https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer

Externalize easily the plotting process from Rust to gnuplot.
https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer

gnuplot rust

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Externalize easily the plotting process from Rust to gnuplot.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer
• Owner: saona-raimundo
• License: apache-2.0
• Created: 2019-10-22T10:21:59.000Z (over 6 years ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2026-02-10T14:30:36.000Z (4 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2026-02-10T18:57:06.709Z (4 months ago)
• Topics: gnuplot, rust
• Language: Rust
• Homepage:
• Size: 925 KB
• Stars: 5
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 1
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • Changelog: Changelog.md
  • License: LICENSE-APACHE

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README

          
# preexplorer

[![Download](https://img.shields.io/crates/d/preexplorer)](https://crates.io/crates/preexplorer)

[![License](https://img.shields.io/crates/l/preexplorer)](https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer)

[![Docs](https://docs.rs/preexplorer/badge.svg)](https://docs.rs/preexplorer/)

[![Crate](https://img.shields.io/crates/v/preexplorer.svg)](https://crates.io/crates/preexplorer)

Easy plotter and saver of simple data. Handy tool for development stage or small computational projects. Save data, have a quick view and an initial [gnuplot](http://www.gnuplot.info/) script to plot it. 

If you are looking for a pure Rust plotter, check out [`plotters`](https://crates.io/crates/plotters).

# Purpose

Do you have a costly process in Rust and want to save the data for postprocessing?

Would you like to still have a basic glance to check it and leave fine-tuning of the plot for later?

This is the crate for you!

# Work flow

1. Compute your thing in Rust

2. Pass the results to a suitable struct from ``preexplorer``, or use the ``preexplore`` method.

3. Use the method ``plot`` or ``plot_later``. 

After ``cargo run``, your data is saved and a suitable first script for gnuplot to plot the data is saved. If you used ``plot``, you will get a plot by gnuplot that you can save. 

The gnuplot script is located in 

``target\\preexplorer\\plots\\my_identifier.gnu``

where ``my_identifier`` is the name you gave in rust to the plot. 

Therefore, to run it in gnuplot (and get the plot again), run from the console

``gnuplot target\\preexplorer\\plots\\my_identifier.gnu``

- Want a different plot? Change this file according to your needs and run again. 

- Want to use gnuplot as an interactive plotting engine? Run ``gnuplot`` in the console, copy and paste the script and keep going with your favorite gnuplot commands.

# Main features

- Easy plotting

- Easy comparison

- Implementable traits

- Extensive documentation

# Gallery

## Sequences

	

	

	

	

## Processes

	

	

	

	

## Densities

	

## Heatmaps

	

## Contour

	

For more, see the folder [examples](https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer/tree/master/examples). 

# Installation

- Download and [install gnuplot](http://www.gnuplot.info/download.html), a command line engine for plotting. (Note that the gnuplot project has nothing to do with GNU).

- Add ``preexplorer = "*"`` to your ``Cargo.toml`` file under ``[dependencies]``.

- I suggest to simply go with ``use preexplorer::prelude::*;`` in your binary, and then use the short-name ``pre::...`` and the ``preexplore`` method directly in iterators and tuple of iterators.

# Q & A

1. When comparing processes (`Process`-related structs), why must they be the same structs? 

   The comparison of processes (`Processes`-related structs) are a collection of processes. As such, it works as `Vec`, so two process structs must be the same type to be compared.

2. Are there n-dimensional variants?

   No, it is out of scope. If you want to implement similar functionalities, you can do so easily based on the source code for `Data`. 

3. How to deactivate some options, e.g. tics?

   All structs implement the trait `Configurable`. Each option has documented how to disable it in its corresponding method.

# Disclaimer

There is no connection with the gnuplot project.

# Changelog

See [Changelog](https://github.com/saona-raimundo/preexplorer/blob/master/Changelog.md).

# References

- [Overview: What should a good plot look like?](https://clauswilke.com/dataviz/)

- [Choosing colors blog post](https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/2020/5/6/picking-the-right-colors)

- [Color scheme designer](https://paletton.com)

# For the reader

Has this project been useful to you? How? :)

Let me know through a github issue!

# Similar crates

- [debug_plotter](https://crates.io/crates/debug_plotter)

    + Convenient macro to quickly plot variables using pure Rust `plotters` crate