Chapter 20. The Specialized C API for PLplot

Table of Contents
plabort: Error abort
plAlloc2dGrid: Allocate a block of memory for use as a 2-d grid of type PLFLT.
plClearOpts: Clear internal option table info structure.
plexit: Error exit
plFree2dGrid: Free the memory associated with a 2-d grid allocated using plAlloc2dGrid.
plGetCursor: Wait for graphics input event and translate to world coordinates.
plgfile: Get output file handle
plMergeOpts: Merge use option table into internal info structure.
plMinMax2dGrid: Find the minimum and maximum of a 2d grid allocated using plAlloc2dGrid.
plOptUsage: Print usage and syntax message.
plMergeOpts: Reset internal option table info structure.
plsabort: Set abort handler
plSetUsage: Set the strings used in usage and syntax messages.
plsexit: Set exit handler
plsfile: Set output file handle
pltr0: Identity transformation for grid to world mapping
pltr1: Linear interpolation for grid to world mapping using singly dimensioned coord arrays
pltr2: Linear interpolation for grid to world mapping using doubly dimensioned coord arrays (column dominant, as per normal C 2d arrays)
PLGraphicsIn: PLplot Graphics Input structure
PLOptionTable: PLplot command line options table structure

The purpose of this chapter is to document the PLPlot C functions that are currently not part of the common API, either because they are C/C++ specific utility functions (e.g. plAlloc2dGrid, plFree2dGrid) or because they are not easily implemented in other languages (e.g. plGetCursor). Some of these functions are used in the examples and may be helpful for other users of plplot.

This chapter also documents some of the data types and structures defined by plplot and used by the functions.

plabort: Error abort

plabort (message);

This routine is to be used when something goes wrong that doesn't require calling plexit but for which there is no useful recovery. It calls the abort handler defined via plsabort, does some cleanup and returns. The user can supply his/her own abort handler and pass it in via plsabort.

message (char *, input)

Abort message.

This function is currently available in C, f77, f95 and python.

This function is used in example 20.