--- a/scripts/plot/__gnuplot_drawnow__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/__gnuplot_drawnow__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
 
 ## Author: jwe
 
-function __gnuplot_drawnow__ (h, term, file, mono, debug_file)
+function __gnuplot_drawnow__ (h, term, file, mono = false, debug_file)
 
-  if (nargin < 4)
-    mono = false;
+  if (nargin < 1 || nargin > 5 || nargin == 2)
+    print_usage ();
   endif
 
   if (nargin >= 3 && nargin <= 5)
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
       plot_stream = __gnuplot_open_stream__ (2, h);
       gnuplot_supports_term = __gnuplot_has_terminal__ (term, plot_stream);
       if (gnuplot_supports_term)
-        enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream (1), true, h, term, file);
+        enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream(1), true, h, term, file);
         __go_draw_figure__ (h, plot_stream(1), enhanced, mono);
         if (nargin == 5)
           fid = fopen (debug_file, "wb");
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
           __go_draw_figure__ (h, fid, enhanced, mono);
         endif
       else
-        error ("__gnuplot_drawnow__: the gnuplot terminal, \"%s\", is not available",
+        error ('__gnuplot_drawnow__: the gnuplot terminal, "%s", is not available',
                gnuplot_trim_term (term));
       endif
     unwind_protect_cleanup
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
         fclose (fid);
       endif
     end_unwind_protect
-  elseif (nargin == 1)
+  else  # nargin == 1
     ##  Graphics terminal for display.
     plot_stream = get (h, "__plot_stream__");
     if (isempty (plot_stream))
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@
     if (strcmp (term, "dumb"))
       ## popen2 eats stdout of gnuplot, use temporary file instead
       dumb_tmp_file = tmpnam ();
-      enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream (1), new_stream, h, ...
+      enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream(1), new_stream, h,
                                    term, dumb_tmp_file);
     else
-      enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream (1), new_stream, h, term);
+      enhanced = gnuplot_set_term (plot_stream(1), new_stream, h, term);
     endif
-    __go_draw_figure__ (h, plot_stream (1), enhanced, mono);
-    fflush (plot_stream (1));
+    __go_draw_figure__ (h, plot_stream(1), enhanced, mono);
+    fflush (plot_stream(1));
     if (strcmp (term, "dumb"))
       fid = -1;
       while (fid < 0)
@@ -94,17 +94,14 @@
       ## reprint the plot on screen
       [a, count] = fscanf (fid, '%c', Inf);
       fclose (fid);
-      if (count>0)
-        if (a(1)==12)
-          ## avoid ^L at the beginning
-          a = a(2:end);
+      if (count > 0)
+        if (a(1) == 12)
+          a = a(2:end);  # avoid ^L at the beginning
         endif
         puts (a);
       endif
       unlink (dumb_tmp_file);
     endif
-  else
-    print_usage ();
   endif
 
