Re: 2.9.10, finally?

[Daniel J Sebald]

John W. Eaton wrote:
> OK, I know that we need a new snapshot.  Many bugs have been fixed
> since 2.9.9.  I'm ready to make a new snapshot now, but would like
> some feedback first.
>
> The graphics features have changed a lot since 2.9.9, some in ways
> that are not compatible with older versions of Octave.  These changes
> are likely to be among the most visible, so we need to decide whether
> we should try to make plotting even better before the next snapshot or
> just go ahead with it and see what the reaction is.  Here is a draft
> summary of the changes that could become a NEWS file entry.
>
>   + Compatibility with Matlab graphics is much better now.  We have
>     some handle graphics (tm) features.
>
>   + At long last, you can make a subplot and then use the print
>     function to generate file with the plot.

Will be nice, not that the __gnuplot_raw__() method was all that difficult.  
Means of controlling myriad options for terminals?

Otherwise, looking forward to seeing what is new.  (CVS version is the stamp 
candidate, right?)


>   - It is no longer possible to mix Matlab-style plot commands with
>     the old (and now really obsolete) style of plot commands
>     (__gnuplot_set__, etc.).  You can do one or the other, but not
>     both for the same plot.  Really, it has never been possible to do
>     this reliably, but in many cases it did work, so users were
>     probably misled to believe that it should work.  Now that it
>     doesn't we will probably see some complaints, but I don't guess I
>     really care.  Graphics compatibility is improving, and supporting
>     gnuplot-style commands directly in Octave, or trying to support
>     all the features of gnuplot in Octave is not a goal.  The
>     __gnuplot_*_ commands may be removed completely in a future
>     version of Octave.

Well, the __gnuplot_raw__ is something I wish would be retained.  (I thought it actually 
was meant to be some generic originally, like "__graphics_raw__".)  It allows 
accessing features and terminal settings that Octave may not have reason to implement, 
e.g., building animations using a series of plots.  Its a helpful routine.

Dan