[R] Barplots and error indicators: Some R-Code

[dieter.haering@fal.admin.ch]

I' ve seen that several people are looking for a function that creates a
barplot with an error indicators (I was one of them myself). Maybe you will
find the following code helpful (There are some examples how to use it at
the end):


# Creates a barplot. 
#bar.plot() needs a datavector for the height of bars and a error
#indicator for the interval 
#many of the usual R parameters can be set: e.g. ylim, main, col, etc.
#The direction of the error indicator can be specified as "bo" for both,
"lo" lower, "up"  #upper
#The width of the indicator hat is set as a percentage of the x-width of the
plot:e.g.  *hat=0.05

bar.plot<-function(data, err.ind, ind.side=NA, hat=NA, ylim=c(0,
max(data+err.ind,  na.rm=TRUE)*1.2), col=NA, xlab="your x-lab",  ylab="your
y-lab", main="your main",  names.arg=NA, space=0.2){
if (is.na(ind.side)){
ind.side<-"up"}	#only upper error indicator (default), else: "lo" or "bo"
if (is.na(hat)){
hat<-0.01}	#fraction of the x axis that defines the size of the error
indicator hat
if (is.na(col)){col<-"white"} #the default color is white
x.cor<-barplot(data, ylim=ylim, xlab=xlab, ylab=ylab, main=main,
names.arg=names.arg,   col=col, space=space)
smidge<-diff(par("usr")[1:2])*hat
up.ind<-data+err.ind
lo.ind<-data-err.ind
segments(0,0,x.cor,0)	# draws X-Axis
if (ind.side=="up"){
segments(x.cor, data, x.cor, up.ind)
segments(x.cor, up.ind, x.cor+smidge, up.ind)
segments(x.cor, up.ind, x.cor-smidge, up.ind)
}else{
if (ind.side=="bo"){
segments(x.cor, data, x.cor, up.ind)
segments(x.cor, up.ind, x.cor+smidge, up.ind)
segments(x.cor, up.ind, x.cor-smidge, up.ind)
segments(x.cor, data, x.cor, lo.ind)
segments(x.cor, lo.ind, x.cor+smidge, lo.ind)
segments(x.cor, lo.ind, x.cor-smidge, lo.ind)
}else{
segments(x.cor, data, x.cor, lo.ind)
segments(x.cor, lo.ind, x.cor+smidge, lo.ind)
segments(x.cor, lo.ind, x.cor-smidge, lo.ind)
}
}
}


#Examples
par(mfrow=c(2,2))

data<-c(3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.1, 4.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.1, 3.4)
se<-sqrt(data)
bar.plot(data, se) #easy example

data<-c(3.2, 3.3, 3.6, 4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.1, 4.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.1, 3.4)
se<-c(sqrt(data))
bar.plot(data, se,ind.side="lo", ylim=c(0, 10), col="lavender", space=0.25,
hat=0) 

data<-c(15, 15, 19, 22)
se<-c(3, 5, 6, 4.5)
nam<-c("L.c","O.v","C.i","L.u")
bar.plot(data, se, col="orange", ind.side="bo", hat=0.05, main="",
xlab="species", ylab="CT  conc.")

data<-c(4,5,1,1.3,6,7.1,5,2.6)
se<-c(sqrt(data))
nam<-rep(c("C","T"),4)
spa<-rep(c(1.5, 0.2),4)
col<-rep(c("green","red"),4)
bar.plot(data, se, col=col, ind.side="up", main="Trees !", ylab="CT conc.",
space=spa,  names.arg=nam)





***********************************************************************
Dieter Häring
Eidg. Forschungsanstalt für Agraroekologie und Landbau (FAL)
Reckenholzstrasse 191
8046 Zürich

Tel.       01 / 377 71 62
FAX      01 / 377 72 01
mailto:dieter.haering at fal.admin.ch
www.reckenholz.ch