Default Symbology Commands

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

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

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

set color

set 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. Omitting the value causes reversion to the startup value.

set fillstyle

set 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 undefined, i.e. no fill. Omitting the value causes reversion to the startup value.

set linestyle

set 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 undefined. Omitting the value causes reversion to the startup value.

set thickness

set 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. Omitting the value causes reversion to the startup value.

set markerstyle, markerheight, markerangle

set markerstyle={<client_markerstyle>}

set markerheight={<height>}

set 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. Omitting the values causes reversion to the respective startup values.

set textstyle, textheight

set textstyle={<client_textstyle>}

set 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. Omitting the values causes reversion to the respective startup values.

set approx

set approx={<approx>}

Set the approximation factor for curve graphics (arcs, circles and ellipses). This is used when a factor cannot be derived from the data source. The startup value is undefined. Omitting the value causes reversion to the startup value.

set alpha

set alpha={<value>}

Set the alpha transparency for all fetched data. This should have a value 0 (fully transparent) through 1 (opaque). Its startup value is 1.

set brightness

set brightness={<value>}

Set the color intensity for all fetched data. This should have a value -1 (very dark) through 1 (very bright). Its startup value is 0.

set native_symbology

set native_symbology={<value>}

Some interfaces have symbology defined within the data source (known as native symbology). By default newly created graphics will use this symbology. There are cases when you may wish to ignore the native symbology and use the default symbology instead. Use this setting to do this. The setting should have a value 1 (use native symbology) or 0 (use default symbology). Currently only the fxmif (MapInfo) interface allows native symbology to be overriden in this manner.

Running example

Startup Script:

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

Client session:

# Fetch base polygons (no meta-data)
# There are no columns specified to select just the graphics
select from austwater.pat
set clip=(6250000,2050000) (6850000,2650000)
# Draw the polygons with red edges
set linestyle=red
objfetch
 
# Fetch town points (with meta-data)
select mctown-id, state from mctown.pat where population > 10000
# Same clipping region still applies
# Provide a client class name
set_classname=~arc.mctowns_t
# Fetch the class definition created by the query
fetch_class
# Provide some statistics about the fetched data
set statistics=on
# Mark the towns with diamond symbols
set markerstyle=mk_diamond, markerheight=10000
# Fetch the data into an array called mctowns
objfetch into mctowns