Concepts: Preferences

The ChIPS preference file contains default values for object attributes, such as line color, label font, and point symbol. It also contains export settings for printing: output file format, margins, orientation, etc. A list of all the preferences is available below.

The preference file format is "resource : value", with one entry per line; for instance the window preferences would be listed like:

window.display         : true
window.smoothing       : false
window.height          : 360
window.width           : 360
window.scaleheight     : 1.25
window.scalewidth      : 1.25
window.units           : pixels
window.stem            : win
window.bgcolor         : default
      

Comment lines begin with a pound sign (#) and empty lines are ignored.

• Setting Preferences
• Saving Preferences
• Loading Preferences
• Retrieving Preferences
• Supported Preferences:
  • Window
  • Frame
  • Plot
  • Axis
  • Curve
  • Histogram
  • Contour
  • Label
  • Line
  • Point
  • Region
  • Export
  • Info
  • Miscellaneous

Setting Preferences

The set_preferences() command (Python or S-Lang) sets the specified preference to the supplied value. The new setting does not affect the attributes of existing objects and data, only new ones created after the call to set_preferences. The command takes one of the following arguments:

• a list of pairs consisting of a string specifying the attribute followed by a value, e.g. ["point.color","red","point.size",3] .
• a string containing a single attribute/value entry, e.g. "point.fill=false" .
• an attribute object containing the appropriate attributes with desired settings.

The values concept document provides details on the range of various preferences, such as color and line style.

# Python
   set_preferences(["curve.symbol.style","circle"])
   set_preferences("frame.bgcolor=red")
      

% S-Lang
   set_preferences({"curve.symbol.style","circle"});
   set_preferences("frame.bgcolor=red");
      

Saving Preferences

The save_preferences command (Python or S-Lang) saves ChIPS preferences to the specified file. If no filename is supplied, ChIPS attempts to save to $HOME/.chips.rc.

If the output file exists, ChIPS behavior is determined by the value of the export.clobber preference. If set to true, ChIPS will attempt to overwrite the existing file.

Loading Preferences

The load_preferences command (Python or S-Lang) loads ChIPS preferences from the specified file. If no filename is supplied, ChIPS attempts to load $HOME/.chips.rc.

Retrieving Preferences

The get_preferences call takes the name of a preference and returns the current default setting. If no argument is given, all of the preferences and values are returned. If an object stem is given (e.g. "plot"), all the preferences that contain that stem are returned: label.stem, label.font, label.color, etc.

# Python
   get_preferences()
   get_preferences("window.bgcolor")
   get_preferences("label")
      

% S-Lang
   get_preferences();
   get_preferences("window.bgcolor");
   get_preferences("label");
      

Supported Preferences

The following preferences are supported for each ChIPS object.

Window Preferences

Frame Preferences

Plot Preferences

Axis Preferences

Curve Preferences

Histogram Preferences

The histogram.fill.visible preference has been replaced by histogram.fill.style in CIAO 4.1.

Contour Preferences

Label Preferences

Line Preferences

Point Preferences

Region Preferences

The region.fill.visible preference has been replaced by region.fill.style in CIAO 4.1.

Export Preferences

More information can be found in the Export section of the values Concept documentation.

CIAO 4.1 introduced the export.printdialog preference setting.

The export.*margin preference settings have been changed from 0 to 0.2 in CIAO 4.1.

Info Preferences

Miscellaneous Preferences