.ig >>
<STYLE TYPE="text/css">
<!--
        A:link{text-decoration:none}
        A:visited{text-decoration:none}
        A:active{text-decoration:none}
-->
</STYLE>
<title>ploticus: proc areadef</title>
<body bgcolor=D0D0EE vlink=0000FF>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<table cellpadding=2 bgcolor=FFFFFF width=550 ><tr>
<td>
  <table cellpadding=2 width=550><tr>
  <td><br><h2>proc areadef</h2></td>
  <td align=right>
  <small>
  <a href="../doc/Welcome.html"><img src="../doc/ploticus.gif" border=0></a><br>
  <a href="../doc/Welcome.html">Welcome</a> &nbsp; &nbsp;
  <a href="../gallery/index.html">Gallery</a> &nbsp; &nbsp;
  <a href="../doc/Contents.html">Handbook</a> 
  <td></tr></table>
</td></tr>
<td>
<br>
<br>
.>>

.TH proc_areadef PL "22-JUN-2001   PL www.sgpr.net"

.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBproc areadef\fR is used to define the size, location, and scaling in X and Y
of the rectangle within which a subsequent plot will be rendered.
This rectangle is referred to as the plotting area.
\fBproc areadef\fR may be used any number of times within the same script
to do multiple plots per page, to produce multiple page results, or to 
overlay different scales or units on the same plot.

.SH FEATURES
Various scaling types, including linear, log, date, and time are available
for X and Y.
Automatic scaling based on data content may be done using
\fCxautorange\fR and \fCyautorange\fR.
Axes may be specified within \fBproc areadef\fR
or individually later using \fBproc xaxis\fR or \fBproc yaxis\fR.  
If specified here, the various \fBproc axis\fR attributes should be
prefixed with \fCxaxis.\fR or \fCyaxis.\fR.

.SH EXAMPLES
.ig >>
<a href="../gallery/sa1.htm">sa1.p<br><img src="../gallery/sa1.gif" border=0></a>
.>>
.br
Almost all of the examples in the gallery use 
proc areadef in various ways.

.SH PREREQUISITES
None.

.SH MODES
The size and location of the plotting area
on a page (the plotting area) may be specified in one 
of these three ways: 
.IP 1.
by name using the \fCareaname\fR attribute;
.IP 2.
by specifying a rectangle (two points) using the \fCrectangle\fR attribute;
.IP 3.
by specifying plotting area size using
the \fCbox\fR attribute and the location using the \fClocation\fR attribute.

.SH VARIABLES THAT ARE SET
Areadef will set the variables \fBAREALEFT\fR, \fBAREARIGHT\fR, 
\fBAREABOTTOM\fR, and \fBAREATOP\fR
to hold the locations of the plot area edges in 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#positionunits">
.>>
absolute units
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
 . 
Also, \fBXMIN\fR, \fBXMAX\fR, \fBYMIN\fR, and \fBYMAX\fR are set to the
scaled space boundaries.

.SH MANDATORY ATTRIBUTES
The range in X and Y must be specified, either using
\fCxrange\fR / \fCyrange\fR, or
\fCxautorange\fR / \fCyautorange\fR.
Exception: when categories are being used for an axis, range does not 
need to be specified.
.LP
If nothing else is specified,
default behaviour is for the \fCstandard\fR
plotting area to be used, with linear scaling in x and y.


.SH ATTRIBUTES

.SH Attributes for specifying plotting rectangle

.LP
\fBareaname\fR  \fIname\fR 
.IP
Allows a plotting area to be defined by selecting a 
predefined rectangle by name. 
These are most useful when generating plots on standard paper.
Example: \fCareaname: 2hi\fR
.br
Available names include:
.IP
.nf
.ft C
Name    	Description
--------	------------------------------
standard	the default
square		a square area
whole   	as much of the page as possible
2hi, 2lo	for two plots on a page, one above the other
2left, 2right	for two plots on a page, side by side
3hi, 3mid, 3lo	for three plots on a page
4ne, 4nw, 4se, 4sw	for four plots on a page (ne = northeast)
slide   	works well with slides generation
lifetab  	works well for life tables
.fi
.ft R

.LP
\fBrectangle\fR  \fIx1 y1 x2 y2\fR
.IP
Allows a plotting area to be defined by giving two points:
(x1,y1) is the lower left corner 
and (x2,y2) is the upper right corner 
(both are in 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#positionunits">
.>>
absolute units
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
). 
.br
Example: \fCrectangle: 1.4 4 7.4 8\fR

.LP
\fBbox\fR  \fIwidth height\fR 
.IP
Allows a plotting area to be defined by giving width and height in 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#positionunits">
.>>
absolute units
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
 . 
A \fBlocation\fR attribute should also be given to
specify where to place the box.
Example: \fCbox: 1.4 4\fR

.LP
\fBlocation\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#xy">
.>>
\fIx y\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Used with the \fBbox\fR attribute.  
Defines the location of the lower-left corner of the plotting area.

