Re: [Gnuplot-bugs] Need full using spec for x time data

[<HBB...@t-...>]

pl...@pi... wrote:

> gnuplot> plot "spew.data"
>                           ^
>           Need full using spec for x time data

> Why is it insisting on a full spec for x time data in the plot command  
> when xdata, timefmt and xrange are already set?

Because time data can break the usual assumption that every 
whitespace-separated column of the input file corresponds to one data 
column: time data can contain blanks.  Without this assumption, the 
default sequence of data columns is very likely to be wrong.  So gnuplot 
needs your help to tell it where the time data ends, and the other data 
begin.

> Indeed help plot using  indicated I cannot supply a time format in this  
> context:

It didn't.  You misunderstood this:

> If a format is specified, each datafile record is read using the C 
> library's 'scanf' function, with the specified format string.
> Otherwise the record is read and broken into columns at spaces or
> tabs. A format cannot be specified this way for time-format data
> (instead use `set xdata time`).

This is talking about the <format> mentioned in the Syntax of 'help 
using', not 'set timefmt'.