 endfunction
@@ -117,9 +114,8 @@
     term = gnuplot_default_term (plot_stream);
     opts_str = "";
   else
-    ## Get the one word terminal id and save the remaining as options to
-    ## be passed on to gnuplot.  The terminal may respect the graphics
-    ## toolkit.
+    ## Get the one word terminal id and save the remaining as options to be
+    ## passed on to gnuplot.  The terminal may respect the graphics toolkit.
     [term, opts_str] = gnuplot_trim_term (term);
     term = lower (term);
     if (strcmp (term, "lua"))
@@ -149,7 +145,7 @@
       ## Generate gnuplot title string for plot windows.
       if (output_to_screen (term) && ! strcmp (term, "dumb"))
         fig.numbertitle = get (h, "numbertitle");
-        fig.name = strrep (get (h, "name"), "\"", "\\\"");
+        fig.name = strrep (get (h, "name"), '"', '\"');
         if (strcmp (get (h, "numbertitle"), "on"))
           title_str = sprintf ("Figure %d", h);
         else
@@ -161,11 +157,11 @@
           title_str = fig.name;
         endif
         if (! isempty (title_str))
-          title_str = sprintf ("title \"%s\"", title_str);
+          title_str = sprintf ('title "%s"', title_str);
         endif
         if (strcmp (term, "aqua"))
           ## Adjust axes-label and tick-label spacing.
-          opts_str = sprintf ("%s font \"%s,%d\"", opts_str,
+          opts_str = sprintf ('%s font "%s,%d"', opts_str,
                               get (0, "defaultaxesfontname"),
                               get (0, "defaultaxesfontsize") / 1.5);
         endif
@@ -195,8 +191,8 @@
         if (all (gnuplot_size > 0))
           terminals_with_size = {"canvas", "emf", "epslatex", "fig", ...
                                  "gif", "jpeg", "latex", "pbm", "pdf", ...
-                                 "pdfcairo", "postscript", "png", "pngcairo", ...
-                                 "pstex", "pslatex", "svg", "tikz"};
+                                 "pdfcairo", "postscript", "png", ...
+                                 "pngcairo", "pstex", "pslatex", "svg", "tikz"};
           if (__gnuplot_has_feature__ ("windows_figure_position"))
             terminals_with_size{end+1} = "windows";
           endif
@@ -207,27 +203,27 @@
             terminals_with_size{end+1} = "wxt";
           endif
           switch (term)
-          case terminals_with_size
-            size_str = sprintf ("size %.12g,%.12g", gnuplot_size);
-          case "tikz"
-            size_str = sprintf ("size %gin,%gin", gnuplot_size);
-          case "dumb"
-            new_stream = 1;
-            if (! isempty (getenv ("COLUMNS")) && ! isempty (getenv ("LINES")))
-              ## Let dumb use full text screen size (minus prompt lines).
-              n = sprintf ("%i", -2 - length (find (sprintf ("%s", PS1) == "\n")));
-              ## n = the number of times \n appears in PS1
-              size_str = ["size ", getenv("COLUMNS"), ",", getenv("LINES"), n];
-            else
-              ## Use the gnuplot default.
+            case terminals_with_size
+              size_str = sprintf ("size %.12g,%.12g", gnuplot_size);
+            case "tikz"
+              size_str = sprintf ("size %gin,%gin", gnuplot_size);
+            case "dumb"
+              new_stream = 1;
+              if (! isempty (getenv ("COLUMNS")) && ! isempty (getenv ("LINES")))
+                ## Let dumb use full text screen size (minus prompt lines).
+                n = sprintf ("%i", -2 - length (find (sprintf ("%s", PS1) == "\n")));
+                ## n = the number of times \n appears in PS1
+                size_str = ["size ", getenv("COLUMNS"), ",", getenv("LINES"), n];
+              else
+                ## Use the gnuplot default.
+                size_str = "";
+              endif
+            case {"aqua", "fig", "corel"}
+              size_str = sprintf ("size %g %g", gnuplot_size);
+            case "dxf"
               size_str = "";
-            endif
-          case {"aqua", "fig", "corel"}
-            size_str = sprintf ("size %g %g", gnuplot_size);
-          case "dxf"
-            size_str = "";
-          otherwise
-            size_str = "";
+            otherwise
+              size_str = "";
           endswitch
           if ((strncmpi (term, "x11", 3)
                && __gnuplot_has_feature__ ("x11_figure_position"))
@@ -269,32 +265,32 @@
     endif
 
     ## Set the gnuplot terminal (type, enhanced, title, options & size).
-    term_str = sprintf ("set terminal %s", term);
+    term_str = ["set terminal " term];
     if (! isempty (enh_str))
-      term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, enh_str);
+      term_str = [term_str " " enh_str];
     endif
     if (! isempty (title_str))
-      term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, title_str);
+      term_str = [term_str " " title_str];
     endif
     if (isempty (strfind (term, "corel")))
       if (! isempty (size_str) && new_stream)
         ## size_str comes after other options to permit specification of
         ## the canvas size for terminals cdr/corel.
-        term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, size_str);
+        term_str = [term_str " " size_str];
       endif
       if (nargin > 3 && ischar (opts_str))
         ## Options must go last.
-        term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, opts_str);
+        term_str = [term_str " " opts_str];
       endif
     else
       if (nargin > 3 && ischar (opts_str))
         ## Options must go last.
-        term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, opts_str);
+        term_str = [term_str " " opts_str];
       endif
       if (! isempty (size_str) && new_stream)
         ## size_str comes after other options to permit specification of
         ## the canvas size for terminals cdr/corel.
-        term_str = sprintf ("%s %s", term_str, size_str);
+        term_str = [term_str " " size_str];
       endif
     endif
     if (! __gnuplot_has_feature__ ("has_termoption_dashed"))
@@ -304,7 +300,7 @@
                                "fig", "pcl5", "mp", "next", "openstep", "pdf", \
                                "pdfcairo", "pngcairo", "postscript", \
                                "pslatex", "pstext", "svg", "tgif", "x11"})))
-        term_str = sprintf ("%s dashed", term_str);
+        term_str = [term_str " dashed"];
       endif
     end
 
