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

[<pl...@pi...>]

On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:24:19 +0200, <pl...@pi...> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have no problem on my main system using time data input driven by .gnu
> files but now I am trying to quickly cast a plot from gnuplot command  
> line
> and it refuses to recognise the data.
>
> [last nights cvs built on ARM]
>
>
> gnuplot> set timefmt "%H:%M:%S"
> gnuplot> show timefmt
>
>          read format for time on x axis is "%H:%M:%S"
>          read format for time on t axis is "%H:%M:%S"
>          read format for time on u axis is "%H:%M:%S"
>
> gnuplot> show xr
>
>          set xdata time
>          set xrange [ "20:00:00" : "20:00:00" ] noreverse nowriteback
>
> gnuplot> set xr ["20:17:00":"20:18:30"]
> gnuplot> show xr
>
>          set xdata time
>          set xrange [ "20:17:00" : "20:18:30" ] noreverse nowriteback
>
> gnuplot> set terminal svg
> Terminal type set to 'svg'
> Options are 'size 600 480 fixed  fname 'Arial'  fsize 12 butt '
> gnuplot> plot "spew.data"
>                           ^
>           Need full using spec for x time data
>

OK, I've realised what this is about. The clipped phrase of the error  
message is ambiguous. Also help using does not use the term spec for using  
whereas it is commonly used for format. Fine once you know what is  
required but then you don't need the error msg.

I thought it wanted a "spec for time data" in a using modifier. May I  
suggest a clearer wording:

With x time data a 'using' modifier is required

It's often difficult keep such messages short yet unambiguous.

HTH, Peter.



>
> The data file consists entirely of lines like this:
>
> bash-3.2#cat /mnt/nfs/tmpd/spew.data
> 20:17:24 2.605
> 20:17:25 2.605
> 20:17:27 2.607
>
> ...
>
> Why is it insisting on a full spec for x time data in the plot command
> when xdata, timefmt and xrange are already set?
>
> Indeed help plot using  indicated I cannot supply a time format in this
> context:
>
>   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`).
>
>
> What have I missed?
>
> TIA, Peter.
>
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