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#### 9.2.5 Entity Headings

By default, when an entity is defined, its heading is drawn at that location. If the entity name is preceeded by the `hide` keyword or the `show=no` attribute is specified at the entity definition then the entity heading is not drawn at the location of the definition. It is drawn later, if/when the entity is turned on by using `show` followed by the entity name or by setting `show=yes`. Note that multiple entities can be listed after both `show` and `hide`. It is also possible to specify other attributes for entities after these keywords.

Mentioning an entity after its definition either preceeded by `show` or with `show=yes` will cause an entity heading to be drawn into the chart even if the entity is already shown. This can be useful for long charts, see Defining Entities for examples.

You can display all of the entity headings using the `heading;` command, as well. This command displays an entity heading for all (currently showing) entities. This may be useful after a `newpage;` command, see Commands. However, the best practice is to use ‘`newpage [auto_heading=yes];`’ instead, since it only shows the heading when the chart is viewed per-page (which is the same for page breaks inserted by automatic pagination).

Using the `show` and `hide` commands in themselves with no entity specified after, will make all entities show or hide. (Same with `activate` and `deactivate`.) See the example below.

Note that entity related commands are merged. Thus saying `show; hide A;` will show all entities, except `A` in a single line of entity headings. If you want to manipulate entities in separate visual lines, insert a `nudge;` command in between the entity manipulating commands (as at the end of the example above).

Next: Entity Shapes, Previous: Implicit Entity Definition, Up: Specifying Entities [Contents]