@@ -343,7 +339,7 @@
 endfunction
 
 function term = gnuplot_default_term (plot_stream)
-  term = getenv ("GNUTERM");
+  term = lower (getenv ("GNUTERM"));
   ## If not specified, guess the terminal type.
   if (isempty (term) || ! __gnuplot_has_terminal__ (term, plot_stream))
     if (isguirunning () && __gnuplot_has_terminal__ ("qt", plot_stream))
@@ -362,35 +358,31 @@
 
 function [term, opts] = gnuplot_trim_term (string)
   ## Extract the terminal type and terminal options (from print.m)
-  string = deblank (string);
-  n = strfind (string, ' ');
-  if (isempty (n))
-    term = string;
-    opts = "";
-  else
-    term = string(1:(n-1));
-    opts = string((n+1):end);
+  string = strtrim (string);
+  [term, opts] = strtok (string, ' ');
+  if (! isempty (opts))
+    opts(1) = "";  # trim extra space from strtok
   endif
 endfunction
 
 function have_enhanced = gnuplot_is_enhanced_term (plot_stream, term)
-  persistent enhanced_terminals;
-  if (isempty (enhanced_terminals))
-    ## Don't include pstex, pslatex or epslatex here as the TeX commands
-    ## should not be interpreted in that case.
-    enhanced_terminals = {"aqua", "canvas", "dumb", "emf", "gif", "jpeg", ...
-                          "pdf", "pdfcairo", "pm", "png", "pngcairo", ...
-                          "postscript", "qt", "svg", "windows", "wxt", "x11"};
-  endif
+  ## Don't include pstex, pslatex or epslatex here as the TeX commands
+  ## should not be interpreted in that case.
+  persistent enhanced_terminals = {"aqua", "canvas", "dumb", "emf", "gif", ...
+                                   "jpeg", "pdf", "pdfcairo", "pm", "png", ...
+                                   "pngcairo", "postscript", "qt", "svg",  ...
+                                   "windows", "wxt", "x11"};
+
   if (nargin < 2)
     ## Determine the default gnuplot terminal.
     term = gnuplot_default_term (plot_stream);
   endif
-  have_enhanced = any (strncmp (enhanced_terminals, term, min (numel (term), 3)));
+  have_enhanced = any (strcmp (term, enhanced_terminals));
 endfunction
 
 function ret = output_to_screen (term)
-  ret = any (strcmpi ({"aqua", "dumb", "pm", "qt", "windows", "wxt", "x11"}, term));
+  ret = any (strcmpi (term, 
+                     {"aqua", "dumb", "pm", "qt", "windows", "wxt", "x11"}));
 endfunction
 
 function retval = have_non_legend_axes (h)

--- a/scripts/plot/gnuplot_binary.in	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/gnuplot_binary.in	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -22,8 +22,9 @@
 ## Query or set the name of the program invoked by the plot command
 ## when the graphics toolkit is set to "gnuplot".  Additional arguments to
 ## pass to the external plotting program may also be given.
-## The default value is @code{"gnuplot"} without additional arguments.
+## The default value is @code{"gnuplot"} with no additional arguments.
 ## @xref{Installation}.
+## @seealso{graphics_toolkit}
 ## @end deftypefn
 
