# Gnuplot

[Gnuplot](http://www.gnuplot.info/) is \"a portable command-line driven
graphing utility for Linux, OS/2, MS Windows, OSX, VMS, and many other
platforms\". It is required for proper functioning of many of our Python
tools such as the popular tmplot.py and should be installed prior to
installing our Python tools.

## Installing Gnuplot from source 

1.  Download the latest Gnuplot source from
    <http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuplot/files/>.
2.  For legal reasons, Apple does not ship with the Gnu Readline library
    which is required for proper functioning of Gnuplot. Version 6.3 of
    Gnu Readline can be downloaded from
    [here](ftp://ftp.cwru.edu/pub/bash/readline-6.3.tar.gz). You may
    visit <http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/php/chet/readline/rltop.html> to
    check to see if a newer version is available since this wiki may be
    outdated.
3.  Once Gnu Readline is downloaded, untar the download with
    `tar xzvf filename`. For example, if the filename is
    `readline-master.tar.gz` then the full command would be
    `tar xzvf readline-master.tar.gz`.
4.  Complete the previous step for the Gnuplot source download, making
    sure to use the correct filename.
5.  Now `cd` to the new Gnu Readline folder (using the example, the
    folder would most likely be `readline-master`), and execute
    `./configure --prefix=/usr`, then `make everything`, then
    `sudo make install`. At this point Gnu Readline should be fully
    installed. We can now install Gnuplot.
6.  `cd` into the Gnuplot source folder. Execute `./configure`, then
    `make`, and then `sudo make install`. At this point Gnuplot should
    be fully installed and you are now ready to use our Python plotting
    tools.