Obtaining a metafile with graphics output

Depending on the system on which you run Garfield, a default metafile is or is not opened. Metafile output can be generated both in interactive and in batch runs. You can generate metafiles in several different output formats at the same time.

Requesting metafile output at startup

You can request metafile output, or suppress it, at startup time with command line arguments:

garfield -metafile
garfield -nometafile

The option -metafile has several sub-options:

name file: The file name of the metafile. The keyword file is a character string.
type format: Where format must be chosen from a list that depends on the GKS version for which Garfield has been compiled. The list for HIGZ is shown below.
GKS_identifier gksid: If you use another GKS than the one for which Garfield has been compiled, you have to specify the metafile format via the GKS identifier. You will find a list of such identifiers in the manual of the GKS system that you are using.
offset offset: The offset between the logical unit on which the metafile is opened and the channel identifier for the metafile. Some flavours of GKS use this offset to distinguish between metafile formats, offset is an integer number. This keyword is ignored by HIGZ.
single-frame-file: Specifies that each metafile should only contain a single graph. You have therefore to take care that the file name depends on global variables that change between plots, such as the pre-defined variable called FRAME. This option is implied if the file name contains braces: -metafile name plot_\{frame\}.eps. This option is particularly useful with EPS metafiles.
multiple-frame-file: Specifies that a metafile is allowed to contain several plots. This option is implied if the file name does not contains braces.

Example:

garfield -metafile type PostScript name currents.ps

Changing metafile output during the run

You can open and close metafiles during a Garfield run. This is accomplished with graphics control statements described in the on-line help file, under the heading "graphics".

Opening a metafile can be done as follows:

!add meta type format name file
!open meta
!activate meta

To close it:

!deactivate meta
!close meta
!del meta

In this example, meta represents a string that you may choose, format must be chosen from a list that depends on the GKS version for which Garfield has been compiled, and file should be replaced by the file name. The list for HIGZ is shown below.

List of metafile formats with HIGZ

At CERN, Garfield is currently compiled assuming HIGZ as graphics system.

format Description

PostScript PostScript, default

PS_landscape PostScript, landscape

PS_portrait PostScript, portrait

EPS Encapsulated PostScript

encapsulated_PS Encapsulated PostScript

LaTeX LaTeX

`format`	Description
`PostScript`	PostScript, default
`PS_landscape`	PostScript, landscape
`PS_portrait`	PostScript, portrait
`EPS`	Encapsulated PostScript
`encapsulated_PS`	Encapsulated PostScript
`LaTeX`	LaTeX

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Last updated on 25/3/00.