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the Python Numeric module [3]
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the gnuplot program [2]
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or, to use it under Java (experimental):
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the Jython interpreter [4]
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the Jython version of the Numeric module [5]
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the gnuplot program [2]
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Some ways this package can be used:
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1. Interactive data processing: Use Python's excellent Numeric package
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to create and manipulate arrays of numbers, and use Gnuplot.py to
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visualize the results.
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2. Web graphics: write CGI scripts in Python that use gnuplot to
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output plots in GIF format and return them to the client.
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output plots in (for example) PNG format and return them to the
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3. Glue for numerical applications (this is my favorite): wrap your
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C++/C/Fortran subroutines so that they are callable from Python,
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then you can perform numerical computations interactively from
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New features in this version:
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+ Added distutils support.
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+ Broke up the module a bit for better maintainability. The most
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commonly-used facilities are still available through "import
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Gnuplot", but some specialized things have been moved to separate
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modules, in particular funcutils.py and PlotItems.py.
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+ funcutils.tabulate_function() can be used to evaluate a function
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on a 1-D or 2-D grid of points (this replaces grid_function,
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which only worked with 2-D grids).
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+ Added two helper functions, funcutils.compute_Data and
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funcutils.compute_GridData, which compute a function's values on
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a set of points and package the results into a PlotItem.
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+ GridFunc is no longer an independent class; it is now a factory
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function that returns a GridData. GridFunc is deprecated in
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favor of funcutils.compute_GridData.
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+ Changed set_option to work from a table, so that it doesn't need
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to be overloaded so often.
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+ Implemented test_persist for each platform to make it easier for
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users to determine whether the `-persist' option is supported.
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+ Added a prefer_persist option to serve as the default `persist'
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+ Following a suggestion by Jannie Hofmeyr, use "from os import
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popen" for Python 2.0 under Windows. I don't use Windows, so let
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me know how this works.
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+ Added support for the `axes' and `smooth' options of the `plot'
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+ Reworked the comment strings in an effort to make them work
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+ Relaxed license from GPL to LGPL.
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+ Added support for sending data to gnuplot via FIFOs (named pipes).
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This eliminates the ambiguity about when temporary files can be
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deleted, and thereby removes a common source of problems with
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Gnuplot.py. Unfortunately, FIFOs only work under forms of unix.
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+ Added preliminary support for running Gnuplot.py under Jython, the
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Java implementation of the Python language. It partly works but
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depends on JNumeric, which is still beta-level.
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Features already present in older versions:
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+ Portable and easy to install (nothing to compile except on
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+ Support for MS Windows, using the `pgnuplot.exe' program.
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+ Support for Unix (including Linux and Mac OS X), MS Windows, and
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Mac OS. The platform-dependent layer is fairly well abstracted
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out, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add support for other
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+ Support for sending data to gnuplot as `inline' or `binary' data.
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63
These are optimizations that also remove the need for temporary
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files. Temporary files are still the default.
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+ Partly table-driven to make it easy to extend. New terminal
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types can be supported easily by adding data to a table.
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+ Install via distutils.
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[1] Python <http://www.python.org> is an excellent object-oriented
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scripting/rapid development language that is also especially good
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at gluing programs together.
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[2] gnuplot <http://www.gnuplot.org/> is a free, popular, very
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[2] gnuplot <http://www.gnuplot.info/> is a free, popular, very
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portable plotting program with a command-line interface. It can
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make 2-d and 3-d plots and can output to myriad printers and
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graphics terminals.
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[3] The Numeric Python extension <http://numpy.sourceforge.net/> is a
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Python module that adds fast and convenient array manipulations to
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the Python language.
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[4] Jython <http://www.jython.org> is a Python interpreter that runs
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within a Java virtual machine.
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[5] JNumeric <http://jnumerical.sourceforge.net/> is a version of the
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Numeric module that runs under Java/Jython.
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ANNOUNCE.txt
