IDL Programming Tips

This IDL Programming Tips and Tricks database is constantly being updated. I have a large collection of tips I've collected from teaching hundreds of IDL users and from the IDL news group (comp.lang.idl-pvwave). I try to add a half dozen or so new tips per month. Doing so takes quite a bit of time. If you find this information helpful, and you would like to contribute to this free service, please consider making a small donation of any amount to support this work.

If you have a question that you would like to see answered here, please fill out this question form. I'll see what I can do to find an answer.

New IDL Programming Tips

• What is the fastest way to do distance calculations in IDL?
• What is the best way to create multiple plots in IDL?
• How can I extract a circular region from an image?
• Can you show me how to grid points onto the surface of a sphere?
• How can I add Poisson noise to an image in IDL?

[Tip Topics][Search Tip Database]

Search Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming

Tip Topics

New Tips Most Frequently Asked Questions Catalyst Library Tips Color Tips Coyote Graphics Tips Direct Graphics Display Tips Line Plot Tips Contour Plot Tips Surface Plot Tips Specialized Plot Tips General Plot Tips 3D Plot Tips Histogram Plot Tips Image Display Tips Colorbar Tips Image Processing Tips Error Messages

File Reading/Writing Tips Function Graphics (IDL 8.x) Tips General Programing Tips IDL Workbench Tips iTool Tips Map Projection Tips Math Tips Miscellaneous Tips Object Graphics Tips Object Programming Tips PostScript Output Tips Programming Algorithm Tips String Processing Tips The IDL Way Tutorials Widget Programming Tips

Most Frequently Asked Questions

• What are these “Coyote Graphics” I keep hearing about?
• Where can I find code examples for graphics plots in IDL?
• How do I install the Coyote Library?
• Help! My Coyote Library program doesn't work!
• Can you recommend a good book for learning IDL?
• What is the best way to create a filled contour plot?
• How do I add a color bar to my graphics plot?
• Can you explain how color works in IDL?
• How do I display a transparent image in IDL?
• Can you help me create, browse and read netCDF files in IDL?
• Can you tell me how to read an ASCII data file with columns of data?
• What are the 10 most common programming errors in IDL?
• Can you show me how to use Greek symbols in IDL?
• What is the best way to produce IDL graphics for Internet or Powerpoint display?
• Are IDL PostScript landscape files always upside-down!?
• I hear the Histogram command is awesome. What do you know about it?