[R] scatterplot function - double check: dashed lines

[Greg Snow]

While it is possible to set your own dash patterns as you show below, it is unlikely that the resulting graph will be very meaningful.  Most people cannot keep the detailed dash patterns separate, and if they need to refer to a legend then it makes it even harder (See Bert Gunter's rant on the "Symbols in R" thread).

If the curves are distinct enough it is best to just have them all black and solid and label the different lines.  If that does not work then maybe using trellis style graphs where each line is in its own panel would be better (and still solid).

Hope this helps,

-- 
Gregory (Greg) L. Snow Ph.D.
Statistical Data Center
Intermountain Healthcare
greg.snow at imail.org
801.408.8111


> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces at r-
> project.org] On Behalf Of K F Pearce
> Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2010 4:45 AM
> To: r-help at r-project.org
> Subject: [R] scatterplot function - double check: dashed lines
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is just a quick double check.  It concerns the 'scatterplot
> function' in R.
> 
>  I have 6 curves and I wish to represent each of them by a different
> kind of line (their colour must be black).
> 
> The curves are derived from the cuminc function...the coordinates of
> which are in 'xx'.
> 
> Upon reading the documentation in R, it looks like I can use the
> 'on/off' command for lty and I can merely run:
> 
> plot(xx,color="black",lty=c("11","13","1343","73","2262","35"))
> 
> according to the documentation, "13" (for example) means 1 'on' and 3
> 'off' .
> 
> Does the above look OK ?
> 
> Say, in another study, I wish to draw my 6 lines all in different
> colours (solid lines), I suppose that I could type:
> 
> plot(xx, color=c("red","black","purple","yellow","brown","violet"),
> lty=1)
> 
> Thanks so much for your help,
> All the Best,
> Kim
> 
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