Graphics Generation Programs

GrADS
Version 1.7
GrADS is a graphical software package that creates a wide variety of plots. For more information consult the GrADS documentation website.
 
NCAR Graphics
Version 4.0.1 for Alphas, Version 4.1 for Origin200
NCAR graphics is a large collection of FORTRAN-callable routines that produce a very wide range of plots. Extensive information can be found at our NCAR Graphics Documentation welcome page.
NCAR graphics has been the standard for many years and so is widely distributed around the world. It is the primary tool available here to produce graphics during the execution stage of a program. (For programs that produce graphics from datafiles output by programs, see the web pages on "Graphics Postprocessing")
 
PV-WAVE
Version 6.0.1
PV-WAVE is a graphical software package that creates a wide variety of plots. Built into the package is a comprehensive programming language used in conjunction with the graphics. Optionally, one can use a graphical user interface to create plots instead of using the programming commands. PV-WAVE is quite user-friendly, with several volumes of helpful documentation, as well as a thorough Windows-based help feature built into the software.  Available on our website is A Brief Guide to PV-WAVE Graphing Software.
 
Vis5d
Version 4.3 beta
Vis5d is a program for viewing gridded data.  It's strengths include viewing 3D volumes and animating variables over time.  Graphic features available include isosurfaces, vectors, contour lines, streamlines, and trajectories.

To use Vis5d, one first needs to process the data into the Vis5d format.  This is done either from within the program that generates the data or by a post-processing program that converts existing data.  While beyond the scope of this manual, sample conversion programs are available in the directory /usr/local/vis5d/convert.

Once in the Vis5d format, viewing the data is easy.  For best results, view the data directly from the console since the network is too slow to handle the large amount of graphics data.  Also, before running Vis5d, enlarge the default stacksize for the current session.  This is done by typing:
        limit stacksize 32m
If this is not done, Vis5d will cause a segmentation fault and core dump.  Now, everything should be ready to run Vis5d.  Do this by typing:
        vis5d <data filename>.
An example data set is /usr/local/vis5d/LAMPS.v5d.

Once running, a list of available variables is shown under each graphics feature.  Click on the variable to view it and it will appear in the display box.  To view the data from a different angle, just drag the image and it will rotate.

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