Re: 'set size ratio' plot

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

Hans-Bernhard Br=F6ker wrote:
> jun...@so... wrote:
>=20
>> The ratio-corrected box is seemed be centerd on the page.
>> This change looks good for ploting just one graph, but it becomses
>> practically impossible to put some ratio-corrected graphs on the=20
>> positions
>> which I want.=20
>=20
>=20
> That's at least 50% practically impossible anyway --- a graph with 'set=
=20
> size ratio' turned on changes shape outside the control of 'set size'.
> That's how that whole feature works.  Even after you fixated its
> bottom left corner, its top right one can be anywhere.  I don't see how=
=20
> changing half the problem is of any help.  It would be just as easy to
> adjust the main 'size' parameters manually, such that the difference=20
> between left-justified and centered position of the actual graph area=20
> becomes negligible.
>=20
>  > Thus, I made some patches to controll this centering behavior
>=20
>> by using the sign of the ysize.
>=20
>=20
> I find that unacceptably obfuscated.  This is basically a change to
> the origin and/or margin settings, not to the size of the graph.  It ha=
s=20
> no business being controlled as part of 'set size' at all --- even less=
=20
> so being hidden in the sign of a must-be-positive parameter.

The two of us seem to agree on negative parameters.  Even the existing sy=
ntax:

 Syntax:
       set size {{no}square | ratio <r> | noratio} {<xscale>,<yscale>}
       show size

...

 The meaning of a negative value for <r> is different.  If <r>=3D-1, gnup=
lot
 tries to set the scales so that the unit has the same length on both the=
 x
 and y axes (suitable for geographical data, for instance).  If <r>=3D-2,=
 the
 unit on y has twice the length of the unit on x, and so on.

seems a bit obfuscating, and probably why Jun thought to use negative num=
bers for the scale.  Even square/nosquare/ratio/noratio isn't the most ob=
vious thing.  There is an implication that square and ratio are active at=
 the same time.  Is that the case.

What I mean is that if there is a "no" associated with a parameter, it is=
 implied in a sense that said parameter is independent from other paramet=
er, i.e., it can be turned on and off.  If there is a "nosquare" and a "n=
oratio", does that mean than can both be on at the same time?  Or is "nos=
quare" and alias for "noratio".

Maybe a syntax like:

       set size {auto | square | ratio {plot|unit} <r>} {<xscale>,<yscale=
>}

or something similar would be more appropriate.

Dan