Re: controlling plot appearance (was "line graph problems")

[Ben Tupper <btupper(at)bigelow.org>]

Paul van Delst wrote:
> 
> 
> Maybe not - I don't use OG so I can't really say. However, it does appear from other's
> posts here that the properties available for setting/changing is quite broad. But, and for
> me at least this is a big but, if I can't create a plot in one or two lines of code then
> forget it. I want to look at my data, not set up models, and views, and coordinate
> conversions and what not. PLOT, x, y is the simplicity I'm looking for.

Hello Paul,

It would be relatively easy to create an plotting object for direct
graphics (I'm not volunteering for this until I get more than just red
colors on my display!)  New graphics keywords could be added, like your
YTITLE_SHIFT keyword example.  Once you figure out what to do with the
YTITLE given its SHIFT, you make it a method within the object to handle
that property.  You could introduce other keywords like XSUBTITLE and
YSUBTITLE.  Similar objects could be created for any kind of direct
graphics routine (I have started a direct graphics contour object a
number of times... someday I shall finish it... what? it's 2001
already?) 

Here's what it might look like:

MyPlotObj = obj_new('DG_Plot', X, Y, YTITLESHIFT = [-0.1, 0],
OTHERKEYWORDS = ....)
MyPlotObj->Plot
	;ah shoot, forgot to set these
MyPlotObj->SetProperty, Background = 3, isotropic = 1
MyPlot->Plot
	;make a printout
devicename = !D.name
Set_plot, 'printer'
MyPlotObj->Plot
Device, /Close
Set_plot, devicename

Obj_destroy, MyPlotObj


If it were that simple then would you still say, 'if I can't create a
plot in one or two lines of code then forget it'? I think that is a
really important question, (at least I find myself asking this over and
over before starting a new project.)


Ben

P.S. YTITLE_SHIFT?  Geez, how would you do that?

-- 
Ben Tupper
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
180 McKown Point Rd.
W. Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575
btupper@bigelow.org