 ## Author: jwe
@@ -39,23 +40,26 @@
   endif
 
   if (nargin == 1)
-    if (ischar (new_prog))
-      if (! isempty (new_prog))
-	gp_binary = new_prog;
-      else
-	error ("gnuplot_binary: value must not be empty");
-      endif
-    else
-      error ("gnuplot_binary: expecting program to be a character string");
+    if (! ischar (new_prog) || isempty (new_prog))
+      error ("gnuplot_binary: NEW_PROG must be a non-empty string");
     endif
+    gp_binary = new_prog;
   endif
 
   if (nargin > 1)
-    if (iscellstr (varargin))
-      gp_args = varargin;
-    else
-      error ("gnuplot_binary: expecting arguments to be character strings");
+    if (! iscellstr (varargin))
+      error ("gnuplot_binary: arguments must be character strings");
     endif
+    gp_args = varargin;
   endif
 
 endfunction
+
+
+%!test
+%! orig_val = gnuplot_binary ();
+%! old_val = gnuplot_binary ("X");
+%! assert (orig_val, old_val);
+%! assert (gnuplot_binary (), "X");
+%! gnuplot_binary (orig_val);
+%! assert (gnuplot_binary (), orig_val);

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_get_var__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_get_var__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -24,17 +24,11 @@
 ## Author: Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
 ## Created: 2009-02-07
 
-function gp_var_value = __gnuplot_get_var__ (h, gp_var_name, fmt)
+function gp_var_value = __gnuplot_get_var__ (h, gp_var_name, fmt = "")
 
-  if (nargin == 0)
-    h = gcf ();
-  endif
   if (nargin < 2)
     print_usage ();
   endif
-  if (nargin < 3)
-    fmt = '';
-  endif
 
   if (numel (h) == 1 && isfigure (h))
     if (isempty (get (gcf, "__plot_stream__")))
@@ -65,8 +59,8 @@
     ## Mode: 6*8*8 ==  0600
     [err, msg] = mkfifo (gpin_name, 6*8*8);
 
-    if (err != 0)
-      error ("__gnuplot_get_var__: Can not make fifo (%s)", msg);
+    if (err)
+      error ("__gnuplot_get_var__: Can not make FIFO (%s)", msg);
     endif
   endif
 
@@ -79,18 +73,18 @@
   unwind_protect
 
     ## Notes: Variables may be undefined if user closes gnuplot by "q"
-    ## or Alt-F4. Further, this abrupt close also requires the leading
+    ## or Alt-F4.  Further, this abrupt close also requires the leading
     ## "\n" on the next line.
     if (use_mkfifo)
       fprintf (ostream, "\nset print \"%s\";\n", gpin_name);
       fflush (ostream);
       [gpin, err] = fopen (gpin_name, "r");
-      if (err != 0)
+      if (err)
         ## Try a second time, and then give an error.
         [gpin, err] = fopen (gpin_name, "r");
       endif
-      if (err != 0)
-        error ("__gnuplot_get_var__: can not open fifo");
+      if (err)
+        error ("__gnuplot_get_var__: can not open FIFO");
       endif
       gp_cmd = sprintf ("\nif (exists(\"%s\")) print %s; else print NaN\n",
                         gp_var_name(1:n), gp_var_name);
@@ -126,7 +120,7 @@
 
       str = {};
       while (isempty (str))
-        str = char (fread (istream)');
+        str = fread (istream, "*char")';
         if (isempty (str))
           sleep (0.05);
         else
@@ -138,8 +132,7 @@
     endif
 
     ## Strip out EOLs and the continuation character "|"
-    str(str=="\n") = "";
-    str(str=="\r") = "";
+    str(str=="\n" | str=="\r") = "";
     n_continue = strfind (str, " \\ ");
     if (! isempty (n_continue))
       str(n_continue+1) = "";

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_ginput__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_ginput__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 
 function [x, y, button] = __gnuplot_ginput__ (f, n)
 
+  if (compare_versions (__gnuplot_version__ (), "4.0", "<="))
+    error ("ginput: version %s of gnuplot not supported", gnuplot_version ());
+  endif
+
   ostream = get (f, "__plot_stream__");
   if (numel (ostream) < 1)
     error ("ginput: stream to gnuplot not open");
@@ -46,10 +50,6 @@
     ostream = ostream(1);
   endif
 
-  if (compare_versions (__gnuplot_version__ (), "4.0", "<="))
-    error ("ginput: version %s of gnuplot not supported", gnuplot_version ());
-  endif
-
   if (nargin == 1)
     x = zeros (100, 1);
     y = zeros (100, 1);
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     ##Mode: 6*8*8 ==  0600
     [err, msg] = mkfifo (gpin_name, 6*8*8);
 
