Re: Different specification of parameters; octave and gnuplot

[c.]

On 22 Aug 2010, at 14:03, pathematica wrote:

> I have no problem, this is not urgent and nothing bad will happen if  
> no one
> replies!
>
> I am merely interested to know something. It is possible that my  
> confusion
> is based on missing a key bit of explanation in the manual.
>
> So ... using gnuplot for 3d plots from octave
>
> I note that when specifying a particular view for a 3d plot (for  
> example to
> align the visual axis with the line through the origin with the  
> homogeneous
> coordinate on the projective plane P2 [k : k : k] to generate radial
> symmetry of order three), it is possible to send parameters for  
> azimuth and
> elevation as a 1x2 vector using view().
>
> As I am sure you will all know, gnuplot reports the elevation and  
> azimuth on
> the plot. The parameters are reported in that particular order,  
> whereas
> octave requires the parameters to be specified in the opposite  
> order, ie
> azimuth then elevation. Also, the octave requires the elevation to be
> specified as a negative offset from 90 degrees compared with the  
> elevation
> reported in gnuplot.
>
> Have I understood this correctly and, if so, is there an interesting
> explanation for the different convention (or, perhaps more  
> accurately, the
> lack of convention)? Also, is there a reason why the parameters are
> specified in degrees rather than radians?
>
> As noted at the beginning - this is merely of interest and it is not  
> urgent.
>
> Thank you so much for octave. (Seriously, thank you; - compliments  
> like this
> will always be a form of litotes and they can never do it justice!).


Octave tries to be, as far as possible, compatible with Matlab, so the  
order and meaning of the parameters of the 'view' command has most  
likely been chosen to follow those of the same command in Matlab.
HTH,
c.