dev.xxx                 package:base                 R Documentation

Control Multiple Devices

Description:

     These functions provide control over multiple graphics devices.

     Only one device is the active device.  This is the device in which
     all graphics operations occur.

     Devices are associated with a name (e.g., `"X11"' or
     `"postscript"') and a number; the `"null device"' is always device
     1.

     `dev.off' shuts down the specified (by default the current)
     device. `graphics.off()' shuts down all open graphics devices.

     `dev.set' makes the specified device the active device.

     A list of the names of the open devices is stored in `.Devices'.
     The name of the active device is stored in `.Device'.

Usage:

     dev.cur()
     dev.list()
     dev.next(which = dev.cur())
     dev.prev(which = dev.cur())
     dev.off(which = dev.cur())
     dev.set(which = dev.next())
     graphics.off()

Arguments:

   which: An integer specifying a device number

Value:

     `dev.cur' returns the number and name of the active device, or 1,
     the null device, if none is active.

     `dev.list' returns the numbers of all open devices, except device
     1, the null device.  This is a numeric vector with a names
     attribute giving the names, or `NULL' is there is no open device.

     `dev.next' and `dev.prev' return the number and name of the next /
     previous device in the list of devices.  The list is regarded as a
     circular list, and `"null device"' will be included only if there
     are no open devices.

     `dev.off' returns the name and number of the new active device
     (after the specified device has been shut down).

     `dev.set' returns the name and number of the new active device.

See Also:

     `Devices', such as `postscript', etc; `layout' and its links for
     setting up plotting regions on the current device.

Examples:

     ## Unix-specific example
     x11()
     plot(1:10)
     x11()
     plot(rnorm(10))
     dev.set(dev.prev())
     abline(0,1)# through the 1:10 points
     dev.set(dev.next())
     abline(h=0, col="gray")# for the residual plot
     dev.set(dev.prev())
     dev.off(); dev.off()#- close the two X devices

