PGPLOT Installation Instructions: VMS systems

Version 5.2.0

Note: The following instructions refer to two directories, the distribution (source) directory which will contain the PGPLOT source code directory tree, and the binary directory in which the machine-specific libraries, data files, and demonstration programs will be created. It is recommended that you create new, empty directories for these. They should not be the same directory. In the examples below, these directories are named

USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT] (distribution directory)
USR:[LOCAL.PGBIN] (binary directory)

but you can use any convenient names. Unusual (system) privileges are not required to install PGPLOT, assuming you have write access to the directories. In a mixed VAX-Alpha cluster, you can use a single distribution directory, but you will need two binary directories, one for each architecture. The distribution directory may be deleted after the installation has been competed, but it will be needed if you later decide to select different device drivers..

1. Copy the distribution file

Copy the distribution file by anonymous ftp from Caltech. Use anonymous ftp (user: anonymous, password: your id username@machine) to node ftp.astro.caltech.edu.

The distribution file is a UNIX tar file compressed with Gzip. Issue the following ftp commands to retrieve the file:

 
        cd pub/pgplot
	binary
	get pgplot5.2.tar.gz pgplot.tar-gz
(Note that you need to provide a VMS-compatible output file name in the get command.)

2. Decompress the files

You will need two programs to decompress and extract the contents of the distribution file: gunzip and vmstar. These programs are not part of VMS, but are widely available on the Internet, e.g., at

http://www.openvms.digital.com/openvms/freeware/cd.html

Use gunzip to decompress the distribution file, e.g., 

	$ gunzip pgplot.tar-gz
Then use vmstar to extract the contents of the archive: 
        $ set default USR:[LOCAL}
	$ vmstar/extract/verbose pgplot.tar
 OR     $ vmstar xvf pgplot.tar
	$ delete pgplot.tar;
This will create a subdirectory [.PGPLOT] (and lower-level subdirectories) in the current directory, e.g., USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT...]. Make sure that your current directory is where you want to create the ``PGPLOT distribution'' directory tree.

3. Create the binary directory

Create a writable directory in which the PGPLOT library and associated files will be created. One such directory is needed for each different binary system; e.g., you may want separate directories for VAX and Alpha. 
	$ create/directory USR:[LOCAL.PGBIN]
	$ set default USR:[LOCAL.PGBIN]
Do not try to create the PGPLOT library in the source (``distribution'') directory.

4. Select device drivers

Configure PGPLOT by selecting device drivers from the available list. First copy the file drivers.list from the distribution directory to the binary directory, and then use a text editor to select device drivers. This file contains one line for each available device driver: delete the exclamation mark (!) at the beginning of the line to include the driver, or ensure that an exclamation mark is present if you want to exclude the driver. Many of the drivers can be used only on certain operating systems (see notes in drivers.list), so include only the drivers you plan to use. PGPLOT can later be reconfigured by restarting the installation at this step. Most installations should include: the null device (/NULL), PostScript printers (/PS, /VPS, /CPS, and /VCPS), Tektronix terminals (/TEK, /XTERM, and possibly other variants), and, if the X window system (DECwindows) is available, the X window drivers (/XWIN, /XSERV). You may also wish to include drivers for GIF files (/GIF, /VGIF) or some of the other printers.

	$ copy USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT]drivers.list []
	$ edit drivers.list

5. Compile the library and demonstration programs

Execute the script install.com from the VMS subdirectory of the distribution directory, e.g.: 
	$ @USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT.SYS_VMS]install USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT]
The first argument supplied to install is the name of the distribution directory. The script will attempt to determine your machine architecture (VAX or Alpha) and compile appropriate code. The script has been tested under several versions of VMS, but if you have problems, you may need to edit the script.

The install script issues messages as it proceeds: it usually takes quite a long time. It should generate the following files: 

	DRIVERS.LIST
	GREXEC.F
	GRFONT.DAT
	GRPCKG.OLB
	GRPSHR.EXE
	GRPSHR.OLB
	PGDEMO1.EXE ... PGDEMO16.EXE
	PGXWIN_SERVER.EXE
	RGB.TXT
The script assumes that you have the current DEC Fortran and C compilers installed. A C compiler is required for XWDRIV and X2DRIV and the associated programs PGXWIN_SERVER and PGDISP, and for generating the C wrapper library CPGPLOT.OLB. If you don't have the DEC C compiler, the script will have to be modified.

The script may fail if you redefine any of the common DCL commands like PURGE or DELETE.

Note: Demonstration program pgdemo14 is compiled incorrectly by the DEC Fortran 6.2 compiler when optimization is enabled; the symptom is that the labels like "Number of Vertices:" do not appear on the screen. The problem is solved by disabling optimization.

