st: meta-analysis graphs with metan

[Michael McCulloch <mm@pinest.org>]

Metan is a very useful routine for calculating summary effect measures. 
However, I am having a problem with balancing text size of study ID 
(namevar) with the width of the text columns where event counts are 
displayed. Here's the problem:
1. If I set texts to display at full size texts=1, then the text for the 
event counts in group 1 overlaps with that of group 2.
2. If I set texts to display at reduced size (texts=0.7), then the event 
counts text columns are properly separated, but the study ID text (namevar) 
is so small it is unsuitable for publication.

I should add that the # of events is large, four digits, making the display 
issue more problematic. Techniques for customizing the graph are only 
minimally documented in "help metan."

I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions on how to customize the graph. 
Especially helpful would be suggestions on how to increase the width 
between the event counts text columns.



Best wishes,
Michael


____________________________________

Michael McCulloch, LAc, MPH
Pine Street Clinic
124 Pine Street, San Anselmo, CA 94960-2674
tel     415.407.1357
fax     415.485.1065
email:  mm@pinest.org
web:    www.pinest.org
        www.pinestreetfoundation.org





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