Re: Change default value of system variable?

[Martin Schultz <martin.schultz(at)dkrz.de>]

"K. Bowman" wrote:
> 
> I prefer to plot with black lines on a white background, so in my
> idl_startup file I include
> 
> !P.BACKGROUND = COLOR_24('white')    ;Set background color to white
> !P.COLOR      = COLOR_24('black')    ;Set default draw color to black
> 
> (COLOR_24 is my own routine.)
> 
> This works fine until I change plot devices and then change back, viz.
> 
> flow>idl
> IDL Version 5.3 (IRIX mipseb). (c) 1999, Research Systems, Inc.
> IDL> PRINT, !P.BACKGROUND, !P.COLOR
>     16777215           0
> IDL> SET_PLOT, 'PS'
> IDL> SET_PLOT, 'X'
> IDL> PRINT, !P.BACKGROUND, !P.COLOR
>            0         255
> 
> This means that I have to include code to set !P.BACKGROUND and
> !P.COLOR in every time I switch graphics devices. Is there any way to
> change the default value of a built-in system variable?
> 
> Thanks, Ken


Run IDL with dbx and try to find the place where !P.Background is set.
This may be a little cumbersome without the IDL sources, but after
about 5 years you may have found the solution ;-)

Now, honestly, I would recommend to follow David's advice to ALWAYS
set colors before issuing any plot command.

Cheers,

Martin

PS: Todd - still have a note lying on my desk to send you this object
file stuff. Just want to give it a few comments before sending it
(otherwise you'd be lost right away). Maybe in a couple of days...

-- 
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[[ Dr. Martin Schultz   Max-Planck-Institut fuer Meteorologie    [[
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