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<title>ploticus: troubleshooting and support</title>
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<td><br><h2>Troubleshooting and support</h2></td>
<td align=right>
<small>
<a href="../doc/welcome.html"><img src="../doc/ploticus.gif" border=0></a><br>
Version 2.41 Mar2009
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<br>
<title>Manual page for Troubleshooting_and_support(PL)</title>
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<h2>Troubleshooting</h2>
<p>
<ul>
<li>
Be sure that the <tt>pl</tt> executable can be located via your command PATH.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Set and export <tt>PLOTICUS_PREFABS</tt> environment variable.<tt> </tt>
It must contain the full path name of the directory (<tt>./prefabs</tt>)
where prefab files reside. (Note: some installations hard-code this
at build time, making this step unnecessary).<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
To run an initial quick test, go into the <tt>pltestsuite</tt> directory.<tt> </tt>
If you're on a Unix/linux system with X11, just type: <tt>pl stock.htm</tt>
<br>
Otherwise, create a GIF file by typing this: <tt>pl -gif stock.htm</tt>
<br>
..or create a PNG file by typing this: <tt>pl -png stock.htm</tt>
<br>
You can run a series of examples by typing: <tt>run_script_test</tt>
<br>
...and: <tt>run_prefabs_test</tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Verify that your data are being read and parsed correctly.<tt> </tt>
For tab-delimited or comma-delimited data be sure that you have specified <b>delim</b>
appropriately.<tt> </tt>
Prefab users can verify the data by specifying <tt>echodata=yes</tt>.<tt> </tt>
Script writers can use specify <tt>showresults: yes</tt> within <tt>proc getdata</tt>.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Use the <b>-debug</b> command line option.<tt> </tt>
If you're using direct CGI mode, there are some
<a href="cgi.html">
additional debugging tips.<tt> </tt>
</a>
<br><br>
<li>
If your script uses variables (etc.),
try the <b>-echo</b> command line option to see the post-evaluation script source.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Be sure you know which version you are executing
(you might have earlier ploticus versions on your system and not realize it).<tt> </tt>
Use <tt>pl -version</tt> to print the ploticus
version; use the unix command <tt>which pl</tt> to print the file that you
are actually executing when you type <tt>pl</tt>.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Unix builds prior to 2.11 do not read native PC text files. This problem occurs
if pl is compiled on a unix machine and you feed it native PC text files,
either as scripts or data files.
Symptoms may include truncated multi-line text
items, or garbage characters appearing at the end of text items.
<br><br>
<li>
If you're attempting to create a large PNG/GIF/JPEG image (greater than 8" in either dimension)
a sufficient <b>pagesize</b> must be specified, either on the
<a href="pl.1.html#resultsize">
command line
</a>
or via
<a href="page.html">
proc page.<tt> </tt>
</a>
Failure to do this results in the top or side of an image result being cut off or obliterated.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
If viewing result images in a browser, remember that image caching is usually
being done, and that you might not be seeing the most recently generated image,
even when you Reload or Refresh.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
If you're using a
<a href="config.html">
ploticus config file
</a>
and want to confirm that it's being found and processed correctly, put the following line
at the top of your config file: <tt>option: -debug</tt> .<tt> </tt>
This is because the config file is processed before command line args are evaluated, so a
<tt>-debug</tt> on the command line won't take effect in time.<tt> </tt>
(<b>Note:</b> this trick doesn't work if you're using direct CGI mode)
<br><br>
<li>
Use proc print or #write to print out variable contents.<tt> </tt>
Use #exit to stop script execution prematurely, so that you can "step thru"
your script.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<li>
Check to be sure you aren't exceeding one of the
<a href="limits.html">
program limitations
</a>
<br><br><br>
<a name=bugreports></a>
</ul>
<h2>Support</h2>
<p>
<b>Please follow all of the steps listed below when sending a support request.<tt> </tt>
Requests that are incomprehensible or incomplete will be given lowest priority.</b>
<br><br>
<b>1. First, make a fair effort towards learning the tool and solving the problem yourself..</b>
You should know your way around the ploticus documentation and examples.<tt> </tt>
Be sure to follow the troubleshooting procedures from this page (and the
<a href="cgi.html">
CGI page
</a>
if appropriate).<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<b>2. Include a stripped-down self-contained example</b> that exhibits the problem.
Often the first thing I do is attempt to reproduce the problem here.
Isolate the problem to the least amount of code possible, but
send enough data that I can generate real results. Describe the problem
succinctly and clearly. If you make it easy for me to understand I'll tend to
address it sooner.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<b>3. Use the -debug option</b> .. and send the diagnostic results
<br><br>
<b>4. Indicate computing platform</b> (Red Hat 7.2? Solaris 8? NT 4.0?)
<br><br>
<b>5. Indicate the exact pl command you used</b> and describe exactly how you invoked pl
(command line? CGI?)
If you use a config file please attach this as well.<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<b>6.</b> <b>Double check</b> to be sure everything is correct. Did you attach the correct
script and data set? Did you describe the problem clearly and succinctly?<tt> </tt>
<br><br>
<b>Send support requests</b> to the
<a href="http://yahoogroups.com/group/ploticus">
ploticus news group
</a>
or to me at <tt>stevegrubb at gmail dot com</tt>
<br><br>
Much of the incremental improvement in this package has been due to
the careful reports that have been sent in by attentive users. Thanks!<tt> </tt>
<br><br><br>
<p>
<a href="http://ploticus.sourceforge.net/steve.html">
Steve Grubb
</a>
is the author of ploticus.
<p>
If you have interesting examples or web sites that use ploticus, please send the
URLs or script files.<tt> </tt>
<br>
<br>
</td></tr>
<td align=right>
<a href="../doc/welcome.html">
<img src="../doc/ploticus.gif" border=0></a><br><small>data display engine <br>
<a href="../doc/Copyright.html">Copyright Steve Grubb</a>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<img src="../gallery/all.gif">
</center>
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<table><tr><td>
Ploticus is hosted at http://ploticus.sourceforge.net</td><td> </td><td>
<a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/ploticus"><img src="http://sflogo.sourceforge.net/sflogo.php?group_id=38453&type=12"
width="120" height="30" border="0"
alt="Get ploticus data display engine at SourceForge.net. Fast, secure and Free Open Source software downloads" /></a>
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