CGWINDOW
Creates a resizeable graphics window for IDL traditional commands (Plot, Contour,
Surface, etc. or for Coyote Graphics routines, `cgPlot`, `cgContour`, `cgSurf`, etc.).
In addition, the window contents can be saved as PostScript, PDF, or raster image
created in very high quality from PostScript files.
The program is designed to work with any IDL traditional graphics routine
that is a procedure and includes no more than three positional parameters.
Any number of keywords can be used to specify properties of the graphical
output. Any number of graphics commands can be "added" the the cgWindow.
Simply use the `AddCmd` keyword to add commands.
If your program does not load its own color tables, the color tables in
effect when cgWindow is first called are used to display the graphics
commands.
To create PostScript output from within cgWindow, your graphics program
has to be written in such a way that it can work properly in the PostScript
device. This means there are no Window commands, WSet commands, and the like
that are not allowed in the PostScript device. Such commands are allowed in
programs, of course, if they are "protected". Usually such protection looks
like this::
IF (!D.Flags AND 256) NE 0 THEN Window, ...
The Coyote Graphics program `cgDisplay` is a good program for opening graphics
"windows", because such PostScript protection is built into the program. In a PostScript
device, cgDisplay produces a "window" with the same aspect ratio as the current
display graphics window, which is an aid in producing PostScript output that
looks like the same output in the display window.
Much better looking raster files can be created from the cgWindow contents,
if the raster files are created by converting PostScript files to the raster
file. If the ImageMagick "convert" command can be found on your machine, you
will have the option to create raster files using this method. I *highly*
recommend doing so, as fonts and other plot annotation will be of much higher
quality using this method.
cgWindow has been designed to work with other Coyote Graphics routines: `cgPlot`,
`cgContour`, `cgSurf`, and so on, although I expect it to work with any IDL
traditional graphics routine, if the routine is well written.
Categories
Graphics
Author
FANNING SOFTWARE CONSULTING::
David W. Fanning
1645 Sheely Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80526 USA
Phone: 970-221-0438
E-mail: david@idlcoyote.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.idlcoyote.com
Copyright
Copyright (c) 2011, Fanning Software Consulting, Inc.