Re: small graphics in Ferret

["Mario Germano" <germano@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In reply to Billy Kessler, it is also possible (and more straightforward) to
use the -batch option, to produce a postscript file:
for instance:
    > ferret -batch filename.ps
    > yes? ....all your plot commands ....
    > quit
Mario

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Billy Kessler" <William.S.Kessler@noaa.gov>
To: <Mark.Carson@noaa.gov>; <Steven.C.Hankin@noaa.gov>
Cc: <ferret_users@noaa.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: small graphics in Ferret


> Hi Mark -
>
> You should not be using the FRAME command to produce graphics
> for printing. I think that is your main problem. Don't think
> about pixels in the printing context. Instead, save metafiles,
> which are vector commands that retain full resolution at any
> scale, and use Fprint to turn them into postscript (then
> perhaps distill to make them pdf). In that case you don't worry
> about the window size at all. Make them in a full-sized window,
> since the postscript output is scaleable.
>
> To make metafiles:
>
> yes? set mode meta
> yes? ....all your plot commands ....
> yes? ppl clsplt
>
> Then outside Ferret you will find a file metafile.plt.
> Use Fprint:
>
> > Fprint -o filename.ps [other options] metafile.plt
>
> This will produce a scaleable postscript rendition of your figure.
> Try the command Fprint alone to see the options. Very often it is
> better to use the "-p portrait" option to force the plot to be on
> a vertical page to require less manipulation for publication.
>
> A few hints about producing graphics for publication where they
> will be reduced greatly in size:
>
> 1. Axis/contour labels generally will have a minimum size of 1.5mm
> in height. Use the PPL AXLSZE command to adjust your label sizes.
>
> 2. Very thin lines might turn out to be too thin when reduced.
> Several strategies can avoid this problem:
> Specify your plot axes to be the final size you want: PPL
AXLEN,width,height
> Specify the line width for axes/labels and contours to be thicker: PPL
PEN,0,7; PPL PEN,1,7
> Edit the postscript out of Fprint to increase the line widths:
>    In a text editor, change all occurrences of "1.000000 lw" to "2.000000
lw",
>    or perhaps "3.000000 lw".
>
> There shouldn't be any problem with colors blurring once you are working
> with postscript.
>
> Billy K
>
> > Hello!
> >
> > I'm trying to build some graphs for publication, and so far Ferret has
> > not produced graphics (shade plots, mostly) that scale well or can scale
> > to be small enough.  The fonts seem to get crunched too much as well as
> > the colors start to blur together somewhat.  I need for the graphics to
> > be not much larger than 3 inches printed (maybe about 300x300 pixels on
> > screen).  Are there any tricks to get Ferret to produce clean graphics
> > at that size?  I've tried the frame command with the window sized to the
> > right dimensions and also tried a larger window that I used graphics
> > software to scale it down after "framing" it.  I just wish they weren't
> > gif files.  If Matlab is the better answer, let me know because I
> > already have some ideas on that front too.  But Ferret is faster at
> > generating the graphs without so much programming.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Mark Carson
> > OCRD / PMEL
>