2.21.59.7 plotting styles

The commands `set style data` and `set style function` change the default plotting style for subsequent `plot` and `splot` commands.

The types used for all line and point styles (i.e., solid, dash-dot, color, etc. for lines; circles, squares, crosses, etc. for points) will be either those specified on the `plot` or `splot` command or will be chosen sequentially from the types available to the terminal in use. Use the command test to see what is available.

None of the styles requiring more than two columns of information (e.g., errorbars or errorlines) can be used with `splot`s or function `plot`s. Neither `boxes`, `filledcurves` nor any of the `steps` styles can be used with `splot`s. If an inappropriate style is specified, it will be changed to `points`.

The above caveat does not apply to `plot with labels`, for which the third column specifies a data source rather than coordinate information. See `set style labels`.

For 2-d data with more than two columns, `gnuplot` is picky about the allowed errorbars and errorlines styles. The using option on the `plot` command can be used to set up the correct columns for the style you want. (In this discussion, "column" will be used to refer both to a column in the data file and an entry in the using list.)

For three columns, only `xerrorbars`, `yerrorbars` (or errorbars), `xerrorlines`, `yerrorlines` (or errorlines), `boxes`, and `boxerrorbars` are allowed. If another plot style is used, the style will be changed to `yerrorbars`. The `boxerrorbars` style will calculate the boxwidth automatically.

For four columns, only `xerrorbars`, `yerrorbars` (or errorbars), `xyerrorbars`, `xerrorlines`, `yerrorlines` (or errorlines), `xyerrorlines`, `boxxyerrorbars`, and `boxerrorbars` are allowed. An illegal style will be changed to `yerrorbars`.

Five-column data allow only the `boxerrorbars`, `financebars`, and `candlesticks` styles. An illegal style will be changed to `boxerrorbars` before plotting.

Six- and seven-column data only allow the `xyerrorbars`, `xyerrorlines`, and `boxxyerrorbars` styles. Illegal styles will be changed to `xyerrorbars` before plotting.

For more information about error bars with and without lines, please see errorlines and errorbars.