inline data and datablocks

There are two mechanisms for embedding data into a stream of gnuplot commands. If the special filename '-' appears in a plot command, then the lines immediately following the plot command are interpreted as inline data. See special-filenames. Data provided in this way can only be used once, by the plot command it follows.

The second mechanism defines a named data block as a here-document. The named data is persistent and may be referred to by more than one plot command. Example:

     $Mydata << EOD
     11 22 33 first line of data
     44 55 66 second line of data
     # comments work just as in a data file
     77 88 99
     EOD
     stats $Mydata using 1:3
     plot $Mydata using 1:3 with points, $Mydata using 1:2 with impulses

Data block names must begin with a $ character, which distinguishes them from other types of persistent variables. The end-of-data delimiter (EOD in the example) may be any sequence of alphanumeric characters.

For a parallel mechanism that stores executable commands rather than data in a named block, see function blocks.

The storage associated with named data blocks can be released using undefine command. undefine $* frees all named data and function blocks at once.