Drawing vector field using PSTricks

Question

Are there any PSTricks packages for drawing vector fields?

I have had a look at http://tug.org/PSTricks/main.cgi?file=examples#vector but I don't fully understand the syntax in the example(s). Also I have had a look at page 23 on http://users.math.msu.edu/users/hensh/latex/pstricks/seminarSS08.pdf but here the code is missing. :(

Specifically, I would like to draw the vector field

{1, x}

in the range from -5 to 5 on both axes. Here is the vector field drawn using Mathematica:

vectorfield

Update

I have figured out how to do it (more or less):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{
  pst-plot,
  pst-ode
}
\psset{
  unit=5,
  algebraic,
  algebraicOutputFormat
}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
 \centering
  \begin{pspicture}(-1.1,-1.1)(1.1,1.1)
   \psaxes[
     dx=0.2,
     Dx=1,
     dy=0.2,
     Dy=1
   ]{->}(0,0)(-1.1,-1.1)(1.1,1.1)
    \psVectorfield
      arrows=->,
      linecolor=black!60
    (1,1){x}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_a}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{-0.1}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_b}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{0.1}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_c}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{0.3}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_d}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{0.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_e}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{0.7}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_f}{t | x[0]}{-1}{1}{100}{0.9}{t}
   \psset{
     arrows=-,
     linewidth=1.5pt
   }
    \listplot[linecolor=gray  ]{y0_a}
    \listplot[linecolor=red   ]{y0_b}
    \listplot[linecolor=green ]{y0_c}
    \listplot[linecolor=blue  ]{y0_d}
    \listplot[linecolor=purple]{y0_e}
    \listplot[linecolor=yellow]{y0_f}
  \end{pspicture}
 \caption{Vektorfeltet~$\mathbf{F}(x,y) = (1,x)$ med nogle str{\o}mningskurver.}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

output2

The problem is that the picture is really only drawn from -1 to 1 on both axes (but I have changed the axes labels). This means that the vector arrows and the curves are too 'flat' compared to if they were drawn from -5 to 5 on both axes.

I tried to change the code to

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{
  pst-plot,
  pst-ode
}
\psset{
  unit=1,
  algebraic,
  algebraicOutputFormat
}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
 \centering
  \begin{pspicture}(-5.7,-5.7)(5.7,5.7)
   \psaxes[
     dx=1,
     Dx=1,
     dy=1,
     Dy=1
   ]{->}(0,0)(-5.5,-5.5)(5.5,5.5)
    \psVectorfield
      arrows=->,
      linecolor=black!60
    (5,5){x}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_a}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{-0.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_b}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{0.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_c}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{1.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_d}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{2.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_e}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{3.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_f}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{4.5}{t}
   \psset{
     arrows=-,
     linewidth=1.5pt
   }
    \listplot[linecolor=gray  ]{y0_a}
    \listplot[linecolor=red   ]{y0_b}
    \listplot[linecolor=green ]{y0_c}
    \listplot[linecolor=blue  ]{y0_d}
    \listplot[linecolor=purple]{y0_e}
    \listplot[linecolor=yellow]{y0_f}
  \end{pspicture}
 \caption{Vektorfeltet~$\mathbf{F}(x,y) = (1,x)$ med nogle str{\o}mningskurver.}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

but then I get the error

Runaway definition?
->/ArrowA { moveto } def /ArrowB { BeginArrow 1.  1.  scale  false 0.\ETC.
! TeX capacity exceeded, sorry [main memory size=5000000].
\pst@code ....setopacityalpha  Arrow  EndArrow  } 
                                                  def  
l.28     ](-5,-5)(5,5){x}

How do I fix this?