6. Compile the optional components

C wrapper library

To install the optional C wrapper library, proceed as follows. 
	$ @USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT.SYS_VMS]install USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT] CPG
This creates three files: 
	CPGPLOT.H	(ANSI C header file)
	CPGPLOT.OLB	(library containing the C binding)
	CPGDEMO.EXE	(demonstration program)

PGDISP program

The PGDISP program is required if you selected the /XDISP device driver. Use of this driver is not recommended: you should use the standard X Window driver (/XWIN or /XSERV) instead. 
	$ @USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT.SYS_VMS]install USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT] PGDISP
This adds one file, PGDISP.EXE. The PGDISP program sometimes gives compilation problems. Most of these are non-fatal warnings that can be ignored.

Motif support and example files

If you plan to develop Motif applications that use the PGPLOT widget, or if you want to inspect a sample Motif application, you will need to do this step. You must first: (a) ensure that the Motif header files and libraries are installed on your system; (b) select XMDRIV in drivers.list before installing the PGPLOT library; and (c) install the C wrapper library. Execute the following command: 
        $ @USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT.SYS_VMS]install USR:[LOCAL.PGPLOT] PGMDEMO
This creates five files: 
	PGMDEMO.EXE     (executable demo program)
	PGMOTIF.OPT     (linker options file for linking PGPLOT/Motif applications)
	PGXWIN.OBJ      (object module required by PGPLOT/Motif applications)
	XMPGPLOT.OBJ	(object module required by PGPLOT/Motif applications)
	XMPGPLOT.H      (header file required by PGPLOT/Motif applications)
(This step may not work on all VMS systems: there are many differences between the various available versions of the DEC C compiler and DECwindows Motif. If you get error messages, you may need to modify file [local.pgplot.sys_vms]make_pgmdemo.com.)

7. Define logical names

Before running any PGPLOT program, you must ensure that the following logical names are correctly defined. The logical names may be placed in the process table or the system table. It may be convenient to place the definitions in LOGIN.COM.
GRPSHR
This should point to the PGPLOT shared library, GRPSHR.EXE, with complete directory information, e.g., 
      $ define GRPSHR PGPLOT_DIR:GRPSHR.EXE
If this logical name is not defined, RUN will look for GRPSHR.EXE in the system library directory (SYS$LIBRARY).

PGPLOT_DIR
This is the name of the directory in which PGPLOT will look for the files grfont.dat and rgb.txt (unless logical names PGPLOT_FONT and PGPLOT_RGB are defined to override this default behavior), and, if needed, the X-window server program pgxwin_server: 
        $ define PGPLOT_DIR USR:[LOCAL.PGBIN]
PGPLOT_DEV
It is also convenient, but not essential, to define a default PGPLOT device with logical name PGPLOT_DEV, e.g. 
        $ define PGPLOT_DEV      "/xwin"
LNK$LIBRARY
If you develop PGPLOT programs, you can arrange for the linker to automatically scan the PGPLOT library by naming GRPSHR.OLB in one of the LNK$LIBRARY* logical names, e.g. 
      $ define LNK$LIBRARY PGPLOT_DIR:GRPSHR.OLB
If you do not do this, you will need to include this library (note: GRPSHR.OLB, not GRPSHR.EXE) in your LINK commands.

Other PGPLOT logical names (environment variables) are described in the manual.

8. Run the demonstration programs

Run the demonstration programs on your selected devices and verify that they run satisfactorily.

To run a program, use the RUN command: 

	$ run pgdemo1
	$ run pgdemo2
	...
	$ run cpgdemo    ! optional component
	$ run pgmdemo    ! optional component
All the demonstration programs prompt for a device name and type. Type a question mark ? to see a list of the available device types and verify that PGPLOT has been configured properly.

Points to check for: the PGPLOT program correctly reads the font file and displays superscripts, subscripts and special characters (pgdemo2); the PGPLOT program can read the color database (pgdemo10); on interactive devices, the cursor works correctly (pgdemo5, pgdemo6).

9. Install the documentation files

Unlike the UNIX installation procedure, the VMS installation procedure does not generate documentation. A list of subroutine synopses is available in a variety of formats by anonymous ftp from ftp://ftp.astro.caltech.edu/pub/pgplot/DOC/: The help file can be installed in a VMS help library with a DCL command like the following: 
	$ library/insert/help pgplot.hlb pgplot.hlp

PGPLOT
Tim Pearson, California Institute of Technology, tjp·astro.caltech.edu
Copyright © 1997 California Institute of Technology