GDSTATE - Shows the current status of a graphics device

Description:

This application displays information about the current graphics database picture on a graphics device, including the extreme axis values in any requested co-ordinate Frame  (see parameter FRAME). Information is written to various output parameters for use by other applications, and is also written to the screen by default (see parameter REPORT). An outline may be drawn around the current picture if required (see parameter OUTLINE).

A list of the colours in the current palette is also produced.

Usage:

gdstate [device] [frame]

Parameters:

COMMENT = LITERAL (Write)

The comment of the current picture. Up to 132 characters will be written.

DESCRIBE = _LOGICAL (Read)

If TRUE, a detailed description is displayed of the co-ordinate Frame in which the picture bounds are reported (see parameter FRAME). [current value]

DEVICE = DEVICE (Read)

Name of the graphics device about which information is required. [Current graphics device]

EPOCH = _DOUBLE (Read)

If a `Sky Co-ordinate System' specification is supplied (using parameter FRAME) for a celestial co-ordinate system, then an epoch value is needed to qualify it. This is the epoch at which the displayed sky co-ordinates were determined. It should be given as a decimal years value, with or without decimal places ("1996.8" for example). Such values are interpreted as a Besselian epoch if less than 1984.0 and as a Julian epoch otherwise.

FRAME = LITERAL (Read)

A string determining the co-ordinate Frame in which the bounds of the current picture are to be reported. When a picture is created by an application such as PICDEF, DISPLAY, the WCS information describing the available co-ordinate systems are stored with the picture in the graphics database. This application can report bounds in any of the co-ordinate Frames stored with the current picture. The string supplied for FRAME can be one of the following:

• A domain name  such as SKY, AXIS, PIXEL, NDC, BASEPIC, CURPIC. The special domain AGI_WORLD is used to refer to the world co-ordinate system stored in the AGI graphics database. This can be useful if no WCS information was store with the picture when it was created.

• An integer value giving the index of the required Frame.

• An IRAS90 Sky Co-ordinate System (SCS) values such as "EQUAT(J2000)" (see SUN/163).

If a null value (!) is supplied, bounds are reported in the co-ordinate Frame which was current when the picture was created. [!]

OUTLINE = _LOGICAL (Read)

If OUTLINE is TRUE, then an outline will be drawn around the current picture to indicate its position. [FALSE]

REPORT = _LOGICAL (Read)

If this is FALSE, the state of the graphics device is not reported, merely the results are written to the output parameters. It is intended for use within procedures. [TRUE]

STYLE = LITERAL (Read)

A group of attribute settings describing the plotting style to use when drawing the outline (see parameter OUTLINE). The format of the axis values reported on the screen may also be controlled.

A comma-separated list of strings should be given in which each string is either an attribute setting, or the name of a text file preceded by an up-arrow character "$\wedge$". Such text files should contain further comma-separated lists which will be read and interpreted in the same manner. Attribute settings are applied in the order in which they occur within the list, with later settings overriding any earlier settings given for the same attribute.

Each individual attribute setting should be of the form:

$<$name$>$=$<$value$>$

where $<$name$>$ is the name of a plotting attribute, and $<$value$>$ is the value to assign to the attribute. Default values will be used for any unspecified attributes. All attributes will be defaulted if a null value (!) is supplied. See Plotting Attributes for a description of the available attributes. Any unrecognised attributes are ignored (no error is reported).

The appearance of the outline is controlled by the attributes Colour(Border), Width(Border), etc. (the synonym Outline may be used in place of Border). In addition, the following attributes may be set in order to control the appearance of the formatted axis values reported on the screen: Format, Digits, Symbol, Unit. These may be suffixed with an axis number (e.g. Digits(2)) to refer to the values displayed for a specific axis. [current value]

Results Parameters:

DOMAIN = LITERAL (Write)

The Domain name of the current co-ordinate Frame for the current picture.

LABEL = LITERAL (Write)

The label of the current picture. It is blank if there is no label.

NAME = LITERAL (Write)

The name of the current picture.

REFNAM = LITERAL (Write)

The reference object associated with the current picture. It is blank if there is no reference object. Up to 132 characters will be written.

X1 = LITERAL (Write)

The lowest value found within the current picture for axis 1 of the requested co-ordinate Frame (see parameter FRAME).

X2 = LITERAL (Write)

The highest value found within the current picture for axis 1 of the requested co-ordinate Frame (see parameter FRAME).

Y1 = LITERAL (Write)

The lowest value found within the current picture for axis 2 of the requested co-ordinate Frame (see parameter FRAME).

Y2 = LITERAL (Write)

The highest value found within the current picture for axis 2 of the requested co-ordinate Frame (see parameter FRAME).

Examples:

gdstate

Shows the status of the current graphics device. The bounds of the picture are displayed in the current co-ordinate Frame of the picture.

gdstate ps_l basepic

Shows the status of the ps_l device. The bounds of the picture are displayed in the BASEPIC Frame (normalised device co-ordinates in which the short of the two dimensions of the display surface has length 1.0).

gdstate outline frame=pixel style="'colour=red,width=3'"

Shows the status of the current graphics device and draws a thick, red outline around the current database picture. The bounds of the picture are displayed in the PIXEL co-ordinate Frame (if available).

gdstate refnam=(ndfname)

Shows the status of the current graphics device. If there is a reference data object, its name is written to the ICL variable NDFNAME.

gdstate x1=(x1) x2=(x2) y1=(y1) y2=(y2) frame=basepic

Shows the status of the current graphics device. The bounds of the current picture in normalised device co-ordinates are written to the ICL variables: X1, X2, Y1, Y2.

Notes:

• The displayed bounds are the extreme axis values found anywhere within the current picture. In some situations these extreme values may not occur on the edges of the picture. For instance, if the current picture represents a region including the north celestial pole, then displaying the picture bounds in celestial co-ordinates will give a declination upper limit of $+$90 degrees, whilst the RA limits will be 0 hours and (close to) 24 hours.

• Previous versions of this application reported bounds in `Normalised Device Co-ordinates' . Similar functionality is now provided by setting parameter FRAME to "BASEPIC". Be aware though, that Normalised Device Co-ordinates were normalised so that the longer of the two axes had a length of 1.0, but BASEPIC co-ordinates are normalised so that the shorter of the two axes has length 1.0.

• The `NDC' Frame is now a normalized co-ordinate system in which each axis of the graphics device has unit length.

Related Applications

KAPPA: GDSET, GDCLEAR.