re: Re: Re: st: placing two textboxes in a graph on the x-axis

["Ariel Linden, DrPH" <ariel.linden@gmail.com>]

As always, Nick, you give perfect solutions. In particular, the tlength(*#)
is valuable, since I was trying to figure out how to "offset" the text from
the axis (as one would use titlegap(#) for a title). 

I was obviously looking in the wrong place in the manual
("added_text_options"). I am hoping to master 25% of what Stata has to offer
before retirement. :-)

Yes, I was referring to the graph recorder. It would be great if the actual
commands used in the graph recorder would be displayed in the viewer, so
that the user could learn what exactly what code is being processed [as
currently occurs when any other command is used from the drop down menu].  

Thanks again for the wonderful, helpful suggestions!

Ariel

Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:49:14 +0100
From: Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Re: st: placing two textboxes in a graph on the x-axis

- -xmlabel()- is documented under -axis label options-. That's where I
would expect. Where did you look?

You can move labels up or down by changing the length of the
corresponding ticks. The objection is then likely to be that long
ticks are not wanted. But when I want extra text I often just use
- -tlcolor(none)- to make the ticks invisible. And although the
- -?mlabel()- are born small they can be made bigger.

So, for putting extra text on graph axes I often use -xmlabel()- or
- -ymlabel()- with long but invisible ticks and a big label size.

. sysuse auto, clear
(1978 Automobile Data)

. scatter mpg weight

. scatter mpg weight, xmla(4500 "4500")

. scatter mpg weight, xmla(4500 "4500", tlength(*3))

. scatter mpg weight, xmla(4500 "4500", tlength(*6))

. scatter mpg weight, xmla(4500 "4500", tlength(*6) tlcolor(none))

. scatter mpg weight, xmla(4500 "4500", tlength(*6) tlcolor(none)
labsize(*3))

In terms of Ariel's more general comments:

1. Do you mean something other than the Graph Recorder?

2. It seems inevitable that a fat manual documenting a complicated set
of commands is a bit frustrating sometimes. I think StataCorp would
want specifics of what is not documented and what is documented in
puzzling places.

Nick


On Sun, Aug 28, 2011 at 5:18 PM, Ariel Linden, DrPH
<ariel.linden@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you Eric for your additional approach. I actually started out my
quest
> using the text option, however, as you correctly noted, it is not an easy
> task trying to position the boxes (and it changes with every graph)!
>
> If I could suggest to Stata an addition to a future version, it would be
to
> "track" the commands used in the graph editor and display them in the same
> way that all other commands are displayed (when using drop down menus
> instead of directly writing in the command at the command line).  There
are
> many options in graphing that are not intuitive or easy to find in the
> manual (for example, I could not find xmlabel documented anywhere).
>
> One last question: is there a way to offset the xmlabel downward from the
> x-axis?
>
> Thanks again for providing very useful advice!
>
> Ariel

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