Re: object graphics !p.multi equivalent

[davidf(at)dfanning.com (David Fanning)]

Lucas Miller (differentiable@hotmail.com) writes:

> Hi all -- first I'd like to say THANKS!  You all have been an
> excellent help to a lowly undergrad trying to write some cool code. 
> With the help of David's XPlot routine I have my first object graphics
> program working well (bet you didn't know you'd be aiding an
> investigation of Jovian trapped particle radiation when you wrote that
> did you David?... not so suprising though, its utilitarian code:  lots
> of applications.)  Now for time series plots. I'd like to be able to
> do a variable number of them per page (I used to do this with !p.multi
> and they came out real pretty).  Can anyone point me to some source
> code or an illustrative example?

Multiple plots in object graphics are a great deal more
flexible than multiple plots in direct graphics using
!P.Multi, since you are not confined to a regular grid.
You can literally put plots anywhere on the display (or
off, alas!) that you like.

Create as many viewports as you need. Add them all to
a scene, and render the scene in your destination object.
Each viewport can be mapped to a different location
in the destination object.

Probably the reason you don't see too many examples of
this is that it is awkward to write the code that accepts
(in a general way) all of the data and all of the keywords
for all of the plots you wish to generate. But, if *you*
know all that information ahead of time, it is not difficult.
 
> PS.  David you'll definately be thanked and acknowledged in my thesis
> and software documentation, as will all the authors of Open Source
> software that I use.  Hey!  How's the object graphics book coming
> along?  I'd buy one.

Well, thanks is good, but a willingness to part with money is
even better! :-)

Maybe I'll get back to the book. My attempts to get back
on the Tennis Tour suffered a setback again last weekend
when that young pup, 30 years younger than me, ran me
all over the court until my knees gave up. I'd take up
golf, but Ernie Els and David Duval tell me that's pretty
much hopeless for the next 30 years too, what with Tiger around. :-(

-- 
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
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