Re: st: Re: Stack trick by Nicholas Cox

[Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com>]

Note that the code could be simplified from

... cond(foreign==1,  1-0.1*(_n-1)/7, foreign+0.1* (_n-1)/7)

to

... cond(foreign==1,  1-0.1*(_n-1)/7, 0.1* (_n-1)/7)

as if -foreign- is not 1, the only other value of -foreign- is 0.

Nick

On Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 9:50 AM, Nick Cox <njcoxstata@gmail.com> wrote:
> The reference is to a Speaking Stata column in the _Stata Journal_.
> This is accessible to all  in
>
> http://stata-journal.com/sjpdf.html?articlenum=gr0004
>
> The example uses Stata's auto data and can be replicated by
>
> sysuse auto
>
> bysort foreign mpg: gen foreign2 = ///
> cond(foreign==1,  1-0.1*(_n-1)/7, foreign+0.1* (_n-1)/7)
>
> The results can be inspected. Here is enough to give a flavour of what
> is produced
>
> . l foreign mpg foreign2
>
>      +---------------------------+
>      |  foreign   mpg   foreign2 |
>      |---------------------------|
>   1. | Domestic    12          0 |
>   2. | Domestic    12   .0142857 |
>   3. | Domestic    14          0 |
>   4. | Domestic    14   .0142857 |
>   5. | Domestic    14   .0285714 |
>      |---------------------------|
>   6. | Domestic    14   .0428571 |
>   7. | Domestic    14   .0571429 |
>   8. | Domestic    15          0 |
>   9. | Domestic    15   .0142857 |
>
> <snip>
>
>  53. |  Foreign    14          1 |
>  54. |  Foreign    17          1 |
>  55. |  Foreign    17   .9857143 |
>      |---------------------------|
>  56. |  Foreign    18          1 |
>  57. |  Foreign    18   .9857143 |
>  58. |  Foreign    21          1 |
>  59. |  Foreign    21   .9857143 |
>  60. |  Foreign    23          1 |
>      |---------------------------|
>  61. |  Foreign    23   .9857143 |
>  62. |  Foreign    23   .9714286 |
>  63. |  Foreign    24          1 |
>  64. |  Foreign    25          1 |
>  65. |  Foreign    25   .9857143 |
>      |---------------------------|
>  66. |  Foreign    25   .9714286 |
>  67. |  Foreign    25   .9571428 |
>  68. |  Foreign    26          1 |
>  69. |  Foreign    28          1 |
>  70. |  Foreign    30          1 |
>      |---------------------------|
>  71. |  Foreign    31          1 |
>  72. |  Foreign    35          1 |
>  73. |  Foreign    35   .9857143 |
>  74. |  Foreign    41          1 |
>      +---------------------------+
>
> The idea is to get a y coordinate at which to plot each pair of values
> in a scatter plot of -foreign- versus -mpg-. The context is that we
> are plotting a logit fit from -logit foreign mpg- and we are adding
> the raw data at the top and bottom of the plot as what are now often
> called as rugs.
>
> Consider the last observation, which is the only observation with
> foreign = 1 (Foreign), mpg = 41. We can just plot it as y = 1, x = 41.
>
> The previous two observations tie at foreign = 1, mpg = 35. If we
> plotted them, the marker symbols would just be superimposed.
>
> So we stack them vertically. One can be plotted at y = 1, x = 35, but
> the other must be nudged downwards from y = 1.
>
> A similar decision applies for values with foreign = 0. Pairs that
> occur once only can be plotted at y = 0, x = mpg value, but ties must
> be separated to be discernible.
>
> The general rule for this dataset -- chosen after experiment -- was
>
> cond(foreign==1,  1-0.1*(_n-1)/7, foreign+0.1* (_n-1)/7)
>
> meaning
>
> for foreign = 1, use y = 1 if _n == 1, 1 - 0.1/7 if _n == 2, and so on.
>
> for foreign = 0, use y = 0 if _n == 1, 0 + 0.1/7 if _n == 3, and so on.
>
> The -cond()- function handles both cases at once. -search cond, sj-
> for access to a 2005 tutorial by David Kantor and myself if needed.
>
> What is _n here? It is crucial that the observation number _n is
> counted _within_ distinct groups of -foreign mpg-. -search by, sj- for
> access to a 2002 tutorial if needed.
>
> 7 is just a choice that works well in this dataset, or so I thought.
>
> There is no use of options in this code.
>
> Nick
>
> On Sun, Mar 3, 2013 at 8:10 PM, Michael Stewart
> <michaelstewartresearch@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I am a novice and trying to learn stata graphics.I read Speaking Stat
>> by Nick, vol 4 , number 2, page 190-215 regarding Graphing Categorical
>> and compositional data.
>> Nick writes a conditional statement on page 193.I could not understand
>> the second option
>> His cond statement is bysort foreign mpg:gen foreign2=cond(foreign==1,
>> 1-0.1*(_n-1)/7, foreign+0.1*(_n-1)/7)
>> I cannot understand  what does 1-0.1*(_n-1)/7 and
>> foreign+0.1*(_n-1)/7  compute and their purpose.I tried to read the
>> article but am still at loss.
*
*   For searches and help try:
*   http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
*   http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/resources/statalist-faq/
*   http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/