[R] curiosity question: new graphics vs. old graphics subsystem

[Paul Murrell]

Hi


ivo welch wrote:
> I just read paul murrell's new book, R graphics.
> 
> now, I have always used the traditional graphics system.  apparently,
> the new (trellis?) system is an entirely separate graphics system.
> after reading the book, I cannot figure out what the intrinsic
> capability advantage of the old graphics system is that cannot be
> replicated in the trellis system.
> 
> if the new system's capabilities are practically a subset of the old
> system, why don't we design a compatibility layer so that we can just
> have one graphics subsystem, instead?  it seems weird that newbies
> learn the standard system first, and then, instead of building on it
> with more complex functions, are told to forget about things and start
> with something new.  I do like the simplicity of learning of the old
> system, but this would be the same if it were to come through a
> compatibility layer, too.  and then it would be easy to build learning
> on it.
> 
> but maybe I have it all wrong.  maybe there is something unique about
> the old system that the new system cannot do.  curious:  what is it?


The main problem is that traditional graphics thinks everything is a
plot.  This is good because it makes things like this possible ...

plot(1)
text(1, 1, "whoop-dee do")

... the important bit is that the 'text()' call has a reliable meaning:
it adds text to the current plot.  The downside is that if what you want
to draw is not a plot, you have to fight the system to do it.

The grid system thinks everything is a picture.  This is good because if
you want to draw something other than a plot, you can.  It is bad
because if I do something like ...

grid.text("la-dee da")

... that is not necessarily going to be added to a plot (unless I first
make sure that I am in an appropriate viewport).

There are other issues such as the fact that grid is generally more
memory hungry and slightly slower.

A "compatibility layer" has been discussed and it is perhaps possible,
BUT it would require reimplementing the traditional graphics system on
top of grid, which would be a pretty icky task.  Contributions always
welcome :)


> I also found the naming of the new system confusing.  there is
> trellis, there is lattice, there is grid.  how exactly should the new
> system be called?  paul calls the old system "traditional."  the new
> one seems to rear its head in different forms.


Reread Section 1.2 :)  There are two basic graphical systems
("traditional" and grid) and numerous graphical packages built on top of
each.  Lots of packages build on top of the traditional system.  Several
packages now exist on top of 'grid' (notably 'lattice', 'vcd', 'ggplot',
and 'hexbin').


> some other opinions (which follow the old rule that everyone has one):
> 
> * if we had one graphics subsystem, paul's book, and for this matter
> any explanation of the R graphics system, would become more
> parsimonious.
> 
> * R is, IMHO, the premier "programmed graphics" package today.  I may
> be complaining, but I also recognize that it is great.  so, please
> consider this to be only a suggestion.
> 
> * we have a pixmap image function.  we should also have a pdf
> includegraphics function, which can import an existing graphics image.
>  if a device (X11) is incapable of displaying it, we should just
> display a rectangle of the bounding box.  this would open up even more
> avenues to the ability of R to create graphics.


There is now a 'grImport' package on CRAN for this sort of thing (also
see http://www.r-project.org/useR-2006/Slides/Murrell.pdf).

Paul
-- 
Dr Paul Murrell
Department of Statistics
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland
New Zealand
64 9 3737599 x85392
paul at stat.auckland.ac.nz
http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~paul/