Patterns as GNUplot datafile separators?
by Turbocapitalist from LinuxQuestions.org on (#53JHJ)
In GNUplot, it is possible to set the delimiter for the input data to any single character by setting the datafile separator. I am wondering if it is possible to have it deal with a variable span of characters or even a fancier patter. The following built-in option allows it to deal with any single whitespace character,
Code:set datafile separator whitespacebut it too chokes on multiple instances of that character. So gnuplot handles the first line below just fine, but treats the second line as if the fourth column were missing:
Code:2020-05-17 06:35 20.812 21.937
2020-05-17 06:38 20.8 21.932I could modify the way that input file is generated, but then it wrecks the visual flow in another conted. So, without resorting to pre-processing the data file, is there a way to get GNUplot to allow patters as data file separators?


Code:set datafile separator whitespacebut it too chokes on multiple instances of that character. So gnuplot handles the first line below just fine, but treats the second line as if the fourth column were missing:
Code:2020-05-17 06:35 20.812 21.937
2020-05-17 06:38 20.8 21.932I could modify the way that input file is generated, but then it wrecks the visual flow in another conted. So, without resorting to pre-processing the data file, is there a way to get GNUplot to allow patters as data file separators?