-    if (err != 0)
+    if (err)
       error ("ginput: Can not open fifo (%s)", msg);
     endif
   endif
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@
         fprintf (ostream, "set print \"%s\";\n", gpin_name);
         fflush (ostream);
         [gpin, err] = fopen (gpin_name, "r");
-        if (err != 0)
-          error ("ginput: Can not open fifo (%s)", msg);
+        if (err)
+          error ("ginput: Can not open FIFO (%s)", msg);
         endif
         fputs (ostream, "pause mouse any;\n\n");
         fputs (ostream, "\nif (exists(\"MOUSE_KEY\") && exists(\"MOUSE_X\")) print MOUSE_X, MOUSE_Y, MOUSE_KEY; else print \"0 0 -1\"\n");
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
         [x(k), y(k), button(k), count] = fscanf (gpin, "%f %f %d", "C");
         fclose (gpin);
       else
-        fprintf (ostream, "set print \"-\";\n");
+        fputs (ostream, "set print \"-\";\n");
         fflush (ostream);
         fputs (ostream, "pause mouse any;\n\n");
         fputs (ostream, "\nif (exists(\"MOUSE_KEY\") && exists(\"MOUSE_X\")) print \"OCTAVE: \", MOUSE_X, MOUSE_Y, MOUSE_KEY; else print \"0 0 -1\"\n");
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
 
         str = {};
         while (isempty (str))
-          str = char (fread (istream)');
+          str = fread (istream, "*char")';
           if (isempty (str))
             sleep (0.05);
           else

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_has_feature__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_has_feature__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -25,18 +25,18 @@
 ## Created: 2009-01-27
 
 function res = __gnuplot_has_feature__ (feature)
-  persistent features has_features
-  features = {"x11_figure_position",
-              "wxt_figure_size",
-              "transparent_patches",
-              "transparent_surface",
-              "epslatex_implies_eps_filesuffix",
-              "epslatexstandalone_terminal",
-              "screen_coordinates_for_{lrtb}margin",
-              "variable_GPVAL_TERMINALS",
-              "key_has_font_properties",
-              "windows_figure_position",
-              "has_termoption_dashed"};
+  persistent features = {"x11_figure_position",
+                         "wxt_figure_size",
+                         "transparent_patches",
+                         "transparent_surface",
+                         "epslatex_implies_eps_filesuffix",
+                         "epslatexstandalone_terminal",
+                         "screen_coordinates_for_{lrtb}margin",
+                         "variable_GPVAL_TERMINALS",
+                         "key_has_font_properties",
+                         "windows_figure_position",
+                         "has_termoption_dashed"};
+  persistent has_features;
 
   if (isempty (has_features))
     try
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     end_try_catch
     versions = {"4.2.5", "4.4", "4.4", "4.4", "4.2", "4.2", "4.4", "4.4", "4.4", "4.4", "4.3"};
     operators = {">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">=", ">="};
-    have_features = logical (zeros (size (features)));
+    have_features = false (size (features));
     for n = 1 : numel (have_features)
       has_features(n) = compare_versions (gnuplot_version, versions{n}, operators{n});
     endfor
@@ -59,5 +59,6 @@
   else
     res = has_features(n);
   endif
+
 endfunction
 

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_has_terminal__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_has_terminal__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -25,11 +25,10 @@
 ## Created: 2010-09-13
 
 function gnuplot_supports_term = __gnuplot_has_terminal__ (term, plot_stream)
-  term = deblank (term);
-  n = find (term == " ", 1);
-  if (! isempty (n))
-    term = term(1:n-1);
-  endif
+
+  term = strtrim (term);
+  term = lower (strtok (term, " "));
+
   if (__gnuplot_has_feature__ ("variable_GPVAL_TERMINALS"))
     if (nargin < 2)
       plot_stream = __gnuplot_open_stream__ (2);
@@ -59,6 +58,8 @@
                            "svg", "texdraw", "tgif", "tkcanvas", ...
                            "tpic", "windows", "x11", "xlib", "xterm"};
   endif
-  gnuplot_supports_term = any (strcmpi (available_terminals, term));
+
+  gnuplot_supports_term = any (strcmp (term, available_terminals));
+
 endfunction
 

