Adding option to display graph in Quick Look and avoid output to STDOUT

README.md

@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ The result of `plot` is an 800×600 PNG image that's sent to standard output. No
 
 and viewed in whatever graphics program the user prefers. No controls for tick marks or grid spacing are provided—this is quick and dirty plotting.
 
+Additionally, running `plot` on Mac OS X with `-p` will display the graph using the Quick Look utility. Nothing will print to standard output in this case.
+
 <img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7449/11444287224_fdf3652083.jpg" alt="Two-function plot" title="Two-function plot" />
 
 ## Points ##
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ Normally, `pplot` plots the points only. If you want to connect the points with
 
     pbpaste | pplot -l > plot.png
 
-
+As with `plot`, running `pplot` on Mac OS X with `-p` will display the graph using the Quick Look utility. Nothing will print to standard output in this case.
 
 [1]: http://www.numpy.org/
 [2]: http://matplotlib.org/

plot

@@ -2,16 +2,31 @@
 
 from __future__ import division
 from numpy import *
+import getopt
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import subprocess
 import sys
+import tempfile
 
-fcns = sys.argv[1].split(';')
-minx = eval(sys.argv[2])
-maxx = eval(sys.argv[3])
+# Use quicklook instead of printing to STDOUT
+preview = False
+
+try:                                
+    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "p")
+except getopt.GetoptError:
+    print "Unsupported option"
+    sys.exit(2)
+for opt, arg in opts:
+    if opt in ("-p"):
+        preview = True
+
+fcns = args[0].split(';')
+minx = eval(args[1])
+maxx = eval(args[2])
 plt.xlim(minx, maxx)
 try:
-  miny = float(sys.argv[4])
-  maxy = float(sys.argv[5])
+  miny = float(args[3])
+  maxy = float(args[4])
   plt.ylim(miny, maxy)
 except IndexError:
   pass
@@ -22,4 +37,11 @@ for i, f in enumerate(fcns):
   plt.plot(x, y, "-", linewidth=2)
 plt.minorticks_on()
 plt.grid(which='both', color='#aaaaaa')
-plt.savefig(sys.stdout, format='png')
+
+if (preview):
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w', suffix='.png') as f:
+        plt.savefig(f.name, format='png')
+        subprocess.check_call(['qlmanage', '-p', f.name], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+else:
+    plt.savefig(sys.stdout, format='png')
+

pplot

@@ -1,15 +1,26 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import re
 import getopt
+import tempfile
 
+# Use quicklook instead of printing to STDOUT
+preview = False
 marker = '.'
-opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'l')
-for o, a in opts:
-  if o == '-l':
-    marker = '.-'
+
+try:                                
+    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "pl")
+except getopt.GetoptError:
+    print "Unsupported option"
+    sys.exit(2)
+for opt, arg in opts:
+    if opt in ("-p"):
+        preview = True
+    if opt in ("-l"):
+        marker = '.-'
 
 x = []
 y = []   
@@ -21,4 +32,11 @@ for line in sys.stdin:
 plt.plot(x, y, marker)
 plt.minorticks_on()
 plt.grid(which='both', color='#aaaaaa')
-plt.savefig(sys.stdout, format='png')
+
+if (preview):
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode='w', suffix='.png') as f:
+        plt.savefig(f.name, format='png')
+        subprocess.check_call(['qlmanage', '-p', f.name], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+else:
+    plt.savefig(sys.stdout, format='png')
+