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A number of users have occasionally encountered problems printing the graphics output file. The symptom is that the file goes to the printer, takes some time being processed, but finally no output is produced.
This is almost certainly due to <CONTROL-C>
being used to exit
FIT2D. The Unix file system does not necessarily flush file buffers to disk unless
forced to do so. When FIT2D is exited normally there is a call to
properly close any open files including the graphics output file. This
ensures that all output is properly written to the file. With PostScript
an image is only drawn on ``paper'' when
the showpage command is encountered. This is normally the last line of
the file, so if the file is not properly closed this line can easily be
lost.
The simple manner to avoid this problem is not to use <CONTROL-C>.
Using <CONTROL-C> may well cause other problems. It is possible that
FIT2D also exits abnormally owing to circumstances beyond the users
control e.g. bugs, or system crashes. Thus, it may be useful to be sure that
a graphics output file is properly closed, without exiting the program.
This can be done using the END GRAPHICS FILE command (see
Section 15.31, Page ).
After the END GRAPHICS FILE has been issued and the prompt returns,
the user can be sure that the graphics output file is properly closed and
written to disk. In this manner it is possible to send the file to a
printer without first having to exit FIT2D.
Andy Hammersley