.LP
\fBautowidth\fR  \fIf\fR  [ \fIminallowablesize  maxallowablesize\fR ]
.IP
Allows the width of the plotting area to be driven by the data range in X.
For example, you would probably want to display 8 categories using a smaller plot
area than 48 categories.
\fCautowidth\fR allows this to be done automatically, driven by the data.
You must fully specify the plotting area using \fCrectangle\fR or some other attribute(s),
and specify the scaling in X.
This attribute then revises the width of the plotting area by setting it
to \fIf\fR times the number of basic units in the range of X, in absolute units.
You can optionally set a \fIminallowablesize\fR and a \fImaxallowablesize\fR (both in absolute units)
that the plot will never be smaller than, or larger than, respectively.
For example:
.nf
\0  #proc areadef
\0     rectangle: 1 1 6 3
\0     xscaletype: categories
\0     xcategories: datafield=2
\0     autowidth: 0.3  3.0  8.0
.fi
For example, if there are 12 categories represented in your data, 12 x 0.3 = 3.6, so the resulting
plotting area would be 3.6 inches wide.
If there are 20 categories, 20 x 0.3 = 6.0, and the resulting
plotting area would be 6.0 inches wide.
If there are only six categories, the resulting plot would have been 1.8 inches wide,
however a minimum allowable size of 3.0 inches was specified, so the plot will be 3 inches wide.
If there are 40 categories, the resulting plot would have been 12 inches wide,
however a maximum allowable size of 8.0 inches was specified, so the plot will be 8 inches wide.
.IP
Remember that with date and datetime scaling the basic unit is the day, and with time
scaling the basic unit is the minute.
.IP
New in version 1.40.


.LP
\fBautoheight\fR  \fIf\fR
.IP
Allows the height of the plotting area to be determined by the data range in Y.
See \fCautowidth\fR.


.SH Attributes for specifying scale type and units

.LP
\fBxscaletype\fR  \fItype\fR [ \fIformat\fR ]
.IP
Defines the type of scaling for the X axis.  Default is \fClinear\fR.
Other possible \fItype\fRs include: \fClinear\fR, \fClog\fR, \fClog+1\fR,
\fCcategories\fR, \fCdate\fR, \fCtime\fR.  The \fIformat\fR parameter may be given when
xscaletype is \fCdate\fR or \fCtime\fR to set the default notation.
.br
If \fCcategories\fR scale type is used, use the \fCxcategories\fR attribute
to define the categories,
and see also the \fCcatcompmethod\fR attribute.
.br
Scale types are not remembered from any previous \fBproc defineunits\fR or 
\fBproc autoscale\fR invocations; they must be repeated here.
.br
See 
.ig >>
<a href="scaleunits.html">
.>>
scaleunits
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
for discussion of the various scale types and units, and
.ig >>
<a href="../gallery/gall.sa.html">
.>>
the gallery
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
for examples.
.br
Example: \fCxscaletype: date yymm\fR
.br
Example: \fCxscaletype: categories\fR


.LP
\fByscaletype\fR  \fItype\fR  [ \fIformat\fR ]
.IP
Defines the type of scaling for the Y axis.  
Same syntax as \fCxscaletype\fR above.
Default is \fClinear\fR.


.SH Attributes for specifying plottable data range in X and Y

.LP
\fBxrange\fR  \fImin max\fR
.IP
Defines the plottable range in x.  \fImin\fR and \fImax\fR must both be given,
and must both be plottable values for the scaletype to be used.
(To set the range automatically based on a data field, use \fCxautorange\fR;
not used when \fCxscaletype\fR is \fCcategories\fR.)
If \fBlog\fR scaling is being used, 0.0 may not given as the minima
(but a very small value like 0.01 is ok).
If date, time, log, categories, or other special type of scaling is to be done, 
see also \fCxscaletype\fR.
.br
Example: if your data ranges in x between
1.5 and 23.5 you might use: \fCxrange: 0 24\fR

.LP
\fBxautorange\fR \fCdatafield=\fIdfields\fR .. other subattributes..
.IP
Scan the datafield(s) given in \fIdfields\fR to automatically find minima 
and maxima, and set the xrange accordingly.
(To set the range explicitly, use \fCxrange\fR.)
For details, see
.ig >>
<a href="autorange.html">
.>>
autorange(pl)
.ig >>
</a>
.>>

.LP
\fByrange\fR  \fImin max\fR
.IP
Defines the plottable range in y.   Same as \fCxrange\fR above.
If date, time, log, categories, or other special type of scaling is to be done, 
see also \fCyscaletype\fR.
.br
Example: if your data ranges in y between
4 and 78.3 you might use: \fCyrange: 0 100\fR

.LP
\fByautorange\fR \fCdatafield=\fIdfield\fR .. other subattributes..
.IP
.IP
Scan the datafield(s) given in \fIdfields\fR to automatically find minima 
and maxima, and set the yrange accordingly.
(To set the range explicitly, use \fCyrange\fR.)
For details, see
.ig >>
<a href="autorange.html">
.>>
autorange(pl)
.ig >>
</a>
.>>


