The R Project SVN R

\name{postscript}
\title{PostScript Graphics}
\usage{
postscript(file = "Rplots.ps", \dots)
%  paper, horizontal, width, height, family, pointsize, bg, fg)
ps.options(\dots, reset = FALSE, override.check = FALSE)
% (paper, horizontal, width, height, family, pointsize, bg, fg,
%            onefile = TRUE, print.it = FALSE, append = FALSE,
.PostScript.Options
}
\alias{postscript}
\alias{ps.options}
\alias{.PostScript.Options}
\arguments{
\item{file}{a character string giving the name of the file to print to.}
\item{\dots}{further options for \code{postscript()}.}
\item{paper}{the size of paper in the printer.  The choices are
  \code{"a4"}, \code{"letter"}, \code{"legal"} and
  \code{"executive"}. Also, \code{"special"} can be used, when the width
  and height specify the paper size.}
\item{horizontal}{the orientation of the printed image, a
    logical. Defaults to true, that is landscape orientation.}
\item{width, height}{the width and height of the graphics region in inches.
  The default is to use the entire page less a 0.25 inch border.}
\item{family}{the font family to be used.
  This must be one of \code{"AvantGarde"},
  \code{"Bookman"}, \code{"Courier"}, \code{"Helvetica"},
  \code{"Helvetica-Narrow"}, \code{"NewCenturySchoolbook"},
  \code{"Palatino"} or \code{"Times"}.}
\item{pointsize}{the default point size to be used.}
\item{bg}{the default background color to be used.}
\item{fg}{the default foreground color to be used.}
\item{onefile}{logical: if true (the default) allow multiple figures
    in one file. If false, assume only one figure and give EPSF header
    and no \code{DocumentMedia} comment.}
\item{pagecentre}{logical: should the device region be centred on the page:
    defaults to true.}
\item{print.it, append}{logical; are currently \bold{disregarded};
    just there for compatibility reasons.}
}
%%>>> REAL DOC in SOURCE:    ../../../main/devices.c  &   ../../../unix/devPS.c
\description{
\code{postscript} starts the graphics device driver for producing
PostScript graphics.

The auxiliary function \code{ps.options} can be used to set and view
(if called without arguments)
default values for the arguments to \code{postscript}.
}
\details{\code{postscript(..)} opens the file \code{file} and the
PostScript commands needed to plot any graphics requested are
stored in that file.
This file can then be printed on a suitable device to obtain hard copy.

The postscript produced by \R is EPS (\emph{Encapsulated PostScript})
compatible, and can be included into other documents, e.g. into LaTeX, using
\code{\epsfig{file=<filename>}}. For use in this way you will proabbly
want to set \code{horizontal=FALSE, onefile=FALSE, paper="special"}.
}
\seealso{
    \code{\link{Devices}}, 
    {\code{\link{check.options}} which is called from both
    \code{ps.options} and \code{postscript}.}
}
\examples{
\dontrun{
 # open the file "foo.ps" for graphics output
 postscript("foo.ps")
}
\testonly{
xx <- seq(0, 7, length=701)
yy <- sin(xx)/xx; yy[1] <- 1
plot(xx,yy)         # produce the desired graph(s)
}
\dontrun{dev.off()      # turn off the postscript device}

all(unlist(ps.options()) == unlist(.PostScript.Options))
ps.options(bg = "pink")
str(ps.options(reset = TRUE))

##- error checking of arguments:
ps.options(width=0:12, onefile=0, bg=pi)

## override the check for 'onefile', but not the others:
str(ps.options(width=0:12, onefile=1, bg=pi, override.check = c(F,T,F)))
}
\keyword{device}