Update 2

Here is what I ended up with:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pst-plot}
\usepackage{pst-ode}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
 \psset{
   algebraic,
   algebraicOutputFormat
 }
  \begin{pspicture}(-5.47,-5.47)(5.85,5.9)

    \psaxes[
      linecolor=lightgray
    ]{->}(0,0)(-5.5,-5.5)(5.5,5.5)[$x$,0][$y$,90]
    \psVectorfield
      Ox=10,
      Dx=1,
      Dy=1,
      linecolor=blue
    (5,5){x}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_a}{t | x[0]}{-2.1}{2.1}{100}{5.205}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_b}{t | x[0]}{-2.533}{2.533}{100}{5.208}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_c}{t | x[0]}{-2.9}{2.9}{100}{5.205}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_d}{t | x[0]}{-3.226}{3.226}{100}{5.2025}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_e}{t | x[0]}{-3.523}{3.523}{100}{5.2055}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_f}{t | x[0]}{-3.797}{3.797}{100}{5.208}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_g}{t | x[0]}{-4.051}{4.051}{100}{5.205}{t}
   \psset{
     linewidth=1.5pt
   }
    \listplot[linecolor=red!20]{y0_a}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!30]{y0_b}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!40]{y0_c}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!50]{y0_d}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!60]{y0_e}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!70]{y0_f}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!80]{y0_g}
%    \listplot[linecolor=purple]{y0_a}
%    \listplot[linecolor=green ]{y0_b}
%    \listplot[linecolor=red   ]{y0_c}
%    \listplot[linecolor=blue  ]{y0_d}
%    \listplot[linecolor=orange]{y0_e}
%    \listplot[linecolor=gray  ]{y0_f}
%    \listplot[linecolor=yellow]{y0_g}
  \end{pspicture}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

output2

Update 3

When I use the procedure mentioned by AlexG in the comment to the answer by Marienplatz, I still get an error when compiling from ps to pdf, i.e. when invoking ps2pdf, (but the PDF file looks okay):

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pst-plot}
\usepackage{pst-ode}
\begin{document}
\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
 \psset{
   algebraic,
   algebraicOutputFormat
 }
  \begin{pspicture}(-5.47,-5.47)(5.85,5.9)

    \psVectorfield
      Ox=10,
      Dx=1,
      Dy=1,
      linecolor=blue
    (5,5){x}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_a}{t | x[0]}{-2.1}{2.1}{100}{5.205}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_b}{t | x[0]}{-2.533}{2.533}{100}{5.208}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_c}{t | x[0]}{-2.9}{2.9}{100}{5.205}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_d}{t | x[0]}{-3.226}{3.226}{100}{5.2025}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_e}{t | x[0]}{-3.523}{3.523}{100}{5.2055}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_f}{t | x[0]}{-3.797}{3.797}{100}{5.208}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_g}{t | x[0]}{-4.051}{4.051}{100}{5.205}{t}
    \psaxes[
      linecolor=lightgray
    ]{->}(0,0)(-5.5,-5.5)(5.5,5.5)[$x$,0][$y$,90]
   \psset{
     linewidth=1.5pt
   }
    \listplot[linecolor=red!20]{y0_a}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!30]{y0_b}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!40]{y0_c}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!50]{y0_d}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!60]{y0_e}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!70]{y0_f}
    \listplot[linecolor=red!80]{y0_g}
%    \listplot[linecolor=purple]{y0_a}
%    \listplot[linecolor=green ]{y0_b}
%    \listplot[linecolor=red   ]{y0_c}
%    \listplot[linecolor=blue  ]{y0_d}
%    \listplot[linecolor=orange]{y0_e}
%    \listplot[linecolor=gray  ]{y0_f}
%    \listplot[linecolor=yellow]{y0_g}
  \end{pspicture}
\end{figure}
\end{document}

The error is as follows:

pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
pstODEsolve RKF45 method; '-' failed step, '+' successful step, 'o' output step : 
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooError: /invalidrestore in --restore--
Operand stack:
   (1)   1786   1388   5.0   (2)   1786   1152   5.0   (3)   1786   916   5.0   (4)   1786   679   5.0   (5)   1721   2093   5.0   (1)   1721   2329   5.0   (2)   1721   2566   5.0   (3)   1721   2802   5.0   (4)   1721   3038   5.0   (5)   2117   1962   5.0   (5)   1902   1834   5.0   (x)   1902   1834   5.0   (y)   1902   1834   5.0   --nostringval--   --nostringval--
Execution stack:
   %interp_exit   .runexec2   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   2   %stopped_push   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   false   1   %stopped_push   1884   1   3   %oparray_pop   1883   1   3   %oparray_pop   1867   1   3   %oparray_pop   1755   1   3   %oparray_pop   --nostringval--   %errorexec_pop   .runexec2   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   2   %stopped_push   --nostringval--   --nostringval--   1807   53   4   %oparray_pop   --nostringval--   1791   53   4   %oparray_pop   --nostringval--
Dictionary stack:
   --dict:1171/1684(ro)(G)--   --dict:8/20(G)--   --dict:117/200(L)--   --dict:187/300(L)--
Current allocation mode is local
Last OS error: Numerical result out of range
Current file position is 259609
GPL Ghostscript 9.10: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1