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_print__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_print__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -51,15 +51,15 @@
   switch (lower (opts.devopt))
   case {"eps", "eps2", "epsc", "epsc2"}
     if (any (strcmp (opts.devopt, {"eps", "epsc"})))
-      gp_opts = sprintf ("%s level1", gp_opts);
+      gp_opts = [gp_opts " level1"];
     endif
     if (opts.tight_flag || ! isempty (opts.preview))
       tmp_file = strcat (tmpnam (), ".eps");
       eps_drawnow (opts, tmp_file, gp_opts);
       if (dos_shell)
-        cleanup = sprintf (" & del %s", strrep (tmp_file, '/', '\'));
+        cleanup = [" & del " strrep(tmp_file, '/', '\')];
       else
-        cleanup = sprintf (" ; rm %s", tmp_file);
+        cleanup = [" ; rm " tmp_file];
       endif
       pipeline = {sprintf("%s %s",
                           opts.epstool_cmd (opts, tmp_file, opts.name),
@@ -89,33 +89,33 @@
     if (__gnuplot_has_feature__ ("epslatex_implies_eps_filesuffix"))
       suffix = "tex";
     else
-      %% Gnuplot 4.0 wants a ".eps" suffix.
+      ## Gnuplot 4.0 wants a ".eps" suffix.
       suffix = "eps";
     endif
-    local_drawnow (sprintf ("%s %s", term, gp_opts),
+    local_drawnow ([term " " gp_opts],
                    strcat (name, ".", suffix), opts);
   case "tikz"
     if (__gnuplot_has_terminal__ ("tikz"))
-      local_drawnow (sprintf ("lua tikz %s", gp_opts), opts.name, opts);
+      local_drawnow (["lua tikz " gp_opts], opts.name, opts);
     else
       error (sprintf ("print:no%soutput", opts.devopt),
              "print.m: '%s' output is not available for gnuplot-%s",
              upper (opts.devopt), __gnuplot_version__ ());
     endif
   case "svg"
-    local_drawnow (sprintf ("svg dynamic %s", gp_opts), opts.name, opts);
+    local_drawnow (["svg dynamic " gp_opts], opts.name, opts);
   case {"aifm", "corel", "eepic", "emf", "fig"}
-    local_drawnow (sprintf ("%s %s", opts.devopt, gp_opts), opts.name, opts);
+    local_drawnow ([opts.devopt " " gp_opts], opts.name, opts);
   case {"pdfcairo", "pngcairo"}
     if (__gnuplot_has_terminal__ (opts.devopt))
-      local_drawnow (sprintf ("%s %s", opts.devopt, gp_opts), opts.name, opts);
+      local_drawnow ([opts.devopt " " gp_opts], opts.name, opts);
     else
       error (sprintf ("print:no%soutput", opts.devopt),
              "print.m: '%s' output is not available for gnuplot-%s",
              upper (opts.devopt), __gnuplot_version__ ());
     endif
   case {"canvas", "dxf", "hpgl", "mf", "gif", "pstricks", "texdraw"}
-    local_drawnow (sprintf ("%s %s", opts.devopt, gp_opts), opts.name, opts);
+    local_drawnow ([opts.devopt " " gp_opts], opts.name, opts);
   case opts.ghostscript.device
     gp_opts = font_spec (opts, "devopt", "eps");
     opts.ghostscript.output = opts.name;
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@
     [cmd_gs, cmd_cleanup] = __ghostscript__ (opts.ghostscript);
     if (opts.send_to_printer || isempty (opts.name))
       cmd_lpr = opts.lpr_cmd (opts);
-      cmd = sprintf ("%s | %s", cmd_gs, cmd_lpr);
+      cmd = [cmd_gs " | " cmd_lpr];
     else
-      cmd = sprintf ("%s", cmd_gs);
+      cmd = cmd_gs;
     endif
     if (dos_shell)
       cmd = sprintf ("%s & del %s", cmd, strrep (opts.ghostscript.source, '/', '\'));
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@
     endif
     if (! isempty (cmd_cleanup))
       if (dos_shell)
-        pipeline = {sprintf("%s & %s", cmd, cmd_cleanup)};
+        pipeline = {[cmd " & " cmd_cleanup]};
       else
-        pipeline = {sprintf("%s ; %s", cmd, cmd_cleanup)};
+        pipeline = {[cmd " ; " cmd_cleanup]};
       endif
     else
       pipeline = {cmd};
@@ -170,14 +170,11 @@
 function eps_drawnow (opts, epsfile, gp_opts)
   [h, fontsize] = get_figure_text_objs (opts);
   unwind_protect
-    for n = 1:numel (h)
-      set (h(n), "fontsize", 2 * fontsize{n});
-    endfor
-    local_drawnow (sprintf ("postscript eps %s", gp_opts), epsfile, opts);
+    fontsize_2x = cellfun (@(x) 2*x, fontsize, "uniformoutput", false);
+    set (h, {"fontsize"}, fontsize_2x);
+    local_drawnow (["postscript eps " gp_opts], epsfile, opts);
   unwind_protect_cleanup
-    for n = 1:numel (h)
-      set (h(n), "fontsize", fontsize{n});
-    endfor
+    set (h, {"fontsize"}, fontsize);
   end_unwind_protect
 endfunction
 
