What ever is done to improve plotting, I hope some of the
functionality of gnuplot is not removed. For instance, the ability to
export to xfig, png, and many other formats. Also, since gnuplot gets
better and better, it would be nice to have access to all of the
features of gnuplot from maxima.
For instance, using gnuplot interactively, one can save the
coordinates of mouse-clicked points on the screen (in a 2d plot) to a file. As far
as I can tell, one can't do that in maxima at this time.
Also, note that, as was mentioned earlier in this list, one can use the
output to png (and ImageMagick) to create animated plots.
There are many things on a "wish list" for improvements to the plot2d
and plot3d and Mario's work is a very good beginning, but perhaps one
should not try to remove the utility of gnuplot in maxima.
-sen
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| Sheldon E. Newhouse | e-mail: sen1 at math.msu.edu |
| Mathematics Department | |
| Michigan State University | telephone: 517-355-9684 |
| E. Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA | FAX: 517-432-1562 |
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On Tue, 23 Jan 2007, Robert Dodier wrote:
> Mario,
>
> I looked at the examples of new plotting capabilities which you posted,
>> http://www.telefonica.net/web2/biomates/maxima/gpdraw
>
> I have just some minor quibbles. On the whole it looks terrific to me.
>
> (1) I'd prefer to rework plot2d instead of creating a separate
> function gpdraw2d.
> It would be a mess to have both old and new plotting functions.
> It would be OK with me to cut out plot2d, but if so I would rename
> gpdraw2d to draw2d or something else not specific to Gnuplot.
>
> (2) I'd like to see a function which adds more stuff to an existing plot,
> let's say plot2d_more or something. That way the user need not think
> of everything before calling plot2d just once.
>
> (3) I'd like to see a function which replots the most recent plot.
> E.g. if you close the plot window and then you want to see the
> same stuff again. Or you want the same stuff but output to a
> file instead of shown on the screen.
>
> (4) I think I'd like to see plotting functions return a description of
> the current plot, maybe as a noun expression 'plot2d(x, y, z, ...).
> At present plot2d returns an empty string; pretty much anything
> would be more useful.
>
>
> As I was saying, this is great work, and I hope that we can come
> to agreement on how to merge it into Maxima soon.
>
> best
> Robert
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