PLOTTR Process

Note: This legacy plotting process is no longer supported or developed. It is included here for legacy macro support only. For interactive plot creation and editing functions, with template and automation support, consider the Plots window tools.

To access this process:

Enter "PLOTTR" into the Command Line and press ENTER.
Display the Find Command screen, locate PLOTTR and click Run.

See this process in the Command Table.

Process Overview

Generates a plan projection of the linkages in a wireframe model.

Input Files

Name	Description	I/O Status	Required	Type
WIRETR	Input wireframe triangle file.	Input	Yes	Wireframe Triangle
WIREPT	Input wireframe point file.	Input	Yes	Wireframe Points
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.

Parameters

Name	Description	Required	Default	Range	Values
LINECODE	Line Type to be used to join each point. Line Types: 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
	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, assuming it exists and is a proper plot file (0).	No	0	0,1	0,1
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	Undefined
SYMSIZE	Symbol size in millimetres (5). 0 for no symbol.	No	5	Undefined	Undefined
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

Example

Copy

!PLOTTR &WIREPT(ZON2PT),&WIRETR(ZON2TR),&PROTO(ZON2WPRT), 
 &PLOT(WZON2PLT)

Error and Warning Messages

Message

Description

>>> 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.

>>> ERR 121 <<< ( n) IN PLOTTR

An error has occurred when reading the input point or triangle file, for example, one or more of the essential fields in the file is absent or of the wrong type. Fatal; the process is exited.

>>> 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.