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Ploticus is a free GPL software utility that can produce various types of plots and graphs
like shown here and here.
Data input is usually csv files or text files such as used with sort, awk, etc.
Output options are GIF, PNG, PostScript, SVG and some others. HTML imagemaps are supported.
Ploticus can produce just-in-time plots in dynamic web content systems, or in batch production settings.
It can be invoked from your command line, in shell scripts, via system() calls in web content environments and other programs,
or via the libploticus API.
There are two distinct usage approaches depending on what you're doing:
1. Prefabs produce quick one-off graphs without a lot of
customization. All parameters are supplied directly on the command line.
2. Scripts
develop more elaborate customized graphs or unattended production applications.
You write a script using a text editor and specify
how to get the data, set up a scaled plot region and axes, and render plots and graphs.
Then do e.g.: pl myscript -o gif > out.gif
Requirements: gcc or similar C/C++ compiler and 'make'.
Ploticus can be built without any special system library dependencies.
Ready-to-run Linux x86-64 binary also available.
Ploticus strengths:
variety of standard graphs and plots supported
lots of control over minutae of displays, graphical elements, labelling
production-oriented features eg. automatic cropping of output images
pretty good clientside imagemap support for tooltip popup textbox annotation and clickthru
work with numeric, categorical, date and time data
some statistical, curvefit, summarizing, and data manipulation capabilities built-in
small footprint, fast performance
both vector (PS, SVG) and raster (GIF, PNG) output formats with decent consistency
full documention and lots of examples available;
can be invoked using pl(1) command or via libploticus API
mature stable GPL package with many public contributions and improvements over the years
Ploticus weaknesses:
command line tool with no interactive/GUI approach;
sprawling package with substantial learning curve to get the most out of it;
no direct connectivity with DBMS
limited superscript, subscript, special character support
no formula or equation support
generic build GD fonts somewhat ugly
old-school installation method; some will find it difficult to get going
lacks 3-D effects, embedded logos and other marketing-oriented niceties
various capacity limitations
Script language is non-standard and inelegant
C code written mostly in 1990s, some rickety; not much new development currently
Ploticus data display utility © 1999-2013 Steve Grubb
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