How to Call Gnuplot from c Using Pipes (Windows)

Try this:

// Open a pipe to gnuplot
FILE *gnuplotPipe = popen("c:\\gnuplot\\bin\\pgnuplot -persist","w");
// If gnuplot is found
if (gnuplotPipe) {
  // using fprintf on the gnuplotPipe, we can directly issue commands in gnuplot
  fprintf(gnuplotPipe, "set style data lines\n");
  fprintf(gnuplotPipe, "cd 'C:\\gnuplot\\bin'\n");
  // assuming your data file is placed in the gnuplot bin directory
  fprintf(gnuplotPipe, "plot \"data-file.dat\" using 1:2\n");
  fflush(gnuplotPipe);
  fprintf(stderr,"Press enter to continue...");
  fflush(stderr);
  getchar();
  // exit gnuplot
  fprintf(gnuplotPipe,"exit \n");
  pclose(gnuplotPipe);
}

Cite as:
Saad, T. "How to Call Gnuplot from c Using Pipes (Windows)." Weblog entry from Please Make A Note. http://pleasemakeanote.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-call-gnuplot-from-c-using-pipes.html