Default Symbology Commands

Some translators already know the symbology of their graphics, i.e. color, linestyle, fill style etc. because it is contained in the data source. They therefore never have need to use default symbology values.

Other translators only have geometry in their data source. The following commands define default symbology settings, which such translators can assign to graphic primitives when required. The parameters to these commands are the names of existing Fire symbology identifiers.

Symbology commands can occur in startup scripts, in which case they apply to all client sessions. When symbology commands are used in a client session to a network service, the settings last only until the end of the session.

color

color { <client_color> }

Set the color override for all fetched data. This is used when a color is not supplied by the data source. Its startup value is undefined. A command without parameters reverts to the startup value.

fillstyle

fillstyle { <client_fillstyle> }

Set the symbology for polygon graphic primitives. This is used when a style is not supplied by the data source. The startup value is green. A command without parameters reverts to the startup value.

linestyle

linestyle { <client_linestyle> }

Set the line style for polygon/polyline edges. This is used when a style is not supplied by the data source. The startup value is a continuous black linestyle. A command without parameters reverts to the startup value.

thickness

thickness { <thickness> }

Set the thickness override for polygon/polyline edges. This is used when a thickness is not supplied by the data source. The startup value is undefined. A command without parameters reverts to the startup value.

markerstyle,markerheight and markerangle

markerstyle { <client_markerstyle> }

markerheight <height>

markerangle <degrees>

Set the style, size (height) and angle for node/point/marker graphic primitives. These are used when the properties are not supplied by the data source. The startup values are mk_star, 1 and 0 respectively. Commands without parameters revert to the respective startup values.

textstyle and textheight

textstyle { <client_textstyle> }

textheight <height>

Set the style and character height for text graphic primitives. These are used when the properties are not supplied by the data source. The startup values are undefined and 1 respectively. Commands without parameters revert to the respective startup values.

Running example

Startup Script:

# Define the base directory as the arcinfo tree
cd g:/arcinfo
 
# Open a coverage
open brisbane
 
# Turn progress messages on, and quiet mode off for all sessions
progress on
quiet off
 
# Define some default symbology
fillstyle  yellow
textheight 5000

Client session:

# Fetch base polygons (no meta-data)
select from austwater.pat
box (6250000,2050000),(6850000,2650000)
# Draw the polygons with red edges
linestyle red
objfetch
 
# Fetch town points (with meta-data)
select mctown-id, state from mctown.pat where population > 10000
# Same box still applies
set_class ~arc.mctowns_t
# Provide some statistics about the fetched data
statistics on
# Mark the towns with diamond symbols
markerstyle mk_diamond
markerheight 10000
objfetch into mctowns