--- a/src/ChangeLog	Tue Jan 27 12:40:31 2009 +0100
+++ b/src/ChangeLog	Tue Jan 27 07:20:58 2009 -0500
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+2009-01-27 Ben Abbott <bpabbott@mac.com>
+
+	* graphics.cc (convert_position): Handle character units.
+	(default_axes_tick, default_figure_papersize,
+	default_figure_paperposition): New functions.
+	* graphics.h.in (class figure::properties): Use them to
+	initialize papersize, paperposition, xtick, ytick, and ztick
+	properties.
+
 2009-01-27  Jaroslav Hajek  <highegg@gmail.com>
 
 	* DLD-FUNCTIONS/qr.cc (Fqr): Treat empty matrices correctly.

--- a/src/graphics.cc	Tue Jan 27 12:40:31 2009 +0100
+++ b/src/graphics.cc	Tue Jan 27 07:20:58 2009 -0500
@@ -188,6 +188,19 @@
 }
 
 static Matrix
+default_axes_tick (void)
+{
+  Matrix m (1, 6, 0.0);
+  m(0) = 0.0;
+  m(1) = 0.2;
+  m(2) = 0.4;
+  m(3) = 0.6;
+  m(4) = 0.8;
+  m(5) = 1.0;
+  return m;
+}
+
+static Matrix
 default_figure_position (void)
 {
   Matrix m (1, 4, 0.0);
@@ -199,6 +212,26 @@
 }
 
 static Matrix
+default_figure_papersize (void)
+{
+  Matrix m (1, 2, 0.0);
+  m(0) = 8.5;
+  m(1) = 11.5;
+  return m;
+}
+
+static Matrix
+default_figure_paperposition (void)
+{
+  Matrix m (1, 4, 0.0);
+  m(0) = 0.25;
+  m(1) = 2.50;
+  m(2) = 8.00;
+  m(3) = 6.00;
+  return m;
+}
+
+static Matrix
 convert_position (const Matrix& pos, const caseless_str& from_units,
 		  const caseless_str& to_units,
 		  const Matrix& parent_dim = Matrix (1, 2, 0.0),
@@ -218,7 +251,21 @@
     }
   else if (from_units.compare ("characters"))
     {
-      // FIXME -- implement this.
+      res = backend.get_screen_resolution ();
+
+      double f = 0.0;
+
+      // FIXME -- this assumes the system font is Helvetica 10pt 
+      //          (for which "x" requires 6x12 pixels at 74.951 pixels/inch)
+      f = 12.0 * res / 74.951;
+
+      if (f > 0)
+	{
+	  retval(0) = 0.5 * pos(0) * f;
+	  retval(1) = pos(1) * f;
+	  retval(2) = 0.5 * pos(2) * f;
+	  retval(3) = pos(3) * f;
+	}
     }
   else
     {
@@ -253,7 +300,19 @@
 	}
       else if (to_units.compare ("characters"))
 	{
-	  // FIXME -- implement this.
+	  res = backend.get_screen_resolution ();
+
+	  double f = 0.0;
+
+	  f = 12.0 * res / 74.951;
+
+	  if (f > 0)
+	    {
+	      retval(0) = 2 * retval(0) / f;
+	      retval(1) = retval(1) / f;
+	      retval(2) = 2 * retval(2) / f;
+	      retval(3) = retval(3) / f;
+	    }
 	}
       else
 	{

--- a/src/graphics.h.in	Tue Jan 27 12:40:31 2009 +0100
+++ b/src/graphics.h.in	Tue Jan 27 07:20:58 2009 -0500
@@ -2353,9 +2353,9 @@
       string_property name , ""
       bool_property numbertitle , "on"
       radio_property paperunits , "{inches}|centimeters|normalized|points"
-      array_property paperposition , Matrix (1, 4 , 0) 
+      array_property paperposition , default_figure_paperposition ()
       radio_property paperpositionmode , "auto|{manual}"
-      array_property papersize , Matrix (1, 2, 0)
+      array_property papersize , default_figure_papersize ()
       radio_property papertype , "{usletter}|uslegal|a0|a1|a2|a3|a4|a5|b0|b1|b2|b3|b4|b5|arch-a|arch-b|arch-c|arch-d|arch-e|a|b|c|d|e|tabloid|<custom>"
       radio_property pointer , "crosshair|fullcrosshair|{arrow}|ibeam|watch|topl|topr|botl|botr|left|top|right|bottom|circle|cross|fleur|custom|hand"
       array_property pointershapecdata , Matrix (16, 16, 0)
@@ -2641,9 +2641,9 @@
       bool_property xminorgrid , "off"
       bool_property yminorgrid , "off"
       bool_property zminorgrid , "off"
-      row_vector_property xtick m , Matrix ()
-      row_vector_property ytick m , Matrix ()
-      row_vector_property ztick m , Matrix ()
+      row_vector_property xtick m , default_axes_tick ()
+      row_vector_property ytick m , default_axes_tick ()
+      row_vector_property ztick m , default_axes_tick ()
       radio_property xtickmode , "{auto}|manual"
       radio_property ytickmode , "{auto}|manual"
       radio_property ztickmode , "{auto}|manual"