variable point properties

Plot styles that contain a point symbol optionally accept addtional data columns in the using specifier to control the appearance of that point. This is indicated by modifying the keywords pointtype, pointsize, or linecolor in the plot command with the additional keyword variable rather than providing a number. Plot style with labels also accepts a variable text rotation angle. Example:

     # Input data provides [x,y] in columns 1:2
     # point size is given in column 5
     # RGB color is given as hexadecimal value in column 4
     # all points use pointtype 7
       plot DATA using 1:2:5:4 with points lc rgb variable ps variable pt 7

If more than one variable property is specified, columns are interpreted in the order below regardless of the order of keywords in the plot command.

    textrotation : pointsize : pointtype : color

Thus in the example above "lc rgb variable" appears first in the plot command but the color is taken from the final column (4) given by using. Variable color is always taken from the last additional column. There are several methods of specifying variable color. See colorspec.

Note: for information on user-defined program variables, see variables.