Tips for Using xmgr

It is invoked by typing "xmgr" on any of our workstations (RS/6000, SGI, Linux). It is recommended that the following line be included in your .Xdefaults file:
XMgr*fontList: -adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--14-*-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1
Otherwise, the menus will appear in a small, indistinct font.

Some Simple Examples to Get Started:

• If file.* are m-by-2 matrices, "xmgr file.*" will plot all the curves on a single plot. (m can be different for each file)
• If file is an m-by-k matrix, "xmgr -nxy file" will plot k-1 curves against column 1 in a single plot. Each curve will be a different color.
• If file1 and file2 are m-by-2 matrices
  "xmgr -graph 0 file1 -graph 1 file2 -rows 2"
  will stack the two plots vertically.
  "xmgr -graph 0 file1 -graph 1 file2 -cols 2"
  will stack them horizontally.
  To put 4 plots on a page in a 2x2 array do:
  "xmgr -graph 0 file1 -graph 1 file2 -graph 2 file3 -graph 3 file 4 -arrange 2 2"
• To plot multiple curves xplot style, terminate each curve with an "&":
  x1 y1
  x2 y2
  x3 y3
  &
  w1 v1
  w2 v2
  &
  
• To pick and choose columns from a matrix-type file:
  x y1 y2 y3 y4 ...
  x y1 y2 y3 y4 ...
  Plot col 2 vs. 1 and col 4 vs. 1 in one graph:
  xmgr -block file -bxy 1:2 -bxy 1:4
  In two stacked graphs:
  xmgr -rows 2 -block file -graph 0 -bxy 1:2 -graph 1 -bxy 1:4
  (graph 0 is on the bottom with cols 1,2; graph 1 above with cols 1,4).
  Semi-Interactive Method:
  xmgr -rows 2
  Use File/Read Block Data to pump data into selected graph.

You can have up to 10 graphs, each of which can have up to 30 data sets contained in one file divided up arbitrarily among several files, provided the right flags are given. The total number of points plotted can be in the hundreds of thousands. (The limits 10 and 30 can be increased with the maxsets, maxgraph, and graphsets options described below.)

Additional Sources of Information

There is an 80 page manual in the computer room which has a brief tutorial on pp. 12-20. There is a brief man entry that can be accessed by typing man xmgr, provided MANPATH is set to "/usr/local/man:/usr/man". There is a detailed Web-based manual at: http://mrb.niddk.nih.gov/xmgr/index.html. The Web manual is also accessible from within xmgr if you do
"setenv GR_HOME /software/xmgr".
(xmgr will now try to open a new Netscape session when you click on Help or press F1. If you are already running Netscape, just go to the URL above. Nonetheless, defining GR_HOME will suppress an annoying error message.)

If you prefer to learn by example, there are numerous examples in /software/xmgr/examples, and a script called "dotest" which will give a demonstration of xmgr's features by applying xmgr to the data and parameter sets in that directory. Type "dotest" in that directory; use F3 to kill the current graph and go on to the next one.

Finally, there is a world-wide listserv where you can post sticky questions. To subscribe send email to:
Majordomo@admin.ogi.edu
with the following command in the body of your email message:
subscribe acegr Firstname Lastname email-address
To get off the list send:
unsubscribe acegr email-address

More Tricks

1. To pipe data from a program:
   prog | xmgr -source stdin
2. To use a template (parameter file):
   xmgr -param file.par file.dat
3. To print in batch mode:
   grbatch file
   (setenv GR_HDEV 2 for postscript portrait; default is 1 = landscape)
4. With NCD terminals, use -GXinvert to see rubber bands and focus markers
5. With RS/6K can use -bs to fake backing store instead of redrawing on expose events.
6. How to digitize images:
   • Scan image on MAC; convert to TIFF/GIF/JPEG
   • Display image on unix with xv
   • Save as X bitmap using xwd -bitmap > file (click on unobscured window) (Note: xv-generated xbm files don't work - xmgr can't read them)
   • In xmgr use Graph/Graph Ops/Image to read xwd file
   • Use Data/Point Ops/Add to click on points and add to any set (Note: Don't select "Paint Points"; seems to be buggy)
   • Write set to disk.

Command Line Arguments: