3.14.4 errorlines

Lines with error bars are supported for 2D data file plots by reading one to four additional columns (or using entries); these additional values are used in different ways by the various errorlines styles.

In the default situation, ‘gnuplot‘ expects to see three, four, or six numbers on each line of the data file—either

      (x, y, ydelta),
      (x, y, ylow, yhigh),
      (x, y, xdelta),
      (x, y, xlow, xhigh),
      (x, y, xdelta, ydelta), or
      (x, y, xlow, xhigh, ylow, yhigh).

The x coordinate must be specified. The order of the numbers must be exactly as given above, though the using qualifier can manipulate the order and provide values for missing columns. For example,

      plot 'file' with errorlines
      plot 'file' using 1:2:(sqrt($1)) with xerrorlines
      plot 'file' using 1:2:($1-$3):($1+$3):4:5 with xyerrorlines

The last example is for a file containing an unsupported combination of relative x and absolute y errors. The using entry generates absolute x min and max from the relative error.

The y error bar is a vertical line plotted from (x, ylow) to (x, yhigh). If ydelta is specified instead of ylow and yhigh, ylow = y - ydelta and yhigh = y + ydelta are derived. If there are only two numbers on the record, yhigh and ylow are both set to y. The x error bar is a horizontal line computed in the same fashion.

The error bars have crossbars at each end unless bars is used (see bars for details).

If autoscaling is on, the ranges will be adjusted to include the error bars.

See using, with, and style for more information.