@@ -203,9 +200,9 @@
   switch (opts.devopt)
   case "cgm"
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s,%d""", opts.font, opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s,%d"', opts.font, opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       f = sprintf ("%d", opts.fontsize);
     endif
@@ -215,39 +212,39 @@
     ## Compensate for the half scale. This will produce the proper
     ## spacing for the requested fontsize.
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s,%d""", opts.font, 2 * opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s,%d"', opts.font, 2 * opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       f = sprintf ("%d", 2 * opts.fontsize);
     endif
   case "svg"
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       fontsize = round (opts.fontsize * 0.75);
-      f = sprintf ("fname ""%s"" fsize %d", opts.font, fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('fname "%s" fsize %d', opts.font, fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("fname ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('fname "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       fontsize = round (opts.fontsize * 0.75);
       f = sprintf ("%s fsize %d", f, fontsize);
     endif
   case "pdf"
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s,%d""", opts.font, opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s,%d"', opts.font, opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       f = sprintf ("fsize %d", f, opts.fontsize);
     endif
   case {"pdfcairo", "pngcairo"}
     if (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     endif
   case {"epslatex", "epslatexstandalone"}
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s,%d""", opts.font, opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s,%d"', opts.font, opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       f = sprintf ("%d", opts.fontsize);
     endif
@@ -257,17 +254,17 @@
     endif
   case {"gif", "jpeg", "png"}
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s ,%d""", opts.font, opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s ,%d"', opts.font, opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("font ""%d""", opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('font "%d"', opts.fontsize);
     endif
   case "emf"
     if (! isempty (opts.font) && ! isempty (opts.fontsize))
-      f = sprintf ("""%s"" %d", opts.font, opts.fontsize);
+      f = sprintf ('"%s" %d', opts.font, opts.fontsize);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.font))
-      f = sprintf ("""%s""", opts.font);
+      f = sprintf ('"%s"', opts.font);
     elseif (! isempty (opts.fontsize))
       f = sprintf ("%d", opts.fontsize);
     endif

--- a/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_version__.m	Mon Feb 25 23:49:43 2013 -0500
+++ b/scripts/plot/private/__gnuplot_version__.m	Mon Feb 25 21:01:36 2013 -0800
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@
   persistent __version__ = "";
 
   if (isempty (__version__))
-    [status, output] = system (sprintf ("\"%s\" --version", gnuplot_binary ()));
+    [status, output] = system (sprintf ('"%s" --version', gnuplot_binary ()));
     if (status != 0)
       ## This message ends in a newline so that the traceback messages
       ## are skipped and people might actually see the message, read it,
-      ## comprehend it, actually take the advice it gives, and stop
-      ## asking us why plotting fails when gnuplot is not found.
+      ## comprehend it, take the advice it gives, and stop asking us
+      ## why plotting fails when gnuplot is not found.
       error ("you must have gnuplot installed to display graphics; if you have gnuplot installed in a non-standard location, see the 'gnuplot_binary' function\n");
     endif
     output = strrep (output, "gnuplot", "");