2.12 plot

`plot` is the primary command for drawing plots with `gnuplot`. It creates plots of functions and data in many, many ways. `plot` is used to draw 2-d functions and data; `splot` draws 2-d projections of 3-d surfaces and data. `plot` and `splot` contain many common features; see `splot` for differences. Note specifically that although the `binary <binary list>` variation does work for both `plot` and `splot`, there are small differences between these modes. Furthermore, `plot`'s `axes` option does not exist for `splot`.

Syntax:

      plot {<ranges>}
           {<function> | {"<datafile>" {datafile-modifiers}}}
           {axes <axes>} {<title-spec>} {with <style>}
           {, {definitions,} <function> ...}

where either a <function> or the name of a data file enclosed in quotes is supplied. A function is a mathematical expression or a pair of mathematical expressions in parametric mode. The expressions may be defined completely or in part earlier in the stream of `gnuplot` commands (see `user-defined`).

It is also possible to define functions and parameters on the `plot` command itself. This is done merely by isolating them from other items with commas.

There are four possible sets of axes available; the keyword <axes> is used to select the axes for which a particular line should be scaled. `x1y1` refers to the axes on the bottom and left; `x2y2` to those on the top and right; `x1y2` to those on the bottom and right; and `x2y1` to those on the top and left. Ranges specified on the `plot` command apply only to the first set of axes (bottom left).

Examples:

      plot sin(x)
      plot f(x) = sin(x*a), a = .2, f(x), a = .4, f(x)
      plot [t=1:10] [-pi:pi*2] tan(t), \
           "data.1" using (tan($2)):($3/$4) smooth csplines \
                    axes x1y2 notitle with lines 5

See also `show plot`.