NAME
Chart::Graph - Perl extension for a front-end to gnuplot, XRT, and
Xmgrace.
SYNOPSIS
# EXAMPLE: gnuplot
#make sure to include Chart::Graph
use Chart::Graph:Gnuplot qw(gnuplot);
gnuplot(\%global_options, [\%data_set_options, \@matrix],
[\%data_set_options, \@x_column, \@y_column],
[\%data_set_options, < filename >], ... );
# EXAMPLE: Xmgrace
#make sure to include Chart::Graph
use Chart::Graph::Xmgrace qw(xmgrace);
xmgrace(\%global_options, [\%data_set_options, \@matrix],
[\%data_set_options, \@x_column, \@y_column],
[\%data_set_options, < filename >], ... );
# EXAMPLE: xrt2d
#make sure to include Chart::Graph
use Chart::Graph::Xrt2d qw(xrt2d);
xrt2d(\%options, \@data_set);
#say for example we have a 3 by 4 matrix -> dataxy
xrt2d(\%options,
[[data11, data12, data13, data14],
[data21, data22, data23, data24],
[data31, data32, data33, data34]])
# EXAMPLE: xrt3d
#make sure to include Chart::Graph
use Chart::Graph::Xrt3d qw(xrt3d);
xrt3d(\%options, \@data_set);
#say for example we have a 3 by 4 matrix -> dataxy
xrt3d(\%options,
[[data11, data12, data13, data14],
[data21, data22, data23, data24],
[data31, data32, data33, data34]])
DESCRIPTION
use Chart::Graph;
Graph.pm is a wrapper module that allows easy generation of graphs
within perl. Currently Graph.pm supports three graphing packages,
gnuplot, XRT, and Xmgrace. These software packages must be obtained
separately from this Perl module. Information on each graphing package
and it's availability is provided in the documentation on that module.
Gnuplot and Xmgrace are freely available software pages for UNIX
systems. XRT is a commercial product.
Currently the xrt3d and xrt2d package is not being supported, although
it works. It is still in the development stage. Feel free to give it a
try though.
INSTALLATION
Because Chart-Graph is a wrapper script, you need to install the graphic
package that you wish to use before attempting to install
Chart-Graph.pm. Unless the appropriate graphics software is installed,
the testing portions of the install will fail.
If you want to use the xrt2d/xrt3d package, you need to build the
respective "graph" binaries in the xrt2d/xrt3d directories. Refer to the
README files in the xrt2d and xrt3d directories for instructions on
creating the required binaries.
Chart-Graph.pm use the standard Perl module installation procedure. To
install Graph.pm on your system you need to run:
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install
The standard Perl options apply. For example you can specify the
location of you Perl Installation by the option:
`PREFIX=/home/your/private/dir'. Which results modifying the first
command as follows:
perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/your/private/dir
Running the Makefile.PL Perl script mades some additional preparation
before creating the the Makefile. In particular, the script sets up the
testing routines for the various graphics modules.
Enter (space separated) graphing drivers to test: [gnuplot xrt3d xrt2d xmgrace]
Enter the names of the graphical software packages that you have
installed. The others will be ignored even if Chart-Graph will appear to
"test" them. If you are using Xmgrace or XRT there are additional
options you will need to supply. In order to permit Xmgrace to perform
its test without using the X server you should provide a path to a X
virtual frame buffer.
Enter path to X virtual frame buffer(Xvfb):
Finally, If you are running XRT, you need to provide that path to the
XRT binaries:
Enter path to xrt2d binary (built from xrt2d/):
Note that running the tests will create image files that are placed in
the directory test_results. These images are almost all identical with
the examples provided with the documentation and can be used to check if
there are subtile errors in your image creation software.
USAGE
Chart::Graph attempts as much as possible to provide a uniform interface
to these different graphics packages. Unfortunately, the functionality
of each program is sufficiently different that the interface cannot be
entirely uniform.
GENERAL DIAGNOSTICS AND TOOLS
Currently Chart::Graph supports two levels of debug, `0' (no debug msgs)
and `1'(debug msgs). You need to set the `$Chart::Graph::debug' flag
accordingly. If you are having problems with Graph.pm set the debug flag
to `1'. Also Graph.pm will check `$ENV{TMPDIR}' for the temporary file
storage. If you do not specify, it will be set to /tmp automatically.
Temporary files can also be saved for further debugging purposes by
setting `$Chart::Graph::save_tmpfiles' flag accordingly, `0' (no tmp
files saved) or `1' (save tmp files specified in `$ENV{TMPDIR)' or /tmp
by default)
Note: Currently, XRT and Xmgrace use the local x server to draw it's
graphics by default. With XRT, if you are having problems with color or
speed is an issue, set `$Chart::Graph::use_xvbf' to `1' to use the
virtual x frame buffer. With Xmgrace, you MUST set
`$Chart::Graph::use_xvbf' to `1' if you are not using a local x server.
All the documentation is also provided in HTML with the sample graphic
files for Graph.pm are located in the doc directory.
CONTENT SUMMARY
Graph.pm - top level file of Chart::Graph
Graph/ - sub modules of Chart::Graph
Graph/Xmgrace/ - sub modules of Chart::Graph::Xmgrace
doc/ - documentation in HTML
xrt2d/ - xrt2d wrapper executable code
xrt3d/ - xrt3d wrapper executable code
test_Graph.pl - the test script used for debugging
MORE INFO
For more information on gnuplot, please see the gnuplot web page:
http://www.gnuplot.info/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuplot/
For more information on Xmgrace, please see the Xmgrace web page:
http://plasma-gate.weizmann.ac.il/Grace
For more information on XRT, please contact Sitraka:
http://www.sitraka.com
CONTACT
Send email to graph-dev@caida.org is you have problems, questions, or
comments. To subscribe to the mailing list send mail to
graph-dev-request@caida.org with a body of "subscribe your@email.com"
AUTHOR
CAIDA Perl development team (cpan@caida.org)
SEE ALSO
gnuplot(1).
xmgrace(1).
