NAME

       gmt_shell_functions.sh - Practical functions to be used in GMT bourne shell scripts

SYNOPSIS

       gmt_init_tmpdir
       gmt_remove_tmpdir
       gmt_clean_up [prefix]
       gmt_message message
       gmt_abort message
       gmt_nrecords file(s)
       gmt_nfields string
       gmt_get_field string
       gmt_get_region file(s) [options]
       gmt_get_gridregion file [options]
       gmt_get_map_width -R -J
       gmt_get_map_height -R -J
       gmt_set_psfile file
       gmt_set_framename prefix framenumber
       gmt_set_framenext framenumber

DESCRIPTION

       gmt_shell_functions.sh  provides  a  set  of  functions to Bourne (again) shell scripts in
       support of GMT.  The calling shell script should include the following  line,  before  the
       functions can be used:

       . gmt_shell_functions.sh

       Once  included  in  a  shell  script,  gmt_shell_functions.sh  allows GMT users to do some
       scripting more easily than otherwise. The functions made available are:

       gmt_init_tmpdir
              Creates a temporary directory in /tmp or (when defined) in the directory  specified
              by the environment variable TMPDIR. The name of the temporary directory is returned
              as environment variable GMT_TMPDIR.  This  function  also  causes  GMT  to  run  in
              `isolation  mode',  i.e., all temporary files will be created in GMT_TMPDIR and the
              .gmtdefaults file will not be adjusted.

       gmt_remove_tmpdir
              Removes the temporary directory and unsets the GMT_TMPDIR environment variable.

       gmt_cleanup
              Remove all files and directories in which the current process number is part of the
              file  name.   If  the  optional  prefix  is given then we also delete all files and
              directories that begins with the given prefix.

       gmt_message
              Send a message to standard error.

       gmt_abort
              Send a message to standard error and exit the shell.

       gmt_nrecords
              Returns the total number of lines in file(s)

       gmt_nfields
              Returns the number of fields or words in string

       gmt_get_field
              Returns the given field in a string. Must pass  string  between  double  quotes  to
              preserve it as one item.

       gmt_get_region
              Returns  the  region  in  the  form  w/e/s/n  based  on  the data in table file(s).
              Optionally add -Idx/dy to round off the answer.

       gmt_get_gridregion
              Returns the region in the form  w/e/s/n  based  on  the  header  of  a  grid  file.
              Optionally add -Idx/dy to round off the answer.

       gmt_map_width
              Expects  the  user  to give the desired -R -J settings and returns the map width in
              the current measurement unit.

       gmt_map_height
              Expects the user to give the desired -R -J settings and returns the map  height  in
              the current measurement unit.

       gmt_set_psfile
              Create  the  output  PostScript  file  name  based on the base name of a given file
              (usually the script name $0).

       gmt_set_framename
              Returns a lexically ordered filename stem  (i.e.,  no  extension)  given  the  file
              prefix  and  the current frame number, using a width of 6 for the integer including
              leading zeros.  Useful when creating animations and lexically sorted filenames  are
              required.

       gmt_set_framenext
              Accepts the current frame integer counter and returns the next integer counter.

NOTES

       1.  These  functions  only  work in the bourne shell (sh) and their derivatives (like ash,
       bash, ksh and zsh).  These functions do not work in the C shell (csh) or their derivatives
       (like tcsh), and cannot be used in DOS batch scripts either.
       2.  gmt_shell_functions.sh  were first introduced in GMT version 4.2.2 and have since been
       regularly expanded with other practical scripting short-cuts. If you want to suggest other
       functions, please do so by mailing to the GMT mailing list: gmt-help@lists.hawaii.edu.

SEE ALSO

       GMT(1), sh(1), bash(1), minmax(1), grdinfo(1)