Re: 'with pixels' (was Re: Engines are started; ...)

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

Hans-Bernhard Broeker wrote:

>>2)  There are some messages in the patch that come up the first time a 
>>feature is used that eventually can be weeded out. 
>>    
>>
>
>Please turn all of them into calls of our usual debugging macro
>FPRINTF() soon.  We don't really want or need developer debug print out
>in the regular build that serve no purpose to the ordinary user.
>

OK.

>I'm not terribly happy with some of the changes.  Especially those where
>the signature of old gnuplot functions is extended conditionally. I think
>we've learned from PM3D that this generally doesn't work out well in the
>long run.  I would prefer just adding the new arguments unconditionally.
>

You must be referring to the df_open() function:

==========

int
#ifdef BINARY_DATA_FILE
df_open(int max_using, int plot_mode)
#else
df_open(int max_using)
#endif
{

#ifdef BINARY_DATA_FILE
        specs = df_open(MAXDATACOLS, MODE_PLOT);    /* up to MAXDATACOLS 
cols */
#else
        specs = df_open(MAXDATACOLS);    /* up to MAXDATACOLS cols */
#endif

==========

I tried very hard to not do that.  I resist using global variables 
across data files, and it is conditional because I wanted in no way to 
alter the current software when BINARY_DATA_FILE was not active.

The need for that MODE_PLOT/MODE_SPLOT type is that for binary data 
files there is automatic generation of coordinate information for 
equidistant samplings, e.g., a time waveform or an image.  And the 
manner in which coordinates are constructed depends on whether it is 
intended for a 2D plot or a 3D plot.  My inclination was to leave that 
until the developers felt comfortable to allow alteration of the code 
when the items were disabled.

>BTW: I took the liberty of deleting the dozens of outdated version of your
>patch from the patch tracker, keeping only what appeared to be the latest
>versions of independent files --- that patch tracker entry is a menace to
>society at its current length!
>

Please do.  Thanks.

Dan