[comp.lang.fortran] Graphics Package

martin@chiton.ucsd.edu (Martin Olivera) (11/20/90)

I'm looking for a good graphics package. It doesn't matter whether it's
public domain or commercial (although if I find one I like in one of
those ftp sites I don't mind). The graphics routines should be callable
from fortran and "c" programs. Anybody has any recommendations?. 

These graphics routines are to  be used in a scientific envirnonment,
so emphasis is made in axes creation, log-log graphs, and all that.
Contouring and 3-d graphs are also wanted.

Martin
martin@mollusk.ucsd.edu

alien@essex.ac.uk ("Adrian F Clark") (11/24/90)

In article <599@chiton.ucsd.edu> martin@chiton.ucsd.edu (Martin Olivera) writes:

> I'm looking for a good graphics package. It doesn't matter whether it's
> public domain or commercial (although if I find one I like in one of
> those ftp sites I don't mind). The graphics routines should be callable
> from fortran and "c" programs. Anybody has any recommendations?. 
> 
> These graphics routines are to  be used in a scientific envirnonment,
> so emphasis is made in axes creation, log-log graphs, and all that.
> Contouring and 3-d graphs are also wanted.

The best one I've ever come across is DIMFILM, written by John Gilbert
of the University of London Computer Centre, Guilford Street, London,
UK.  It was originally written for the CDC6600/7600, and subsequently
ported to VMS (by me) and Unix (well, UNICOS) by John.  Its output is
definitely of publishable quality, and it is probably the most
programmer-friendly graphics package I've ever seen.  The main code is
also totally portable, though the device-specific stuff obviously
isn't. ULCC licence the software, but you shouldn't have to pay for
it.  I think the only reason it hasn't become more widely used is that
John doesn't try to persuade people to use it.

--
 Adrian F. Clark                                      JANET: alien@uk.ac.essex
 INTERNET: alien%uk.ac.essex@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk          FAX: (+44) 206-872900
 BITNET: alien%uk.ac.essex@ac.uk              PHONE: (+44) 206-872432 (direct)
 Dept ESE, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, C04 3SQ, UK.

martin@chiton.ucsd.edu (Martin Olivera) (11/27/90)

Thank you to all those that responded my inquiry. For those who are
interested here is a summary of responses:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
SM is a nice package. $250 site licence (for the whole site, 
e.g. whole University !). Nice, I used it for 1-2 years now.
No 3D stuff, poor conturs.
write to rhl@astro.princeton.edu to get more info.
NCAR Graphics is very well done. $500 site licence but is not
interactive
(National Center of Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try PV-Wave (303-530-9000).  Also there is the venerable DISSPLA (sp?)
package, don't have a phone number.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
	We use NCAR Graphics.  It has some limitations, but find it
adequate for most of our Oceanographic applications.  It is well documented
with adequte number of examples.  You also get the source code.  You may
get deatils from consult1@ncar.ucar.edu .  They are very helpful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
We use PVI (Precision Visuals, Inc.) products, and I'm very happy with them. 
The ones we have are PicSure Plus, DI-3000, Contouring, DI-TEXTPRO, and Metafile
Interpreter.  Most of our needs (>95%) are met by PicSure Plus, an interactive
chart-drawing utility.  Those things that can't be done with PicSure, we do
with DI-3000 and Contouring.
By the way, these aren't cheap, but the support is great, and the design
philosopy makes use very easy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If I get more responses I'll post them.

Martin