(PLOT79): a comprehensive portable Fortran scientific line graphics system, as applied to biomedical research.
Scientific results are often most succinctly presented in graphical form. We describe a system for computer-generated scientific line graphics known as (PLOT79), named to commemorate the SIGGRAPH CORE graphics standard proposal of 1979. (PLOT79) is a widely used and actively evolving graphics system, written primarily in SFTRAN3, a structured procedural computer language which can be translated readily into Fortran. The package embodies concepts of sound software engineering, having been designed from the outset to be portable, maintainable and hardware-independent; much of the effort required to implement the system was directed toward the development of software engineering tools to ensure these goals. A modular design strategy has allowed a wide variety of graphics output devices to be supported. (PLOT79) has been installed under numerous operating systems, and software tools provided by UNIX have allowed particularly efficient installation and use of the system. Access to (PLOT79) is available through three avenues: (1) linking (PLOT79) routines with a user-written high-level program; (2) use of pre-written high-level applications programs which perform certain frequently-required tasks such as the plotting of simple two or three-dimensional data; or (3) the use of an interactive graphics command parser known as slides. (PLOT79) has proven popular among workers in the physical sciences and engineering both for its easy availability, openness (all source code is provided), and powerful capability. The system presents an equally important (though lesser known) resource for biomedical research, as demonstrated by examples from ongoing biomedical research projects. It also provides a focus for discussion of the practical limitations inherent in existing graphics standards and programming languages.
Beebe
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Department of Mathematics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112.
Rodgers
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D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D011381:Programming Languages; D012372:ROC Curve; D012106:Research; D012986:Software Validation