The make_figure (S-Lang or Python help), add_curve (S-Lang or Python help), add_histogram (S-Lang or Python help), and add_contour (S-Lang or Python help) routines can plot data from a file. The supported formats are the same as those of the CIAO Data Model, namely FITS binary tables and images and ASCII tables.

The following files show different ways of recording the same data in an ASCII file (i.e. the tabular data is the same, the only difference is the header):

unix% head -2 file1.lis
0.2 1.3e43 1
0.3 1.5e43 2

unix% head -3 file2.dat
# z lz flag
0.2 1.3e43 1
0.3 1.5e43 2

unix% head -5 file3
Date: Tue May 20 09:20:44 EDT 2008
Simulation Results
--
0.2 1.3e43 1
0.3 1.5e43 2

To plot the first two columns from these files, you would use a filename of:

• "file1.lis[cols col1,col2]"
• "file2.dat[cols z,lz]"
• "file3[cols col1,col2][opt skip=3]"

The Data Model text file help page provides more information and examples of how ASCII files are read in.