Re: Expecting all terminals to be the same [was: Re: x11 point symbols]

[Daniel J S. <dan...@ie...>]

[Forgot to CC: the list on this...]

Daniel J Sebald wrote:
> Hans-Bernhard Br=F6ker wrote:
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>> Daniel J Sebald wrote:
>>
>>> It would be nice to give names to the symbols so that either the name=
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>>> or the number can be used.  For example:
>>>
>>> plot sin(x) with points square
>>> plot sin(x) with points triangle
>>>
>>> instead of
>>>
>>> plot sin(x) with points 4
>>> plot sin(x) with points 8
>>
>>
>>
>> This proposal may seem charming,
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> You aren't riffing off my Lucky Charms humor, are you?  :-)
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>> but neglects the well-considered reasons why gnuplot uses numbered=20
>> point and line types instead of named ones.  The question that this=20
>> fails to answer is: what is a terminal driver supposed to do if I=20
>> request a named point type that it simply doesn't have?  Throw a=20
>> tantrum, commit seppuku, read my mind, or what?
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> Read the user's mind... I'll get working on that patch right now.
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> Well, of course there is that matter to deal with.  There may be more=20
> than one way of addressing this, but ultimately it would mean gracefull=
y=20
> substituting symbols; and in a unique way.  (Don't want to substitute=20
> with a symbol that is used on the plot already.)
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> One method would be for gnuplot to have a fixed name to number mapping=20
> as I showed in my previous email.  Then inside the terminal driver is=20
> another array of translations.  For example to gnuplot the square might=
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> be #4, but the internal table for the terminal driver looks up array=20
> offset 4 and finds that it is supposed to use #6 for its library call. =
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> Something like that.  Then there might be an array for substitutes if=20
> the terminal driver doesn't have the square symbol.  It might issue a=20
> warning (just the first time) "Do not have 'square' symbol, substitutin=
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> with 'Maltese cross'".  I suppose a table of strings would need to be=20
> saved for that... which brings me to the second method.
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> Dan
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Dan Sebald
phone: 608 256 7718
email: daniel DOT sebald AT ieee DOT org
URL: http://webpages DOT charter DOT net/dsebald/