PDRAW(L) PDRAW(L)
4 September 1990
NAME
pdraw - 3D plot program for X-windows and Postscript
SYNOPSIS
pdraw [-v vx vy vz] [-o options-file] [-Pprinter] [-s scale] [-e] [-h]
[-nosort] [-ps] plotfile1 plotfile2...
DESCRIPTIONS
Pdraw is a program for drawing 3D plots on X10 or X11 windows. The
program will also produce a POSTSCRIPT plot which can be dumped out to
an APPLE Laserwriter. Pdraw reads in x-y-z data from a plot-file and
manipulates that data according to options specified either in the
command-line or in a options-file. The plot-file can be compressed
(see compress[1]); compressed files will be uncompressed
automatically. The program then plots lines on a screen or dumps the
plots to a POSTSCRIPT file.
The plot-file input data consists of alternating x, y and z values, in
the format shown below.
Data File Format (plot-file)
xmin xmax ymin ymax zmin zmax
ncurves
npts
z1
z2
..
..
..
npts
z1
z2
..
..
..
In the above, xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax, zmin and zmax are lower and
upper bounds of the desired plot, ncurves are the number of curves to
be plotted, and npts are the number of points in each curve. The data
file can consist of more than one set of curves to be plotted; each
set (i.e. one set for each separate graph) is separated from the next
by a blank line. Upon starting up the program, pdraw will read in the
data stored in the plot-file, as well as any plotting options
specified either in the command line or in the options-file. Pdraw
then uses the given view direction to rotate and transform the plot
onto a plane perpendicular to the viewing vector. Currently, only
parallel projection is supported. If the program is being run under
X-windows, the plot will then be drawn on the screen. The viewing
vector can be changed using the "H", "J", "K", "L" and "O" keys on the
the keyboards; the plot on the screen can be rotated sideways using
the "H" or "L" keys, rotated up or down using the "J" and "K" keys,
and drawn with the original viewing vector using "O". The "A", "S",
"D" and "F" keys will produce 90o rotations. "Z" will plot the image
- 1 - Formatted: November 3, 2025
PDRAW(L) PDRAW(L)
4 September 1990
projected on the x-y plane (z=constant), "Y" will plot the image
projected on the x-z plane (y=constant), and "X" will plot the image
projected on the y-z plane (x=constant). The final view angle will be
saved and used for the POSTCRIPT plot. Finally, the user will be
prompted as to whether or not the POSTSCRIPT plot is to be sent to a
printer.
OPTIONS
-v vx vy vz
reads in the viewing eye position, relative to (0,0,0). The plot
will be rotated and transformed so that the z-axis is parallel to
this position. For example, a view position of (1,0,0) means
that the 3D structure is being viewed with parallel projection
from the x-axis.
-o options-file
reads plotting options from the file options-file. Each option
specification consists of a keyword and its corresponding value.
The parser recognizes only a limited set of keywords; their
values are either numbers, quoted strings, or the words "on" and
"off". All the words in the option specification must be on the
same line. The pound sign (#) indicates that the remainder of
the line is a comment to be ignored by the parser.
List of Options (options-file)
xlabel "LABEL" #[default = "X-Axis"] - for the
x-label
ylabel "LABEL" #[default = "Y-Axis"] - for the
y-label
zlabel "LABEL" #[default = "Z-Axis"] - for the
z-label
toplabel "LABEL" #[default = "3D Line Plot"] - for the
top-label
equalscale on/off #[default = on] - for
equal x-y scaling
postscript on/off #[default = on] - for
postscript (PS) plot
printplot on/off #[default = off] -
send PS file to printer
noplot on/off #[default = off] - no
graphics plot
printer "PRINTER" #[default = $PRINTER] - define
the printer
line on/off #[default = on] - draw the
line
linechange on/off #[default = off] - change
the linetypes
marker on/off #[default = off] - draw the
marker
markerchange on/off #[default = off] -
change the markertypes
hiddenline on/off #[default = off] - for
- 2 - Formatted: November 3, 2025
PDRAW(L) PDRAW(L)
4 September 1990
hidden-line drawings
nosort on/off #[default = off] - for
hidden-line drawings
scale [0.1 - 1.0] #[default = 1.00] - scales
the PS plot
xticks [1 - 20] #[default = 2] - no.
of x-divisions
yticks [1 - 20] #[default = 2] - no.
of y-divisions
zticks [1 - 20] #[default = 2] - no.
of z-divisions
-Pprinter
specifies which printer to which to send the postscript plot.
The current default sets the printer name to the environment
variable $PRINTER. If this variable is not set, then the printer
used is the lp550M printer in 550M Cory.
-s scale
sets a scale factor. This is used only for POSTSCRIPT plotting.
-e forces unequal scales to be applied to the x, y and z axes. The
boundary of the 3D object will then resemble a cube.
-h draws polygons with hidden-lines.
-nosort
prevents sorting for the hidden-line option.
-noplot
prevents plots on the graphics display.
-print
sends plots to the printer automatically.
-ps turns the postscript plotting option off.
host:display
opens a window on the given host and display
=geom
-rv
-bw border-width
-bd color
-fg color
- 3 - Formatted: November 3, 2025
PDRAW(L) PDRAW(L)
4 September 1990
-bg color
sets input options for the X-window system.
BUGS
Not really that many. The POSTSCRIPT labels need to be adjusted. The
labels don't come out well when the picture is rotated beyond the
default view. The parser needs to be improved. There should be a
better way to put change linetypes and markertypes. Log axes might be
nice. Also should incorporate drawplot modifications here.
AUTHOR
Kenny K.H. Toh (ktoh@mascot.berkeley.edu)
FILES
dataplot.ps temporary POSTSCRIPT file
SEE ALSO
contour(L), drawplot(L)
- 4 - Formatted: November 3, 2025