The pgfplots package has these plots under the name quiver. There are also PSTricks solution in there. — Qrrbrbirlbel, Nov 03 '13 at 03:06
@Qrrbrbirlbel Thank you. Will you make this comment into an answer or should we just close it? — Svend Tveskæg, Nov 03 '13 at 03:28
I have just re-run the code from the 1st and the 3rd code boxes and they compile without error. I tested with TL2021, and even TL2013 works smoothly. (gs-9.53) — AlexG, Apr 08 '21 at 09:43

kiss my armpit · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-03T14:31:49.467

5

\documentclass[pstricks,border=12pt]{standalone}

\usepackage{pst-plot}
\usepackage{pst-ode}

\psset{algebraic,algebraicOutputFormat}

\begin{document}
\begin{pspicture}(-5.7,-14.7)(5.7,5.7)      
    \psaxes[linecolor=lightgray]{->}(0,0)(-5.5,-14.5)(5.5,5.5)[$x$,0][$y$,90]
    \psVectorfield[Dx=1,Dy=1,Ox=10](-5,-14.5)(5,5){x}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_a}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{-0.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_b}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{0.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_c}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{1.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_d}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{2.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_e}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{3.5}{t}
    \pstODEsolve{y0_f}{t | x[0]}{-5}{5}{100}{4.5}{t}
    \psset{linewidth=1.5pt}
    \listplot[linecolor=gray  ]{y0_a}
    \listplot[linecolor=red   ]{y0_b}
    \listplot[linecolor=green ]{y0_c}
    \listplot[linecolor=blue  ]{y0_d}
    \listplot[linecolor=purple]{y0_e}
    \listplot[linecolor=yellow]{y0_f}
\end{pspicture}
\end{document}

enter image description here

My compilation steps

echo off    
rem %1 TeX input filename without extension

latex "%~1.tex"

dvips -t unknown "%~1.dvi"

rem I invoke ghostscript directly rather than via ps2pdf

gswin64c -dCompatibilityLevel=1.5 -dAutoRotatePages=/None -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -o "%~1.pdf" "%~1.ps"

edited Nov 03 '13 at 14:31

answered Nov 03 '13 at 10:35

kiss my armpit

36,086

Thank you. I guess you compiled using xelatex; I tried latex --> dvips --> ps2pdf and started to get a bit frustrated. :) – Svend Tveskæg Nov 03 '13 at 14:22
Hmmm! Then I get some wierd output and an compile error; with xelatex, it works all fine. – Svend Tveskæg Nov 03 '13 at 14:27
@SvendTveskæg: Even with calling gs directly the error occurs. Just move the \psaxes line behind the \pstODEsolve block and latex --> dvips --> ps2pdf works fine. – AlexG Nov 04 '13 at 08:00
@AlexG Please see update 3 to my question. – Svend Tveskæg Nov 04 '13 at 08:17
@SvendTveskæg: There is some sort of interference between \psVectorfield and \psaxes. Just swap both and the error disappears. You may want to temporarily comment out the \pstODEsolve block to see that it is not related to the pst-ode package. I think you should report this to Herbert. – AlexG Nov 04 '13 at 09:08
Hi @Herbert -- It looks like AlexG has found an error (or at least an incompatibility) with \psVectorfield and \psaxes. – Svend Tveskæg Nov 04 '13 at 10:36
@SvendTveskæg I am afraid Herbert will not receive the message as he hasn't participated yet in the discussion. – AlexG Nov 04 '13 at 11:04
@AlexG Thank you for the notice. I will contact him via e-mail. – Svend Tveskæg Nov 04 '13 at 11:11
@AlexG A mail is now send to Herbert's TUG address. – Svend Tveskæg Nov 05 '13 at 13:45

Drawing vector field using PSTricks

1 Answers1

My compilation steps

Linked