The R Project SVN R

\name{}
\title{Copy Graphics Between Multiple Devices}
\usage{
dev.control(displaylist)
dev.copy(device, \dots, which=dev.next())
dev.print(device=postscript, \dots)
}
\alias{dev.copy}
\alias{dev.print}
\alias{dev.control}
\arguments{
 \item{device}{A device function (e.g., \code{x11}, \code{postscript},
 \ldots)}
 \item{\dots}{Arguments to the device function}
 \item{which}{A device number specifying the device to copy to}
 \item{displaylist}{A character string}
}
\description{
 \code{dev.copy} copies the graphics contents of the current device to
 the device specified by \code{which} or to a new device which has been
 created by the function specified by \code{device} (it is an error to
 specify both \code{which} and \code{device}).

 \code{dev.print} copies the graphics contents of the current device to
 a new device which has been created by the function specified by
 \code{device} and then shuts the new device.  This is most useful for
 producing a postscript copy from an on-screen device.

 \code{dev.control} allows the user to control the recording of
 graphics operations in a device.  If \code{displaylist} is "inhibit"
 then recording is turned off.
}
\value{
  \code{dev.copy} returns the name and number of the device which has
  been copied to.

  \code{dev.print} returns the name and number of the device which has
  been copied from.
}
\note{
Every device has a display list which records all of
the graphics operations that occur in the device.
\code{dev.copy} and \code{dev.print} copy graphics
contents by copying the display list from one device to another device.
Also, automatic redrawing of graphics contents following the resizing of
a device depends on the contents of the display list.

After the command \code{dev.control("inhibit")},
graphics operations are not recorded in
the display list so that
\code{dev.copy} and \code{dev.print} will not copy anything and the
contents of a device will not be redrawn automatically if the device is
resized.

The recording of graphics operations is relatively expensive in terms of
memory so the command \code{dev.control("inhibit")} can be useful if
memory usage is an issue.
}
\seealso{
\code{\link{dev.cur}} and other \code{dev.xxx} functions
}
\examples{
\dontrun{
x11()
plot(rnorm(10), main="Plot 1")
dev.copy(device=x11)
mtext("Copy 1", 3)
dev.print(width=6, height=6, horizontal=F)
dev.off(dev.prev())
dev.off()
}
}
\keyword{device}