Graphics, Figures & Tables ⇒ Math formatting in Gnuplot Graph

[breakfast_jimmy]

Hello all,

Firstly, forgive me if my question is an idiotic one; I'm new to the world of LaTeX. I'm also hoping this is indeed a latex problem and not a gnuplot one .
Well, I want to generate a graph in gnuplot and include it in a latex document; thankfully the graph I need is a simple one. I'm following the tutorial given on http://chuyandmac.blogspot.com/2007/05/ ... using.html ; thus far, everything works - save the mathematical formatting on the y axis. The superscript works, but the \frac line simply shows up as frac, with no division (pardon me, that was phrased somewhat awkwardly)
I'm using mactex and doing all my editing in aquamacs, if that's relevant. I have the feeling that this is a simple problem to fix, but I cannot for the life of me figure it out.
Thanks in advance.

[localghost]

I would try another approach with special LaTeX packages for generating plots. Then you wouldn't have to worry about font consistency in your LaTeX document. Furthermore you could evade the problems you described.

At first there would be pgfplots (based on pgf/tikZ).

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}
  \begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[%
      xlabel={x},
      ylabel={$\left(\frac{\sin(x)}{x}\right)^2$},
      xmin=-10,xmax=10,ymin=0,ymax=1,
      xtick={-10,-5,...,10},
      ytick={0,0.2,...,1}
    ]
      \addplot[domain=-10:10,samples=100] gnuplot {(sin(x)/x)**2};
    \end{axis}
  \end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

The package uses Gnuplot as back-end. This version can be compiled directly with PDFLaTeX.

Another one would be pst-plot (based on PSTricks).

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pst-plot,pstricks-add}

\begin{document}
  \psset{%
    llx=-1.5cm,lly=-1cm,
    xAxisLabel={$x$},
    xAxisLabelPos={0,-0.1},
    yAxisLabel={$\left(\frac{\sin(x)}{x}\right)^2$},
    yAxisLabelPos={-2.5,0.5}
  }
%  \psframebox[linestyle=dashed,linewidth=0.4pt]{%
  \begin{psgraph}[axesstyle=none,ticks=none](-10,0)(10,1){10cm}{7cm}
    \psplot[algebraic,plotpoints=100]{-10}{10}{(sin(x)/x)^2}
    \psaxes[axesstyle=frame,ticksize=5pt,tickstyle=inner,Dx=5,Dy=0.2,Ox=-10](-10,0)(10,1)
  \end{psgraph}
%  }
\end{document}

This version needs to be compiled with LaTeX to DVI and then converted via PS to PDF (XeLaTeX or PDFLaTeX with the additional auto-pst-pdf package didn't work for me).

Further adjustments are left to the interested reader. Study the manuals of the involved packages and follow their instructions. The code for the actual plots can easily be embedded into a float environment. In case of upcoming questions, feel free to ask. If you insist doing your plots with Gnuplot, have a look at the gnuplottex package.


Best regards and welcome to the board
Thorsten

[breakfast_jimmy]

Oh, thank you! Much appreciated.

[shadgrind]

I'm following the tutorial given on http://chuyandmac.blogspot.com/2007/05/ ... using.html ; thus far, everything works - save the mathematical formatting on the y axis. The superscript works, but the \frac line simply shows up as frac, with no division

That's because that guy's example is all wrong. He used double quotes instead of single quotes for math mode, which he then messed up in another way in a few spots. Here's what you do in gnuplot:

Code: Select all

unset key
set xlabel '$x$'
set ylabel '$\left(\frac{\sin(x)}{x}\right)^{2}$'
plot (sin(x)/x)**2
set terminal epslatex color
set output "myplot.tex"
replot

This will actually create two files: myplot.tex and myplot.eps. You could then use those in LaTeX like this:

Code: Select all

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\begin{document}
Here is a graph:
\begin{center}
 \input{myplot}
\end{center}
\end{document}

Here is what it will look like after compiling (note the use of color, which the original example left out):