Special Graphics Devices

In this section:

Graphs created with the FOCUS graphics generator can be printed or displayed in three levels of detail:


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Medium-Resolution Devices

These devices use step motors to drive platens back and forth across the pages, to draw two series of spaced dots that simulate continuous lines. There are separate device symbols for the most frequently used printers (see DEVICE in SET Parameters), and a generic device code, HIGHRES (or HIGHRS12 for 12 pitch), for use with many unlisted printers.

Pie charts are not available on these devices.

When using this type of printer, set PAUSE=ON so that you can adjust the paper in the printer before drawing the graph.


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High-Resolution Devices

In this section:

This section describes the special considerations that apply when directing your FOCUS graphs to high-resolution devices from IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Tektronix.



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IBM Devices Using GDDM

To produce graphs on IBM graphics printers or high-resolution graphics terminals, you must have IBM's Graphical Data Display Manager (GDDM). GDDM provides various subroutines for saving, printing, and copying graphic screen contents. FOCUS produces graphs on IBM terminals or printers when you set DEVICE=IBM3279. See your IBM representative concerning the proper configuration for your device controller and terminal.



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GDDM Default Conditions

Whenever graphs are created using FOCUS and GDDM, the printed form of the graph (activated by pressing the PF4 key) has a default size of 132 by 80 characters on 3284 or 3287 printers. These sizes are independent of the parameters that control the lengths of the axes. As a default, each graph is presented with a frame (border). If you wish to omit the frame, set FRAME=OFF.



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GDDM Save and Print Facilities

GDDM includes facilities for saving generated graphs; press the PF1 key to save graphs in an ADMSAVE file on your operating system. Thus saved, you can subsequently use the IBM program ADMUSF2 (supplied with GDDM) to display the saved screens.

For special instructions covering the positioning of graphs on IBM 3284 or 3287 printers, please refer to Technical Memorandum #7689, Plot Table Settings (available through your Information Builders Branch Office).



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Graphics Device Characteristics

To draw vectors, use 7-color displays, or define your own special field patterns, you need a 3279 Model 2B, 3B, 3SG, or 3X with a 3274 terminal controller and C configuration support. C supports structured field and attribute processing (SFAP) and the use of programmed symbols (PS). The Model 3276 terminal controller does not use C.

3279 Models 2A and 3A have only Base Color, which automatically maps colors to preset 3270 field types:

Thus, FIDEL is automatically color-coded with no programming changes, but only in Base Color. Additional colors are available with the 3SG, 3X and the older B models.



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Hewlett-Packard Plotters

The Hewlett-Packard 7220 series plotters translate FOCUS graph requests into 4- or 8-color graphs, suitable for presentations. Color selections and assignments are made using the standard Hewlett-Packard procedures. (Special pens are available from Hewlett-Packard for plotting graphs on transparencies for overhead projection.) For plotters with optional text facilities, FOCUS has special parameters for controlling:

To activate Hewlett-Packard plotters, use the appropriate form of the SET TERM or DEVICE (see SET Parameters). FOCUS provides default lengths and scaling of axes, but these and the other graphic elements can be changed by adjusting SET parameters discussed in Adjusting Graph Elements and summarized in SET Parameters.

Ordinarily, plotters are connected in line with a terminal and a modem. Thus, you can refine your graph requests, viewing the output on the terminal, until you produce exactly what you want and then set the DEVICE parameter to your plotter and issue the REPLOT command to produce the hard copy.

Use the plotter controls to position graphs anywhere on sheets of paper up to 11 by 16.5 inches. Unless you change the default paper size, FOCUS prepares output for an 8.5 by 11 inch sheet placed lengthwise in the lower left-hand corner of the plotter. The other default assignments are as follows:

HAXIS=130, VAXIS=66, GCOLOR=ON


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Tektronix Color Terminals

Tektronix high-resolution CRTs can display the output from GRAPH requests, but only in black and white. The sizes of the vertical and horizontal axes are set depending on the device selected, and cannot be overridden. Select the appropriate device number from those listed in SET Parameters.


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