[R] Par() Variables, Timing, and Resizing

[Greg Snow]

I would suggest using the layout function instead of the mfcol and pin with par.  The layout function gives you more control of the size of areas to be plotted to.

-- 
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 ckemendo at metlife.com
> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 12:33 PM
> To: r-help at r-project.org
> Subject: [R] Par() Variables, Timing, and Resizing
> 
> Hello, R-help,
> 
> Although this is my first post to the mailing list, I have been a
> subscriber for a while now, and have found all of the posts to be very
> informative in my quest to attempt to master R. Thank you for that in
> advance.
> 
> This question involves the use of the par() variables pin, oma, and mar
> to
> resize "sub-plots" in an output window. I am aware from ?plot that the
> use
> of these variables is hard to predict due to trying to change the same
> underlying variables in different ways and that "those last in the
> alphabet will win." However, I would still like to accomplish my goal
> 
> I am trying to but two line graphs in a column stacked vertically. The
> lower graph will be much wider due to a greater dispersion of the data.
> The upper graph will be much smaller, as the data ranges from, say, 1
> to
> -1. Therefore, I would like the graphs to be larger and smaller in
> height,
> respectively. I attempt to do this with the pin variable of the par()
> class.
> 
> Further, as the two graphs are related, I want to put a small or even
> no
> margin between the two graphs. I manipulate the mar and oma variables
> to
> this end.
> 
> Sadly, I am not getting the results that I want.
> 
> 
> > par(mfcol=c(2,1)) # 2 plot window
> > par(mar=c(0,4,0,2), oma=c(0,2,0.5,2), pin=c(6,0.5)) # Set all
> variables
> at once for the upper plot
> > plot(1:9)             # sample upper plot
> > par(pin=c(6,3))       # set window size for 2nd plot
> > plot(1:9)             # sample lower plot
> 
> This method produces the two box plots of varying heights, but does not
> change the margins.
> 
> vs.
> 
> > par(mfcol=c(2,1))     # 2 plot window
> > par(pin=c(6,0.5))     # Set window size upper plot
> > par(mar=c(0,4,0,2), oma=c(0,2,0.5,2))# Set margins
> > plot(1:9)             # Sample upper plot
> > par(pin=c(6,3))       # Set window size lower plot
> > plot(1:9)             # Sample lower plot
> 
> On the other hand, this method changes the margins, but does not change
> the size of the upper box (the lower box's size is changed).
> 
> Also, by placing the set window size for the upper plot command below
> the
> other par() call creates results like the first method.
> 
> I think the trick is in calling par() and setting the variables in the
> correct order. Or maybe this is simply impossible to do with par() and
> I
> should look into using a different library. Any insight would be
> helpful.
> 
> Thank you for any help,
> 
> Chris Kemendo
> 
> platform       i386-pc-mingw32
> arch           i386
> os             mingw32
> system         i386, mingw32
> status
> major          2
> minor          12.0
> year           2010
> month          10
> day            15
> svn rev        53317
> language       R
> version.string R version 2.12.0 (2010-10-15)
> 
> The information contained in this message may be
> CONFIDE...{{dropped:5}}
> 
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