record

The binary record keyword provides array dimensions describing how data in a binary file are to be arranged into an array. A number must be specified for each dimension of the array. For example, record=(10,20) means the underlying structure is two-dimensional with 10 points along the first (x) dimension and 20 points along the second (y) dimension. A negative number indicates that data should be read until the end of file.

If there is only one dimension, the parentheses may be omitted. A colon can be used to separate the dimensions for multiple records. E.g. record=25:35 describes a file containing two one-dimensional records.

This keyword serves the same function as array and has the same syntax. However, array causes gnuplot to generate coordinate information while record does not. Use record when the coordinates are to be read from columns of the binary data file records.