There are so many ways to save a plot or print it. Below shows three common ways in IDL Direct Graphics. I use the simple example data: x = findgen(100) y = sqrt(x) METHOD 1: Make your PLOT an IPLOT with the command: iplot, x, y and use the iPlot GUI's File->Print... menu button to print the plot. This is by far the easiest solution, especially for IDL "newbies". METHOD 2: Do your plotting in the "PRINTER" device: set_plot, 'PRINTER' ; Initializes a buffer where printer drawing commands are stored ; This makes a 10"w x 7.5"h plot in a landscape-orientation device, XSIZE=10.0, YSIZE=7.5, /INCHES, PORTRAIT=0 ; PRINTER plots look better with thicker lines and chars plot, x, y, THICK=2.0, CHARTHICK=2.0 device, /CLOSE ; This is the command that writes the buffer to the printer set_plot, 'WIN' ; Restore writing output to my computer display [Similar steps to the above can be used with the 'PS' "PostScript device" to write printer-ready output in PostScript file format.] METHOD 3: Just save an image of the plot, not so much for printing as for saving for display on other computers. ; Makes a 600 pixel x 400 pixel plot image. That is good for computer displays, ; but too low resolution for a printer. window, XSIZE=600, YSIZE=400 plot, x, y ; This gives you a 3 x 600 x 400 True Color snapshot of the plot window image = tvrd(TRUE=1) ; Stores a "lossless", efficiently-compressed PNG image of your snapshot WRITE_PNG, 'myplot.png', image James Jones