iterative use of pgplot producing large files

nseymour has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hello, I have a perl script which reads in a file and then loops over each line and makes a plot with pgplot. I have this odd effect where the plot files gradually get bigger although they all appear similar. The output postscripts increase from ~25K by on average 0.5K. As I repeat this 1,000s of times the postscript files get very large. I must not be resetting some parameter each time. The relevant parts of the code after readingh the input catalogue are"

$dev="/cps";
for($i=1;$i<=$end;$i++) {
  pgbegin(0,$dev,1,1);
  pgenv($ra[$i]-0.05,$ra[$i]+0.05,$dec[$i]-0.05,$dec[$i]+0.05,1,0);
  pglabel('RA (J2000)','dec. (J2000)',$name[$i]);
  [plot stuff]
  pgend;
  system "mv pgplot.ps $name[$i]_dist.ps"

}
[download]

thanks!

Comment on iterative use of pgplot producing large files Download Code

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Re: iterative use of pgplot producing large files by jeffa (Bishop) on May 06, 2015 at 17:44 UTC
Looking over your code snippet: `$dev="/cps"; for($i=1;$i<=$end;$i++) { pgbegin(0,$dev,1,1); pgenv($ra[$i]-0.05,$ra[$i]+0.05,$dec[$i]-0.05,$dec[$i]+0.05,1,0); pglabel('RA (J2000)','dec. (J2000)',$name[$i]); #plot stuff pgend; system "mv pgplot.ps $name[$i]_dist.ps" }` [download] Referring to the last line, how do you know for certain that `pgplot.ps` is being overwritten? If data is being appended to it each run, this could account for the increase in size. Rather than using a system call to move the placeholder file to its final destination, why don't you just directly write to that final destination? (`$name[$i]_dist.ps`) Perhaps changing the system call to the following will help? (Granted, this is not an ideal solution.) `system "mv pgplot.ps $name[$i]_dist.ps && rm pgplot.ps";` [download] jeffa L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L-- -R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B-- H---H---H---H---H---H--- (the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: iterative use of pgplot producing large files by vinoth.ree (Monsignor) on May 06, 2015 at 05:11 UTC
So, What is your problem ? *All is well. I learn by answering your questions...*	[reply] [d/l]