Input Formats That PLOT Can Accept

PLOT can recognize the following input pseudo-code formats automatically:

PDMS

The format generated by default by graphical output modules.

This gives a binary format file that can define fully the viewing parameters and line graphics for engineering drawings in device-independent terms.

HPGL

A Hewlett-Packard plotter code format recognized by a range of commercial plotting and printing devices.

This gives an ASCII format file that can define fully the viewing parameters, line graphics, arcs and circles of engineering drawings in device-independent terms.

HP-GL/2

This is the standardised version of the Hewlett-Packard Graphical Language. It provides a more consistent functionality between plotters. It supports many types of device including pen, laser and electrostatic. The HP-GL/2 plotter code is compact, especially for vectors that have a special encoding scheme. It is held in binary file format.

Although HPGL and HP-GL/2 are related, HP-GL/2 is not a strict superset of HPGL. It is best for most purposes to regard them as entirely different. HP-GL/2 is often available in a dual context with Hewlett-Packard’s PCL.

DXF

This is the AutoCAD representation of a drawing in their DXF (drawing interchange) file format. It is an ASCII file format, widely used to exchange drawing file data. The file does not define the units that its values are held in, so explicit scaling is needed when these values are not in millimeters.

Data from all sections of the DXF file is interpreted. This includes the LTYPE and LAYER tables, and the contents of the Blocks section for expansion of INSERT entities.

GPGP (or GP2)

This gives an ASCII format file that can define fully the viewing parameters, line graphics, text and symbols for engineering drawings in device-independent terms.