rh*******@juno.com (rhmd) wrote in news:616fccba.0310200250.22d55351
@posting.google.com:
I need to create image files (eg bmp or jpeg) of xy scatter graphs
(i.e., graphs in which markers denote individual points; the markers
need to be small polygons of various sizes, shapes, colors, shadings,
etc. and there are thousands on them on each graph). Have been using
MS Excel, but its limitations are unbelievable (only whole number
sizes, no way around a 56 color palette, only low quality jpeg files
so that when I publish the graphs I have to print and scan them all to
get a decent image, no more than 32K markers in a single series).
From a programming point of view, Python is perfect to set up
something like this, but MY QUESTION IS: Will TKinter do this? Or
will it be necessary to learn OpenGL? Or is another Python compatible
package best? Thanks for your help.
I would like to add a possible solution to those suggested. This may be
off-topic and I don't know the context of the question. I, too,
abandoned Excel as my graphing platform.
If you are automating research processes and not writing software for
distribution then I think the R environment (
http://r-project.org) is
worth a look. I've used it for several research projects and created
graphs for publication. There are Python packages to call R from python,
although complete programs can be written in R, which to my newbie eyes
is very Python-like. The graphs can written to several formats (see
below) and can paste into your favorite word/presentation processor.
The added bonus is you get a wealth of statistical processes along with
plotting (although you didn't mention this requirement in your post).
There are several downsides: your program would require R to be installed
on the system; batching R on windows does not work (for me); there is a
learning curve; and parameters are a bit quirky (work like globals).
http://r-project.org http://www.omegahat.org/RSPython/index.html http://rpy.sourceforge.net/
description from the R site:
R is a language and environment for statistical computing and graphics.
It is a GNU project which is similar to the S language and environment...
One of R's strengths is the ease with which well-designed publication-
quality plots can be produced, including mathematical symbols and
formulae where needed.
from the R help:
The following graphics devices are currently available:
* `postscript' Writes PostScript graphics commands to a file
* `pdf' Write PDF graphics commands to a file
* `pictex' Writes LaTeX/PicTeX graphics commands to a file
* `windows' The graphics driver for Windows (on screen, to
printer and to Windows metafile).
* `png' PNG bitmap device
* `jpeg' JPEG bitmap device
* `bmp' BMP bitmap device
* `xfig' Device for XFIG graphics file format
* `bitmap' bitmap pseudo-device via `GhostScript' (if