[newbie] zero file length when plotting (gnuplot-syntax)


On Mon, 6 Dec 2010, Hugo Coolens wrote:

< I'm trying to make a pslatex-file from a plot as follows:
< 
< deltaurlrel(x):=1-1/(x*(1-x)*%beta+1);
< relplots:makelist(deltaurlrel(x),%beta,[0.1,0.213,0.444,1,4.545]);
< plot2d(relplots,[x,0.01,1],[legend,"beta0.1","beta0.213","beta0.444","beta1","beta4.545"],[gnuplot_preamble,"set
< terminal pslatex; set output 'plotrel.tex';"]);
< 
< unfortunately the resulting file "plotrel.tex' is empty
< can anyone here tell me what (syntax?) error I'm making here?
 
 Hugo, this works in 5.22.1,

plot2d(relplots,
       [x,0.01,1],
       [legend,"beta0.1","beta0.213","beta0.444","beta1","beta4.545"],
       [gnuplot_term,'pslatex],
       [gnuplot_out_file,"example.tex"]);

A while ago (< 1year), plot2d changed and now inserts gnuplot preamble 
above the gnuplot code it writes. Tere is an effort to determine if
gnuplot preamble sets the output, but I can see this a a no-win
situation: to do it correctly, you almost need to build the gnuplot
interpreter inside of Maxima. 

Here's my advice: if you want to write gnuplot code, dump your data
to a file and write the gnuplot code in a separate file. Otherwise,
avoid gnuplot preamble in Maxima. Note that draw offers quite an
extensive front-end to gnuplot features, so if you want to stay in
Maxima,, you can use it.

I'm saying this after spending this semester re-writing an entire 
course's worth of Maxima plot2d code that was written like yours
with lots of stuff packed into gnuplot preamble.

Leo

-- 
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.