add_axis( [ChipsId,] dimension, position, min, max, [,attributes])

Description

• ChipsId - an optional ChipsId structure containing values to modify the currency state for the command.
• dimension - add axis in X dimension, Y dimension, or both
• position - the location of the axis in the appropriate dimension (in X for Y axes and in Y for X axes); the current coordinate system is used if one is not specified.
• min, max - the minimum and maximum values to use for the initial range of the axis.
• attributes - optional parameters which allow the user to configure properties though a structure, list, or attribute string.

The add_axis command creates an axis for the requested dimension with attributes specified by user preferences or in an attribute list. Since the length of the axis spans the plot area, a single position element is needed to specify the location of the axis. The axis position may be specified in plot normalized or data coordinates. The new axis (or axes if dimension is XY_AXIS) becomes current by default; providing a ChipsId overrides the currency state.

A coordinate system is defined by an X axis and a Y axis within a given plot. If a plot does not exist when an axis is added, it is automatically created. If X and Y axes are added in a single call, that axis pair defines a new coordinate system. If an X axis is added to a plot which contains a pair of Y axes, two new coordinate systems are defined.

Customizing the Axis

There are several attributes that control the axis characteristics. The attributes can be set to the ChIPS defaults, values provided in the add_axis command, or values from the user's preference file.

The attributes may also be modified with the set_axis command at any time; see "ahelp py.chips set_axis" and "ahelp py.chips setget" for more information.

The attributes associated with axes are:

Attribute	Description	Options	Default
automin	Should the axis automatically reset its minimum when a curve/contour/histogram is added	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	true
automax	Should the axis automatically reset its maximum when a curve/contour/histogram is added	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	true
color	Color of the axis base line segment	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
depth	Integer value indicating axis depth	see the Depth section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	100
label.angle	Angle of the axis label	-360:360	0
label.color	Color of the axis label	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
label.font	font for the axis label text	see the Font section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	helvetica
label.fontstyle	style of the axis label text	see the Font Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	normal
label.halign	Horizontal location of the string reference point of the axis label	see the Text Alignment section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	center
label.size	Font size of the axis label	1:100	14
label.valign	Vertical location of the string reference point of the axis label	see the Text Alignment section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	center
majorgrid.color	Color of the axis major grids	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
majorgrid.style	stipple pattern used to draw the axis major grids	see the Axis Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	shortdash
majorgrid.thickness	Thickness of the axis major grids	see the Thickness section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	1
majorgrid.visible	Should major grids be visible	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	false
majortick.color	The color to use for major ticks	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
majortick.count	Default number of ticks to display when major mode is count	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	4
majortick.interval	Spacing to use between ticks when major mode is interval	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	10
majortick.length	length of major ticks	non-negative integer	1
majortick.mode	Mode of the axis tickmark positioning	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	limits
majortick.style	Style of the axis tickmarks	see the Tick Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	inside
majortick.thickness	Thickness of major ticks	see the Thickness section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	1
majortick.visible	Are major ticks visible or hidden	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	true
minorgrid.color	Color of the axis minor grids	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
minorgrid.style	stipple pattern used to draw the axis minor grids	see the Axis Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	dot
minorgrid.thickness	Thickness of the axis minor grids	see the Thickness section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	1
minorgrid.visible	Should minor grids be visible	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	false
minortick.color	The color to use for minor ticks	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default: white in the ChIPS window, black on printout
minortick.count	Default number of ticks to display when minor mode is count	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	4
minortick.interval	Spacing to use between ticks when minor mode is interval	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	10
minortick.length	length of minor ticks	non-negative integer	1
minortick.mode	Mode of the axis tickmark positioning	see the Tick Mode section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	limits
minortick.style	Style of the axis tickmarks	see the Tick Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	inside
minortick.thickness	Thickness of minor ticks	see the Thickness section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	1
minortick.visible	Are minor ticks visible or hidden	false|true; see the Booleans section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	true
offset.parallel	axis label offset from axis start (-.5) to axis end (.5)	-0.5:0.5	0
offset.perpendicular	axis label offset from axis baseline in pixels	-100:100	40
pad	The percentage of padding to add to an axis in arbitrary limits or interval modes	non-negative decimal	0.05
thickness	Thickness of the axis	see the Thickness section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	1
tickformat	print format for axis ticklabels	alphanumeric; see the Tick Format section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	%g
ticklabel.angle	angle of the axis ticklabel	-360:360	0
ticklabel.color	Color of the axis ticklabels	see the Color section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	default
ticklabel.font	font for the axis ticklabel text	see the Font section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	helvetica
ticklabel.fontstyle	style of the axis ticklabel text	see the Font Style section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	normal
ticklabel.halign	Horizontal location of the string reference point of the axis ticklabel	see the Text Alignment section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	center
ticklabel.offset	Offset of ticklabels to axis base (in pixels)	non-negative value	6
ticklabel.size	Font size of the axis ticklabel	1:100	12
ticklabel.style	Style of the axis ticklabels	inside, outside	outside
ticklabel.valign	Vertical location of the string reference point of the axis ticklabel	see the Text Alignment section of "ahelp py.chips chipsopt"	center
x.stem	stem used for x axis id	alphanumeric	ax
y.stem	stem used for y axis id	alphanumeric	ay

chips> id=ChipsId()
chips> id.coord_sys=PLOT_NORM
chips> add_axis(id,XY_AXIS,0,1,100)

chips> settings = ChipsAxis()
chips> settings.color = 'blue'
chips> settings.thickness = 0.5
chips> settings.mode = 'interval'
chips> add_axis(X_AXIS,0,0,100,settings)

chips> add_plot()
chips> add_axis(XY_AXIS,.5,1,10,['ticklabel.angle', '45',
'majorgrid.visible', 'true'])