Run string

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The gbplo.exe program resides in the "thinkdesign\bin" subfolder of the root installation folder. You can start it one of the following ways:

1. Typing the run string in any Command Prompt window, from the "thinkdesign\bin" folder:
   • Select StartProgramsCommand Prompt
   • At the command prompt, type:

     cd root_installation_folder\thinkdesign\bin
     and hit the ENTER key

   • Finally, type the run string (see below for details):

     gbplo -lan e options
     and hit the ENTER key

2. Typing the run string in the Run dialog box:
   • Select StartRun
   • In the Open box of the Run dialog box type:

     root_installation_folder\thinkdesign\bin\gbplo -lan e options
     and hit the ENTER key or select OK

3. Creating a batch file (file.bat) inside which you can type any run string you like, and then run the batch file.

So, the run string has the following syntax:

gbplo -lan e options

where options indicates all options which can be supplied in the run string and which are listed in the previous sections (the -lan e option starts GBPLO in English. See also LAN).

Note (see also Directives and options): Each option must be preceded by the minus sign and separated from its own parameter by the "blank" (space) separator -KEY parameter For options which require more than one parameter, these must also be separated from one another by a blank -KEY parameter1 parameter2 Options must be separated by a blank -KEY1 param1 param2 -KEY2 param1 param2 You can enter options in any order  The run string may be of any length.

Below is an example of a run string: in this case GBPLO does not present interactive requests, since all of the necessary parameters are included in the run string:

gbplo -F test.d -GRA ODVT HPGL2 -O /dev/plotter1 -D A4 -L 1 5 -U 0 -QPE 1 3 7 -W ott -S
ott -i ./gbplo.ini

Initialization file

The default initialization file for standard installations is "thinkdesign\bin\gbplo.ini" in the root installation folder. To set GBPLO so that it reads the directives contained in a file other than the default file, include the following option in the run string:

-I pathname_of_initialization_file

indicating the file absolute or relative pathname. If you do not specify the directory, that specified with DRO is assumed.

Always remember that, as indicated in General methods for use, if you specify the same method both as a directive in the initialization file and as an option in the run string, the latter always applies. Moreover, if you enter more than one directive with the same name in the initialization file, the last applies (the order being from top to bottom).

Structure of the initialization file

The initialization file is an ASCII file, which you can edit with a normal editing program. Its structure is very simple.

• The first line must be:

  THINKDESIGN V7.0

• Lines with an asterisk (*) in the first column are considered to be comments and are, therefore, ignored by GBPLO

  * comments

• Lines without comments cannot contain more than one directive.
• You can enter comments at the end of any line, provided that they are preceded by an exclamation mark (!):

  directive ! comment

• you can define directives in any order.
• Each directive (see Directives and options) consists of a key and one or more parameters separated by a blank.

THINKDESIGN V7.0
*
 MSG "C:\Program Files\think3\rel7\thinkdesign\lfiles\gbplo.msg"   ! message file
 TOL  0  0.6  0.2 
 QVP  1
 UNI "C:\Program Files\think3\rel7\thinkdesign\files\uni.tab"      ! UNI table
*
 PRO GBPLO
 GRA DIRF "C:\Program Files\think3\rel7\thinkdesign\font"          ! font folder
 END

Summary table

The following is a summary list of the modes and corresponding directives and options.
 

Interactive mode

General

If you run GBPLO without having specified any of the main parameters (see Instructions necessary to run GBPLO) in the run string (or in the initialization file), the program interactively requests entry of these parameters.

For each GBPLO question, you can use the default value of the corresponding option (with a "carriage return"), or specify the suitable mnemonic symbol or value in the same form as used to indicate it in the run string.

The following is an example of some of the messages and questions which appear on-screen if you have not specified the main parameters either in the initialization file or in the run string.

GBPLO Rev. 8.1 - (C) Copyright 1999 think3, Inc.

Sheet Size (cm) ? Size (key -D)
Files ?
File (key -F)

Stored Layers 1

Stored window 0.00 0.00 390.00 290.00

Stored U.M. 0

Layers (Mem(Default),T=all,L1 L2 ...) ? Layers (key -L)

Window (Mem(Default),Opt,X1 Y1 X2 Y2)? Window (key -W)

Unit of measure? Unit_of_measure (key -U)

Pens for dimensions (text,arr.,toler.)? Pens_for_dimensions (key -QPE)

Scale 1:1 - Size 29.700 x 21.00 cm.

Scale ? Scale (key -S)

If you specify a scale factor, GBPLO first displays the actual dimensions calculated for the drawing in that scale and indicates cases in which it is "off the edges" of the sheet; then it asks you to enter the scale again. You are then asked to confirm the scale: if the scale is correct, you can simply press ENTER to confirm: only after this operation does the program start drawing on the plotter.

Instructions relative to the layers (-L) to be plotted, the unit of measure (-U), scale (-S), window dimensions (-W) and dimensioning pens (-QPE), are characterized by the following: if you supply even one of them in the initialization file or run string, the others are not requested interactively, since the suitable default values are assumed: values stored in the drawing (i.e.: contained in the predefined properties associated to the drawing).

As for the other instructions (size, etc.), if you do not specify these, GBPLO requests them interactively.

Interrupting interactive mode

If you make a mistake when entering options, you can interrupt them by entering the STOP command from the keyboard in response to any of the interactive questions.

Batch mode

You can run GBPLO in batch mode, provided that either in the initialization file or run string you specify at least one of the keys relative to the predefined properties associated with the drawing (layers, unit of measure, window) and all of the remaining keys and disable the alphanumeric echo with the -E key if you do not want to display the program messages on-screen.

You can always constrain the interactive or batch modes, using the MOD key.