[PYTHON MATRIX-SIG] Plotting packages

[Jim Hugunin]

Jeffrey Templon writes:
> I'd like to reiterate my opinion that it'd be nice to have a plot be
> an object.  This allows us to move up a notch (out of spaghetti-like
> code) and do cool things like modify existing plots:
>
> 	plot1.xlims(10,20)
> 	plot1.update()
>
> to change the x-axis limits, or for example
>
> 	gwin.stackplots(2,2,plot1,plot2,plot3,plot4)
>
> to arrange four plots in a 2x2 matrix on the graphics window 'gwin'.

I agree with you completely.  On the other hand, I'd like there to be a 
simplified interface like the one that I proposed available so that one can 
trivially look at an array graphiucally without having to setup plot 
windows/objects/whatever.  My proposed function was mainly for interactive 
use.  Something like your notation is clearly what should be done for use 
within modules.

>  > Am I missing any packages?  Am I wrong in my comments about any of 
these?
>  >  It sounds to me like the Astronomers among us are only interested in
>  > PGPlot.  Is this for historical reasons, or are there some features in 
this
>  > package that are not supported by the others?
>
> Have you looked at DISLIN?  It's available in C, and looks pretty
> nice.  The Linux and DOS versions are free, but unfortunately you have
> to pay for the versions for other operating systems.  That's the
> biggest disadvantage.  Possibly you might cut a deal with them as part
> of making it a package.

The base price of DISLIN for a workstation is ~$375 US.  This is completely 
unreasonable for a package to make the basic plotting component of NumPy. 
 If nothing better than this can be found I'd rather just grab one of the 
cheaper OCX's for Windows and be done with it.

-Jim


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