The User

GENPLOT is an extremely powerful and flexible plotting package for the analysis of scientific and engineering data. However, this flexibility comes at the cost of complexity, and the program is optimized for power at the expense of the novice computer user. The current expectation in software, fostered by Macintoy and Windoze applications, is that one should be able to sit down at a new program without reading any manual and be immediately productive. This is not the model for GENPLOT. If simple command line prompts bring chills and tingles to your spine, this program is probably not for you. However, even as a novice, you can very successfully use the program if you are willing to invest some time to read the manual, and if you can avoid being intimidated at first by the large set of commands and relatively long learning curve. Eventually, a subset of the commands will become like a second language and the true power and flexibility of this program will be made manifest.

For installation and efficient use of this program, you must have certain minimal skills with the computer, the operating system, and simple programming concepts. For example, in OS/2, you should be familiar with the CONFIG.SYS file, environment varialbles, and the PATH and LIBPATH settings. Although the install scripts are nearly 100% automated, it helps to have some idea what the program does to your computer.

The requirements on the user for a UNIX install are much more severe. Since the program must be compiled locally, the location of key operating system files must be known, and you must be able to obtain appropriate privileges. In general, seek out your system administrator to install this program.

The minimum requirements for all users include:

• Moving around the directory structure via cd commands; searching and listing files using wildcards specifications; creating, copying and deleting files and directories using copy, delete, mkdir and rmdir (or the UNIX equivalents cp and rm).
• Ability to create, edit and save ASCII text files. An editor that will not convert spaces to tabs nor automatically break long lines. Any editor will work, but EMACS has many distinct advantages and satisfies these requirements.
• Understanding the concept of environment variables and knowing how to define them in the particular operating system: CONFIG.SYS for OS/2, the system utility for NT, and .cshrc or .login for UNIX.

The Computer

Specific requirements for each operating system are listed with the installation instructions. In general, since all of the OS's implement virtual memory, the minimum requirements for the OS are adequate for the program. The configurations below are `useful' recommended configurations, with sufficient memory to be useful in a networked environment.

1. Hard disk space may be reduced to 10 MB after compilation by deleting all library and object modules.
2. The source code, programming extensions, and some of the examples require long filename support. HPFS and NTFS automatically provide for long filenames; FAT with kludged long filename support (Win-95) may or may not be adequate and has not been tested (nor is it supported).
3. UNIX filesystem must support filenames of up to 32 characters, with multiple extensions, and paths up to 64 characters in length.
4. Any supported display resolution is valid. GENPLOT and RUMP use only 16 colors in normal modes, but 256 colors will be supported for 3D shaded images.
5. X-windows is the preferred display driver. However, a Tektronix graphics emulator (4014 or 4105 for example) can also be used with reduced capabilities.
6. Postscript is the preferred output format. Drivers are included for a wide variety of other printers (Epson, HP LaserJet, etc.) but full capabilities are implemented only on Postscript.
7. In addition to internal device drivers, any printer supported by the operating system may be used.
8. OS/2 version is dynamically linked and extensions may be readily programmed.
9. NT version is statically linked; compiler is only useful if entire source code is requested and modules are added to the base code.
10. Compiler must support POSIX system calls and a few extensions (pipes) beyond the ANSI standard.