[Kst] Rectangular array of plots from command line

[Roger Wehage]

I’m developing a program capable of generating hundreds (potentially thousands) of channels of time-sampled data. The data channels are split among a number of files. Not all data is sampled at the same time intervals, but all channels within a given file are sampled at the same time interval. Channel 1 in each file contains the time stamps for the remaining channels in that file.

I want to set up a GUI that will allow the user to select randomly by channel name from the composite list of channels stored in all files and generate rectangular arrays of plots. The number of plots on a page will be whatever the user wants. For example, if the user selects 14 channels on a page, the plots might be arranged in 2, 3, or 4 columns. The program or user will specify the number of columns on the page.

I haven’t tested everything yet, but most of what I need appears to be available from the kst2 command-line options. Currently kst2 has fewer command-line options than kst1, and one missing option is the ability to set the number of columns of plots on a page. At the moment it seems that only one column of plots can be generated from the command line.

Are there plans to add more command-line options to kst2? There is no big rush on this, but it would be helpful to know that at least a similar set of options are planned for kst2 as are available in kst1.

I’ve looked at numerous plotting packages and, by far, kst is the best thing since sliced bread. With a few hours work and kst2, I may be able to replicate a substantial amount of proprietary code that my former employer spent $millions developing. Most of what I need is already in kst2.