FATAL ERROR, BAD SCALE/RANGE COMBINATION(S) <<<

>>> XMIN, XMAX = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn

>>> YMIN, YMAX = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn

>>> XSCALE, YSCALE = nnnnnnnnnn.nn nnnnnnnnn.nn

Either insufficient scale information had been entered (at least two of XMIN, XMAX, XSCALE or Y equivalents must be entered either from the prototype of from parameters) or the combination given of XMIN, XMAX, and XSCALE (or their Y equivalents) was impossible. Often caused by entering a null plot prototype and no parameters. Fatal; the process is exited.