PATH

PATH (SET)

Set Subcommand

Specify the name of the directory where Dataplot's auxiliary files are stored.

The Dataplot distribution comes with a large number of sample data files, macro and program files, and experiment design files. Typically, these files can be accessed in the READ, CALL, and LIST commands without specifying a path name. However, if the local implementor has not specified this path correctly in the Dataplot source code, the SET PATH command can be used to tell Dataplot where to locate them. Check with your local implementor for the correct path.

On Microsoft Windows platforms, the Install Shield installation sets the DATAPLO$ environment variable in the Windows registry that defines the default location.

For Unix/Linux and Mac OS X installations, you will typically add a line in your .cshrc file (for c-shell or t-shell users) or your .bashrc (for Bourne-shell users) that defines the DATAPLOT_FILES environment variable.

So for those systems where an appropriate environment variable has been properly defined, there is no need to enter a SET PATH command.

The SET PATH command is most typically used by developers who would like to set the default Dataplot directory to a test directory rather than the default installation directory.

SET PATH <string>
where <string> specifies the desired path name.

This string is currently limited to a maximum of 80 characters.

SET PATH D:\DATAPLOT
SET PATH /usr/local/lib/dataplot
PROBE PATH

Starting with the 2019/04 version, Linux and MacOS systems allow the default path to be set in the Makefile. So it is no longer neccessary to create a DATAPLOT_FILES environment variable on these systems.

The order of determining the default path for Linux/MacOS platforms is:

1. First check for the DATAPLOT_FILES environment variable.

2. If DATAPLOT_FILES has not been defined, use the path specified in the Makefile (this will be called DPLIBDIR).

3. If DATAPLOT_FILES has not been defined and DPLIBDIR has not been defined in the Makefile, then default to /usr/local/lib/dataplot.

When Dataplot attempts to open a file, it will first do so in the current directory. If Dataplot is unable to locate the file in the current directory, it will look in the directory containing the Dataplot auxillary files.

You can use the SET SEARCH DIRECTORY command to define an additional directory where Dataplot will look for the file.

On Microsoft Windows platforms, the default path is determined by the Install Shield installation and the DATAPLO$ environment variable is set to this directory. For English-based platforms, this is either "C:\Program Files\NIST\DATAPLOT" (for 32-bit systems) or "C:\Program Files (x86)\NIST\DATAPLOT". Non-English platforms will typically have a different name for "Program Files".

On Linux/Unix and MacOS systems, the default path is determined by the DATAPLOT_FILES environment variable. If the this environment variable is not defined, then check to see if DPLIBDIR was defined in the Makefile. If neither of these has been set, the default path is "/usr/local/lib/dataplot".

None

LIST	=	List the contents of a file.
READ	=	Read data from a file.
CALL	=	Execute commands stored in a file.
SEARCH DIRECTORY	=	Define an additional directory that will be searched.

File Usage

19994/01
2019/08: Use of DPLIBDIR in Makefile for Linux/MacOS systems

 
SET PATH /home/heckert/lib/dataplot/
LIST BERGER1.DAT