SAC Command Reference Manual

WINDOW

SUMMARY

Sets the location, size, and aspect ratio of graphics windows.

SYNTAX

WINDOW n {XSIZE xwmin xwmax} {YSIZE ywmin ywmax}
     {ASPECT [ value | ON | OFF ]}

INPUT

n:The graphics window number of interest. There are a total of nine possible graphics windows [ 1 - 9 ].
X xwmin xwmax:Set the x (horizontal) location of graphics window n on the screen. xwmin is the location of the left edge of the window and xwmax is the location of the right edge. The range of these screen coordinates is 0.0 to 1.0. xsize = xwmax - xwmin.
Y ywmin ywmax:Set the y (vertical) location of graphics window n on the screen. ywmin is the location of the bottom edge of the window and ywmax is the location of the top edge. The range of these screen coordinates is 0.0 to 1.0. ysize = ywmax - ywmin.
ASPECT VALUE:If ASPECT is ON (OFF is default), xwmax is not used and the xsize is set so that the aspect ratio (xsize/ysize) on the screen for the window is VALUE if given or the default if not explicitly given. The default for VALUE is 11.0/8.5 = 1.294.

DEFAULT SETTINGS

n xwmin xwmax ywmin ywmax
1 0.05 0.65 0.45 0.95
2 0.07 0.67 0.43 0.93
3 0.09 0.69 0.41 0.91
4 0.11 0.71 0.39 0.89
5 0.13 0.73 0.37 0.87

The default is n = 1.

For versions 101.5 through 101.6a, the default for ASPECT was ON, so xwmax was not used in the default windows. If you prefer the 2011 - 2018 windows, use a init.m macro (see ${SACHOME}/README) with the following lines:

window 1 x 0.05 0.65 y 0.45 0.95 aspect on
window 2 x 0.07 0.67 y 0.43 0.93 aspect on
window 3 x 0.09 0.69 y 0.41 0.91 aspect on
window 4 x 0.11 0.71 y 0.39 0.89 aspect on
window 5 x 0.13 0.73 y 0.37 0.87 aspect on

DESCRIPTION

The default window set is useful if one wants to create and compare several plots in a single SAC session. For an example about how to produce a screen with several separate but related plots, see ${SACHOME}/aux/macros/demo.

The BEGINWINDOW command lets you select the window in which to display subsequent plots. BEGINWINDOW will create the requested window -- erasing its contents, if it already existed. If one wants to change a setting from the default setting, the WINDOW command must be called BEFORE a call to BEGINWINDOW. On most systems the user can also move and resize these windows dynamically using the mouse and pop-up menus. Generally but not always, the moving of a window will result in the current plot being redraw automatically, whereas the resizing of a window results in the current plot being redrawn but not rescaled. The next plot in a resized window will be scaled correctly.

If ASPECT is OFF, the aspect ratio of the displayed window depends on the aspect ratio of the screen. Older terminals typically had an x:y aspect ratio of 4:3; newer ones are more varied, but many have an aspect ratio of 16:10 or 16:9.

SAVEIMG has instructions how to create plot files from displayed windows, but for PDF or PS plots,the aspect ratio is fixed to 11.0/8.5 (1.294). To get the best resolution for such plots, it is best to have the window aspect ration at or near 1.294.

For screens with large aspect ratios, width/height > 2.0 or < 0.5, e.g. multiple monitors and high-end displays and if ASPECT is OFF, the APSECT ratio will automatically be turned ON and set to 11/8.5 = 1.294. This behavior attempts to avoid ultra-wide display windows.

Prior to 2011 (when ASPECT was introduced), the most recent revision to WINDOW was in 1986, and computer monitors have evolved considerably since then.

EXAMPLES

To see the current window values:

SAC> report window

To change from the default (n = 1) to give more space at the left of the screen:

SAC> window 1 x 0.25 0.85
SAC> beginwindow 1

The y limits will be unchanged.

Note that the order matters:

SAC> window 1 ASPECT 1.33 x 0.25 0.85
SAC> bw 1

will not give the same answer as

SAC> window 1 x 0.25 0.85 ASPECT (4.0 / 3.0)
SAC> bw 1

which ignores xwmax and fixes the aspect ratio to 4/3 = 1.33 because later items on the command line take precedence

LATEST REVISION

2019 (v 102.0)