### Xtics timedata

Times and dates are stored internally as a number of seconds.

Input: Non-numeric time and date values are converted to seconds on input using the format specifier in timefmt. Axis positions and range limits also may be given as quoted dates or times interpreted using timefmt. If the 4#4start5#5, 4#4incr5#5, 4#4end5#5 form is used, 4#4incr5#5 must be in seconds. Use of timefmt to interpret input data, range, and tic positions is triggered by set xdata time.

Output: Axis tic labels are generated using a separate format specified either by set format or set xtics format. By default the usual numeric format specifiers are expected (set xtics numeric). Other options are geographic coordinates (set xtics geographic), or times or dates (set xtics time).

Note: For backward compatibility with earlier gnuplot versions, the command set xdata time will implicitly also do set xtics time, and set xdata or unset xdata will implicitly reset to set xtics numeric. However you can change this with a later call to set xtics.

Examples:

         set xdata time           # controls interpretation of input data
         set timefmt "%d/%m"      # format used to read input data
         set xtics timedate       # controls interpretation of output format
         set xtics format "%b %d" # format used for tic labels
         set xrange ["01/12":"06/12"]
         set xtics "01/12", 172800, "05/12"

         set xdata time
         set timefmt "%d/%m"
         set xtics format "%b %d" time
         set xrange ["01/12":"06/12"]
         set xtics ("01/12", "" "03/12", "05/12")

Both of these will produce tics `"`Dec 1`"`, `"`Dec 3`"`, and `"`Dec 5`"`, but in the second example the tic at `"`Dec 3`"` will be unlabeled.