1NAME
2 Chart::Graph - Perl extension for a front-end to gnuplot, XRT, and
3 Xmgrace.
4
5SYNOPSIS
6 # EXAMPLE: gnuplot
7 #make sure to include Chart::Graph
8 use Chart::Graph:Gnuplot qw(gnuplot);
9
10 gnuplot(\%global_options, [\%data_set_options, \@matrix],
11 [\%data_set_options, \@x_column, \@y_column],
12 [\%data_set_options, < filename >], ... );
13
14 # EXAMPLE: Xmgrace
15 #make sure to include Chart::Graph
16 use Chart::Graph::Xmgrace qw(xmgrace);
17 xmgrace(\%global_options, [\%data_set_options, \@matrix],
18 [\%data_set_options, \@x_column, \@y_column],
19 [\%data_set_options, < filename >], ... );
20
21 # EXAMPLE: xrt2d
22 #make sure to include Chart::Graph
23 use Chart::Graph::Xrt2d qw(xrt2d);
24
25 xrt2d(\%options, \@data_set);
26
27 #say for example we have a 3 by 4 matrix -> dataxy
28 xrt2d(\%options,
29 [[data11, data12, data13, data14],
30 [data21, data22, data23, data24],
31 [data31, data32, data33, data34]])
32
33 # EXAMPLE: xrt3d
34 #make sure to include Chart::Graph
35 use Chart::Graph::Xrt3d qw(xrt3d);
36
37 xrt3d(\%options, \@data_set);
38
39 #say for example we have a 3 by 4 matrix -> dataxy
40 xrt3d(\%options,
41 [[data11, data12, data13, data14],
42 [data21, data22, data23, data24],
43 [data31, data32, data33, data34]])
44
45DESCRIPTION
46 use Chart::Graph;
47
48 Graph.pm is a wrapper module that allows easy generation of graphs
49 within perl. Currently Graph.pm supports three graphing packages,
50 gnuplot, XRT, and Xmgrace. These software packages must be obtained
51 separately from this Perl module. Information on each graphing package
52 and it's availability is provided in the documentation on that module.
53 Gnuplot and Xmgrace are freely available software pages for UNIX
54 systems. XRT is a commercial product.
55
56 Currently the xrt3d and xrt2d package is not being supported, although
57 it works. It is still in the development stage. Feel free to give it a
58 try though.
59
60INSTALLATION
61 Because Chart-Graph is a wrapper script, you need to install the graphic
62 package that you wish to use before attempting to install
63 Chart-Graph.pm. Unless the appropriate graphics software is installed,
64 the testing portions of the install will fail.
65
66 If you want to use the xrt2d/xrt3d package, you need to build the
67 respective "graph" binaries in the xrt2d/xrt3d directories. Refer to the
68 README files in the xrt2d and xrt3d directories for instructions on
69 creating the required binaries.
70
71 Chart-Graph.pm use the standard Perl module installation procedure. To
72 install Graph.pm on your system you need to run:
73
74 perl Makefile.PL
75 make
76 make test
77 make install
78
79 The standard Perl options apply. For example you can specify the
80 location of you Perl Installation by the option:
81 `PREFIX=/home/your/private/dir'. Which results modifying the first
82 command as follows:
83
84 perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/your/private/dir
85
86 Running the Makefile.PL Perl script mades some additional preparation
87 before creating the the Makefile. In particular, the script sets up the
88 testing routines for the various graphics modules.
89
90 Enter (space separated) graphing drivers to test: [gnuplot xrt3d xrt2d xmgrace]
91
92 Enter the names of the graphical software packages that you have
93 installed. The others will be ignored even if Chart-Graph will appear to
94 "test" them. If you are using Xmgrace or XRT there are additional
95 options you will need to supply. In order to permit Xmgrace to perform
96 its test without using the X server you should provide a path to a X
97 virtual frame buffer.
98
99 Enter path to X virtual frame buffer(Xvfb):
100
101 Finally, If you are running XRT, you need to provide that path to the
102 XRT binaries:
103
104 Enter path to xrt2d binary (built from xrt2d/):
105
106 Note that running the tests will create image files that are placed in
107 the directory test_results. These images are almost all identical with
108 the examples provided with the documentation and can be used to check if
109 there are subtile errors in your image creation software.
110
111USAGE
112 Chart::Graph attempts as much as possible to provide a uniform interface
113 to these different graphics packages. Unfortunately, the functionality
114 of each program is sufficiently different that the interface cannot be
115 entirely uniform.
116
117 GENERAL DIAGNOSTICS AND TOOLS
118
119 Currently Chart::Graph supports two levels of debug, `0' (no debug msgs)
120 and `1'(debug msgs). You need to set the `$Chart::Graph::debug' flag
121 accordingly. If you are having problems with Graph.pm set the debug flag
122 to `1'. Also Graph.pm will check `$ENV{TMPDIR}' for the temporary file
123 storage. If you do not specify, it will be set to /tmp automatically.
124 Temporary files can also be saved for further debugging purposes by
125 setting `$Chart::Graph::save_tmpfiles' flag accordingly, `0' (no tmp
126 files saved) or `1' (save tmp files specified in `$ENV{TMPDIR)' or /tmp
127 by default)
128
129 Note: Currently, XRT and Xmgrace use the local x server to draw it's
130 graphics by default. With XRT, if you are having problems with color or
131 speed is an issue, set `$Chart::Graph::use_xvbf' to `1' to use the
132 virtual x frame buffer. With Xmgrace, you MUST set
133 `$Chart::Graph::use_xvbf' to `1' if you are not using a local x server.
134
135 All the documentation is also provided in HTML with the sample graphic
136 files for Graph.pm are located in the doc directory.
137
138CONTENT SUMMARY
139 Graph.pm - top level file of Chart::Graph
140 Graph/ - sub modules of Chart::Graph
141 Graph/Xmgrace/ - sub modules of Chart::Graph::Xmgrace
142 doc/ - documentation in HTML
143 xrt2d/ - xrt2d wrapper executable code
144 xrt3d/ - xrt3d wrapper executable code
145 test_Graph.pl - the test script used for debugging
146
147MORE INFO
148 For more information on gnuplot, please see the gnuplot web page:
149
150 http://www.gnuplot.info/
151 http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuplot/
152
153 For more information on Xmgrace, please see the Xmgrace web page:
154
155 http://plasma-gate.weizmann.ac.il/Grace
156
157 For more information on XRT, please contact Sitraka:
158
159 http://www.sitraka.com
160
161CONTACT
162 Send email to graph-dev@caida.org is you have problems, questions, or
163 comments. To subscribe to the mailing list send mail to
164 graph-dev-request@caida.org with a body of "subscribe your@email.com"
165
166AUTHOR
167 CAIDA Perl development team (cpan@caida.org)
168
169SEE ALSO
170 gnuplot(1).
171 xmgrace(1).
172
173