The World of Computer Software/World_Of_Computer_Software-02-385-Vol-1of3.iso/e/estat21.zip/EASIDOC.ZIP/ESCHAP13.DOC

Text File | 1992-06-30 | 6KB | 199 lines

     Chapter 13: EASIGRAF IN BATCH MODE

     Instead of running EASIGRAF interactively, it is possible
     to set it to run automatically from a command file in a
     similar way to EASISTAT, although the procedure is not
     quite so straightforward. The main purpose is so that
     graphs can automatically be modified and saved in
     Microsoft Paint format from a DOS batch file, and if you
     familiar with the use of batch files you may find this
     feature helpful.


     13:1. Using a command file

     To use a command file you must run EASIGRAF as follows:

     EASIGRAF graphfile commandfile

     The command file can have any name as long as it does not
     have the extension .MSP. It contains the keys that you
     would press to use EASIGRAF interactively. Where EASIGRAF
     is just asking for one key to be pressed at a time then a
     number of letters can all be put on one line. Where
     EASIGRAF is asking for a whole line of information then
     this must be entered in the command file on a new line.
     The underline symbol "_" (above the hyphen on the
     keyboard) has the same effect as pushing the ENTER key
     and the caret symbol "^" (above the 6 on the keyboard)
     has the same effect as pushing the ESCAPE key.

     Example command file:

     mk1
     a567
     0,0.5,0.1
     0,2,1
     _
     F1
     fred.msp
     _

     The first line turns off the main menu, selects the "Key"
     menu and toggles off the key. The end of the line has the
     same effect as pushing ENTER and so the "Key" menu is
     left and one returns to the main menu. Then the "Axes"
     menu is selected, the X and Y scales are toggled on and
     the option to rescale the axes is selected. The third and
     fourth lines then provide the new X and Y scales. The
     underscore provides an ENTER to leave the "Axes" menu and
     return to the main menu. F1 selects the "Files" menu and
     the option to save in MSP format and the next line gives
     the filename to use. The final underscore acts as an
     ENTER to leave the file menu. When there is nothing left
     in the command file control returns to the user, or
     alternatively the command file could finish with a Q (for
     quit) in which case EASIGRAF would finish and anything
     remaining in the file would be ignored.

     There is another example of the use of a command file in
     the demonstration GRAFDEMO.BAT. It creates a file called
     TEMP.JF by using the DOS ECHO command and you may want to
     examine this file.

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        EASIGRAF in batch mode

     Using command files with EASIGRAF is difficult, and you
     probably will not want to do it until you have become
     quite familiar with the program through using it
     interactively.


     13:2. Creating an MSP file
     directly

     If a second filename is provided and it ends in the
     extension .MSP then instead of being taken to be a file
     containing commands it will be used as the name of an MSP
     file to which the graph is to be saved:

     EASIGRAF HISTO.GRP HISTO.MSP

     The graph file HISTO.GRP would be displayed on the screen
     and then immediately the screen image would be saved in
     Microsoft Paint format to the file HISTO.MSP. It could
     then be subsequently printed out with PRMSP or altered
     further with the Windows Paint program. EASIGRAF quits
     after doing this and control is returned to DOS or to the
     batch file from which the command has been run.

     In order to produce MSP files in this way it is necessary
     that the graph file already contains the information to
     display the graph exactly as required (for example with
     the correct scales and titles) since no further
     adjustment is performed.


     13:3. Drawing the graphs in
     memory

     A further feature is supplied which allows EASIGRAF to
     draw its graphs in the computer's memory rather than on
     screen. No graph is displayed, so obviously the only
     usefulness of this is if an MSP file is created which is
     saved to disk. The advantage is that it is possible to
     create an MSP file without ever putting the computer into
     graphics mode. This is useful when using a multitasking
     system such as DESQview because EASIGRAF can then be run
     from batch files in background without taking the monitor
     out of text mode. Either command files or MSP filenames
     can be used to get EASIGRAF to run in background in this
     way.

     The way to select this feature is to set the FG_DISPLAY
     environment variable to RAM by entering at the DOS
     prompt:

     SET FG_DISPLAY=RAM

     Thereafter EASIGRAF will run "invisibly" until a
     subsequent command is used to set FG_DISPLAY to a value
     appropriate to the monitor you have. If you do not
     normally have to set FG_DISPLAY at all to get EASIGRAF to
     run correctly (because the display type is recognised
     automatically) then you can enter:




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        EASIGRAF in batch mode

     SET FG_DISPLAY=

     This will allow EASIGRAF to return to normal functioning.

     Note that because of the way DOS works it is not possible
     to set FG_DISPLAY (or any other "environment variable")
     from within EASISTAT - see the section on the SYSTEM
     command in the EASISTAT documentation.























































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