IDL, Interactive Data Language is the extremely useful computer language in graphic data processing. But license is much expensive and the floating license was a troublesome work. For example, whenever I use IDL, I should connect on the network, and delayed a few second.

So, I want to use 6.4 version in my macbook, snowleopard 10.6 because my office have a license of this version. but IDL must be updated as 6.4.1 for using in OSX and license could not be effected.

Today, I installed GDL, GNU Data Language. This is a opensource version of IDL, so comportable, the same with IDL. Install is easy.

For more information, visit " http://gnudatalanguage.sourceforge.net/ "

After installed, occured a error when you call 'plot' processer

GDL> plot, [1,2]

_X11TransSocketINETConnect() can't get address for /tmp/launch-l74O3E/:6000: nodename nor servname provided, or not known

then, you should set DISPLAY variable as ":0".

at X11, you can write

DISPLAY=":0"

This idea is from "http://www.dfanning.com/tips/maccrash.html". ("setenv" is no more use in bash shell.)

Posted By Yang

Substitute GDL for IDL