This is to announce the release of version 1.3 of Gnuplot.py. Gnuplot.py is a Python [1] package that allows you to create graphs from within Python using the gnuplot [2] plotting program. This version fixes plotting of function objects and moves to a package structure. Gnuplot.py can be obtained from http://monsoon.harvard.edu/~mhagger/Gnuplot/Gnuplot.html Prerequisites (see footnotes): the Python interpreter [1] the Python Numeric module [3] the gnuplot program [2] Some ways this package can be used: 1. Interactive data processing: Use Python's excellent Numeric package to create and manipulate arrays of numbers, and use Gnuplot.py to visualize the results. 2. Web graphics: write CGI scripts in Python that use gnuplot to output plots in GIF format and return them to the client. 3. Glue for numerical applications (this is my favorite): wrap your C++/C/Fortran subroutines so that they are callable from Python, then you can perform numerical computations interactively from scripts or from the command line and use Gnuplot.py to plot the output on the fly. 4. Compute a series of datasets in Python and plot them one after the other using Gnuplot.py to produce a crude animation. Features added in version 1.3: * Converted to python package format. The main file is now called __init__.py, which can be loaded by typing 'import Gnuplot'. * Passing GridData a callable function was basically broken because of the kludgey way of overloading the argument. Instead of trying to fix it, I moved that functionality to a new type of PlotItem called 'GridFunc'. Features already present in older versions: + Two and three-dimensional plots. + Plot data from memory, from a file, or from an expression. + Support for multiple simultaneous gnuplot sessions. + Can pass arbitrary commands to the gnuplot program. + Object oriented, extensible design with several built-in types of plot items. + Portable and easy to install (nothing to compile except on Windows). + Support for MS Windows, using the `pgnuplot.exe' program. + Support for sending data to gnuplot as `inline' or `binary' data. These are optimizations that also remove the need for temporary files. Temporary files are also still supported. Footnotes: ---------- [1] Python <http://www.python.org> is an excellent object-oriented scripting/rapid development language that is also especially good at gluing programs together. [2] gnuplot <ftp://ftp.gnuplot.vt.edu/pub/gnuplot/> is a free, popular, very portable plotting program with a command-line interface. It can make 2-d and 3-d plots and can output to myriad printers and graphics terminals. [3] The Numeric Python extension <ftp://ftp-icf.llnl.gov/pub/python/README.html> is a Python module that adds fast and convenient array manipulations to the Python language. Yours, Michael == Michael Haggerty mhagger@blizzard.harvard.edu <P><A HREF="http://monsoon.harvard.edu/~mhagger/Gnuplot/Gnuplot.html">Gnuplot.py 1.3</A> - interface to the gnuplot plotting program; needs NumPy. (23-Sep-99) -- ----------- comp.lang.python.announce (moderated) ---------- Article Submission Address: python-announce@python.org Python Language Home Page: http://www.python.org/ Python Quick Help Index: http://www.python.org/Help.html ------------------------------------------------------------