Inserting commands from another file into a gnuplot script in a bash environment

Question

In my bash script, I am doing a bunch of operations before starting my gnuplot script. My bash script looks like this:

    #!/bin/bash -e

    # Do some bash operations here

    # Create a file containing a list of Gnuplot commands called arrow_coords
    # All the commands are the same: just drawing a group of arrows
    # Every line in "arrow_coords" looks like this: 
    # set arrow from -500,-100 to 500,-100 as 1
    # There are hundreds of those line commands 

    # Entering Gnuplot script

    gnuplot <<- EOF
    reset
    set terminal pngcairo transparent nocrop enhanced font '$font_type, 22' size 1800,1800
    set output "$output_file"
    set yrange [-1:18]
    set xrange [-1:18]
    ? <----------------------------------- HOW TO INSERT COMMANDS FROM ANOTHER FILE?
    plot '$dat_file' using 1:2 with points ls 1
    EOF

I could not find a way to insert the commands written in arrow_coords into the Gnuplot script I have in my bash file. Is this possible? Are there other suggestions to what I am trying to do?

vagoberto · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-04 20:34:23Z

4

If your file contains only gnuplot instructions, you can run it with the load or call commands:

gnuplot <<- EOF
  # your gnuplot configurations
  load 'arrow_coords'    # calling external file 
  plot '$dat_file' using 1:2 with points ls 1
EOF

answered Oct 4, 2015 at 20:34

vagoberto

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1 Comment

Daniel Hollas Over a year ago

Cool, this is exactly what I needed. :) This should be the preferred answer imho, much more elegant.

Kenney · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-04 20:14:23Z

2

Here's an example that illustrates the solution:

#!/bin/bash

# prepare file    
echo "Test!" > test.txt

a=`cat test.txt`
cat <<- EOF
File contents: $a
Again: `cat test.txt`
EOF

So in your code, you could replace the line starting with ? with:

`cat the_file_you_generated`

answered Oct 4, 2015 at 20:14

Kenney

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3 Comments

Theo Over a year ago

Worked like charm! Thanks.

Kenney Over a year ago

You're welcome. I'm surprised you use bash and have not come across the backtic operator!

Theo Over a year ago

I've never used it before. I use bash to develop fairly easy scripts. So I am still a beginner in that respect ;)

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