POLYFILL erases my tick values - solution?

[Andrew <noymer(at)my-deja.com>]

Dear c.l.i-p,

   I am using POLYFILL to shade various regions of an X-Y plot different
shades of grey.  I use PLOT (with /nodata) to draw the axes, then I
use PLOTS to draw a bunch of lines, etc.   (In this case, I'm making a
simple diagram, not really plotting data, but the question is pretty
general.)

   I'm making PostScript output so I am limited to solid colors
as opposed to patterns (is there a good reason for that???), but
so far that's not my real problem.

    The problem is that POLYFILL seems to obliterate everything in
its path, including axis tick values.  For the lines I draw, there is
an easy solution: I just shade first, then draw.  But I am working with
\DATA coordinates, so I'm quite sure (???) I have to PLOT before I can
POLYFILL, hence the problem that the tick values are over-shaded.

    Even the RSI "Using IDL" manual, 1998 paper version, p. 190,
shows a (very ugly!) example of shading that erases tick values.

     The best solution I have found is to use the AXIS procedure
after POLYFILL, to re-draw the axis.

    IS THIS THE BEST SOLUTION?

      TIA,
       Andrew


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