Installation instructions

From Matlab plt

Installation instructions




  • If you are using Matlab R2014b or later, you may select "Download Toolbox" from the file exchange and all the installation details will be taken care of for you (and you can ignore all the instructions below). If you have an older version of Matlab select "Download Zip" from the file exchange and then follow the instructions below. (Don't be intimidated however - it is not difficult at all.)
  • Create a new folder called plt in any convenient place on your disk.
  • Add this new folder to your Matlab path.
  • Extract the downloaded archive file (plt.zip) into this new folder. It is important that your unzipper preserves the directory structure. (Most unzippers will do this properly by default.) After the unzip operation the new folder will contain the files and folders shown below.

    plt.m Matlab code for plt
    pltt.m
    Pvbar.m
    Pebar.m
    Pquiv.m
    pltwater.m
    Auxiliary function: for adding traces to an existing plt figure
    Auxiliary function: for displaying functions as vertical bars
    Auxiliary function: for displaying error bar plots
    Auxiliary function: for displaying vector fields (arrows)
    Auxiliary function: for displaying 3D waterfall plots
    figpos.m
    screencfg.m
    TaskbarSZ.m
    pltColor1.mat
    Auxiliary function: for positioning figure windows (called by plt)
    Auxiliary function: called from figpos to determine screen layout (size, taskbar, etc).
    Auxiliary function: used by screencfg.m if automatic method fails
    Color specification file: Rename this file to pltColor.mat to use Matlab's default colors.
    prin.m
    prin.pdf
    Pftoa.m
    A powerful alternative to sprintf & fprintf. (Called by plt and its demo programs.)
    A complete description of the prin function.
    Called by prin. (Implements the additional floating point conversion formats.)
    contents.m brief help text
    plt.htm
    pltfiles\*.*
    Top level html help file
    A folder containing all lower level html files and images.
    plt.chm full plt help documentation (compiled from above plt.htm and pltfiles\)
    demo\plt5.m
    demo\bounce.m
    demo\circles12.m
    demo\curves.m
    demo\dice.m
    demo\editz.m
    demo\gauss.m
    demo\gui1.m
    demo\gui2.m
    demo\julia.m
    demo\movbar.m
    demo\plt50.m
    demo\pltmap.m
    demo\pltn.m
    demo\pltquiv.m
    demo\pltsq.m
    demo\pltvar.m
    demo\pltvbar.m
    demo\pub.m
    demo\pub2.m
    demo\pub3.m
    demo\subplt.m
    demo\subplt8.m
    demo\subplt16.m
    demo\subplt20.m
    demo\tasplt.m
    demo\trigplt.m
    demo\weight.m
    demo\wfall.m
    demo\wfalltst.m
    demo\winplt.m
    Example programs. For descriptions, click here
    demo\demoplt.m Auto sequences through all 31 examples (in the order of the files shown above)
    demo\gui1v6.m
    demo\gui2v6.m
    demo\qui2ALT.m
    Alternative versions of some of the example programs listed above.
    These alternative programs are also described here

  • Note that demoplt.m and the 31 example programs that it runs appear in a subfolder called demo. It's usually convenient to also add this demo directory to your Matlab path. If you prefer not to do that, you can still run the demo programs by using the Matlab cd command to make the demo folder active.
  • You may delete the downloaded plt.zip if you prefer.

Notes for PC based systems:

If you type plt help or if you click on the "Help" tag in the plt menu box, then plt.chm is opened with the Windows help system hh.exe. (which usually resides in the C:\Windows folder) If hh.exe is missing or if you prefer not to use the chm compiled help file, just delete the chm file and plt will instead open plt.htm using your browser.

Notes for Unix based systems:

If you type plt help or if you click on the "Help" tag in the plt menu box, then plt.htm is opened in your browser. This file points to many other html files and images inside the pltfiles\ folder. If your browser supports chm help files and you prefer to use it, you can do that by deleting or renaming the plt.htm file.