6.7 Publication Quality Plots

You can generate publication quality plots using your default laser printer. Before plotting, you will need to create a postscript disk file where your plots will be placed, by typing:

PLOTOPEN,DNAME,'name' 

``DNAME'' is a required output array used to pass the current device name (!d.name) to the PLOTPRINT program. You may use arbitrary variable names for these parameters, but be sure to use the same variable names in PLOTPRINT. ``Name'' is an optional parameter giving the name of the output file which will be called ``name.ps'' (e.g., SN1987A.PS). If no name is specified, your plotting commands will be stored in a file called ``iueidl.ps''.

You may now create your plots using the graphics procedures described earlier in this section. You will not see the plots on your screen if you are sending them to a ``.PS'' plot file (i.e., using PLOTOPEN).

When you are finished plotting and wish to send your plot(s) to the laser printer, type:

PLOTPRINT,DNAME,'name' 

where ``DNAME'' and ``name'' have the same definitions as for PLOTOPEN. PLOTPRINT closes the plot file and sends your ``.PS'' file to the printer. You should see a status message for the laser printer queue, stating that your file has been sent to the printer, but this may depend on the operating system your are using.

!IUEPRINT is a structure containing the current plot type parameters (such as the type of laser printer to be used). For most users, the default settings should be sufficient. If you wish to use PLOTOPEN and PLOTPRINT to send plots to a different kind of printer, !IUEPRINT must be altered. Contact an IUEDAC staff member for assistance if you wish to change !IUEPRINT.

If you choose not to print your plots, close the ``.PS'' file by typing:

PLOTCLOSE,DNAME 

You can either delete the ``.PS'' file, or print it later using either PLOTPRINT or a system command such as the unix 'lpr' or the VMX 'print' commands. As an example,

PLOTOPEN,D,'HD34503'

NSPLOT,H,W,F,Q

PLOTCLOSE,D or PLOTPRINT,D,'HD34503'

creates a file HD34503.PS, but only prints it out if you use PLOTPRINT (both PLOTPRINT and PLOTCLOSE close the file). You could log on the next day and type either

PLOTPRINT,'','HD34503' or$print/queue=laser hd34503.ps

and the same plots you made before would be sent to your default laser printer. In this case, if you use PLOTPRINT, make sure that DNAME is equal to a null string, otherwise PLOTPRINT will assume that your plot file is open and will try to close it.