Gnuplot
Gnuplot is an excellent and free graphing program available for most operating sytems. I do not intend to give an introduction to Gnuplot, there are enough and much better resources on the web than I could ever write. However, using Gnuplot I came across a few problems that seemed to be impossible to crack, but after some research I found some kind of solution or workaround. I post these here.
A detailed, hands-on manual from the first steps to advanced plotting is available on the "Kawano" page. I frequently use the official demo page, what can give you good hints. A similar example page is available on Wikimedia and a reference for the shades of RGB greyscale can be found at J-A-B.net. If you are after special solutions, take a look at Gnuplotting.
Knowing the built in commands in the graph window make life much easier (B1 = mouse button 1):
- 2x<B1> print coordinates to clipboard using `clipboardformat`
- (see keys '3', '4')
- <B2> annotate the graph using `mouseformat` (see keys '1', '2')
- or draw labels if `set mouse labels is on`
- <Ctrl-B2> remove label close to pointer if `set mouse labels` is on
- <B3> mark zoom region (only for 2d-plots and maps).
- <B1-Motion> change view (rotation). Use <ctrl> to rotate the axes only.
- <B2-Motion> change view (scaling). Use <ctrl> to scale the axes only.
- <Shift-B2-Motion> vertical motion -- change xyplane
- Space raise gnuplot console window
- q * close this plot window
- a `builtin-autoscale` (set autoscale keepfix; replot)
- b `builtin-toggle-border`
- e `builtin-replot`
- g `builtin-toggle-grid`
- h `builtin-help`
- l `builtin-toggle-log` y logscale for plots, z and cb for splots
- L `builtin-nearest-log` toggle logscale of axis nearest cursor
- m `builtin-toggle-mouse`
- r `builtin-toggle-ruler`
- 1 `builtin-decrement-mousemode`
- 2 `builtin-increment-mousemode`
- 3 `builtin-decrement-clipboardmode`
- 4 `builtin-increment-clipboardmode`
- 5 `builtin-toggle-polardistance`
- 6 `builtin-toggle-verbose`
- 7 `builtin-toggle-ratio`
- n `builtin-zoom-next` go to next zoom in the zoom stack
- p `builtin-zoom-previous` go to previous zoom in the zoom stack
- u `builtin-unzoom`
- Right `builtin-rotate-right` only for splots; <shift> increases amount
- Up `builtin-rotate-up` only for splots; <shift> increases amount
- Left `builtin-rotate-left` only for splots; <shift> increases amount
- Down `builtin-rotate-down` only for splots; <shift> increases amount
- Escape `builtin-cancel-zoom` cancel zoom region
- * indicates this key is active from all plot windows
I wanted to display a curve filled from below, but Gnuplot covered the x-axis tick marks as well. To get around this problem you need to use the commands "set grid front" and "unset grid" before plotting.
To use the ampersand (&) symbol in labels in the postscript terminal you need to escape it twice: \\&
A reference how to use TeX fonts in the Gnuplot Postscript terminal by Harald Harders.
A table for line and point types for the enhanced postscript terminal is not easy to find (thanks to Martin, I learned it is easier to make):