[R] Scientific notation in plots

[McGehee, Robert]

You could also use a function like this to transform a number x into your "beautiful" notation, where x is the number and digits is the number of digits you would like to see after the decimal. Then you could use the axis and labels syntax suggested by Iain, as such:

sciNotation <- function(x, digits = 1) {
    if (length(x) > 1) {
        return(append(sciNotation(x[1]), sciNotation(x[-1])))
    }
    if (!x) return(0)
    exponent <- floor(log10(x))
    base <- round(x / 10^exponent, digits)
    as.expression(substitute(base %*% 10^exponent, 
			list(base = base, exponent = exponent)))
}

plot(1:1000, axes = FALSE, type = "l", frame.plot = TRUE)
axis(1, at = axTicks(1), label = sciNotation(axTicks(1), 1))

-----Original Message-----
From: r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch [mailto:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch] On Behalf Of IAIN GALLAGHER
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2006 8:09 AM
To: Oddmund NordgÃ¥rd
Cc: r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
Subject: Re: [R] Scientific notation in plots

try something like this:

>axis(side=2, at=c(0, 5e+5, 1.5e+6, 2.5e+6),
labels=expression(0, 5%*%10^5, 1.5%*%10^6, 2.5%*%10^6)

it will place your 5e+5, 1.5e+6, 2.5e+6 as scientific
notation at the correct positions on the y axis. the
key is the "labels=expression...." part.

Cheers

iain

--- Oddmund NordgÃ¥rd <nood at ext.sir.no> wrote:

> 
> Is it possible to use scientific notation of numbers
> on the axis of plots
> without using the xEy notation. That means: a
> beatiful 1x10^3 instead of 1E3.
> Logarithmic scale, in my case.
> 
> Thank you very much!
> 
> Oddmund
> 
> ******************************************
> 
>   Oddmund Nordgård
> 
>   Department of Haematology and Oncology
>   Stavanger University Hospital
>   P.O. Box 8100
>   4068 STAVANGER
>   Phone: 51 51 89 34
>   Email: nood at ext.sir.no
> 
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