.SH Other attributes of the plotting area

.LP
\fBareacolor\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="color.html">
.>>
\fIcolor\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Causes the area background to be filled with \fIcolor\fR.
Example: \fCareacolor: yellow\fR

.LP
\fBframe\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="linedetails.html">
.>>
\fIlinedetails\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
\fC | no | yes | bevel\fR
.IP
Specifies a box or frame around the plotting area.  
Options are: \fCno\fR (no frame), \fCyes\fR (do
a default line frame), \fCbevel\fR for a beveled gray frame,
or a line detail specification, 
which results in a frame made of lines with the given characteristics
(A \fCbevel\fR frame will probably clash with tics and stubs
unless these are positioned inward.)
.br
Example 1: \fCframe: none\fR
.br
Example 2: \fCframe: color=red width=4.0\fR
.br
Example 3: \fCframe: bevel\fR

.LP
\fBlinebottom\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="linedetails.html">
.>>
\fIlinedetails\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Specifies a line to be drawn along the bottom edge of the plotting
area.  This is just a line, not an X axis.
.br
Example: \fClinebottom: yes\fR
.br
Example: \fClinebottom: none\fR
.br
Example: \fClinebottom: width=0.5 color=green\fR

.LP
\fBlineside\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="linedetails.html">
.>>
\fIlinedetails\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Same as \fClinebottom\fR but specifies a line to be drawn along
the left side.  This is just a line, not a Y axis.

.LP
\fBtitle\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI text \fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Specifies a plot title (not a page title).  
Plot title will appear above the upper left corner
of the plotting area by default.
.br
Example: \fCtitle: Subgroup 24-C\fR

.LP
\fBtitledetails\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="textdetails.html">
.>>
\fItextdetails\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Text details for the plot title.
.br
Example: \fCtitledetails: align=R size=9 style=I\fR

.LP
\fBtitle2\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI text \fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Allows a second title to be specified.  May be useful to create
a plot header on both left and right.

.LP
\fBtitle2details\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="textdetails.html">
.>>
\fItextdetails\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Text details for the second plot title.


.SH Attributes pertaining to categories 
.LP
Categories are a type of scaling where instead of a continuous numeric range,
the axis is populated with a number of categories or labels.
Useful for certain types of plots such as bar graphs showing distributions.
To use categories on the x axis, for example, do \fCxscaletype: categories\fR
then specify the categories using the \fCxcategories\fR attribute.

.LP
\fBxcategories\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI multi-line text\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
 | \fCdatafield=\fIdfield \fR
.IP
A list of categories for use in X, one per line, terminating with 
a blank line.
Or, to take categories from a data field, use
.br
\fCxcategories: datafield=\fR\fIdfield\fR 
.br
where \fIdfield\fR references a data field.  Only unique names will be taken.
.br
See also 
.ig >>
<a href="scaleunits.html">
.>>
scaleunits
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
for a description of how \fCcategories\fR scaling works.
The category comparison method may be controlled using areadef attribute \fCcatcompmethod\fR.
.br
Example 1:
.nf
.ft C
xcategories:	Red
		Blue
		Green

.fi
.ft R
Example 2: 
\fCxcategories: datafield=1\fR

.LP
\fBycategories\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI multi-line text\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
| \fCdatafield=\fIdfield \fR
.IP
A list of categories for use in Y, one per line.
Same syntax as \fCxcategories\fR.
Default orientation of categories is from top downward.
See also 
.ig >>
<a href="scaleunits.html">
.>>
\fIscaleunits\fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
for a description of how \fCcategories\fR scaling works.
The category comparison method may be controlled using areadef attribute \fCcatcompmethod\fR.

.LP
\fBxextracategory\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI text \fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Allows an extra X axis category to be added explicitly.  For example, this attribute might
be useful when categories are
being set by a data field and it is desired to have an additional "Total" category.
Unlike most other ploticus attributes, its behavior is position-dependent,
and it may be specified more than once.
If specified before (above) \fCxcategories\fR in the proc areadef attributes,
the extra category will be added to the beginning of the category list and it will appear 
near the X axis min.  If specified after, the extra category will be
appended to the category list and appear near the X max.
This attribute may be specified one or more times, with each 
adding a category.  New in version 1.40.

.LP
\fByextracategory\fR 
.ig >>
<a href="attributetypes.html#text">
.>>
\fI text \fR
.ig >>
</a>
.>>
.IP
Same as \fCxextracategory\fR above, but for the Y axis.


.LP
\fBcatcompmethod\fR  \fCbeginswith\fR | \fCexact\fR | \fClength=\fIN\fR
.IP
Control the details of how category comparisons are done.
The default is \fCbeginswith\fR for backward compatibility; \fCexact\fR
is highly recommeded for new work.
In all cases, the comparisons are case-insensitive, and work from the beginning of the
categories list to the end, stopping when a match is found.
.IP
\fCbeginswith\fR = the comparison is successful if the data item matches 
the category name but only to the length of the data item. 
.IP
\fCexact\fR = the comparison is successful if the data item exactly
matches the category name.
.IP
\fClength=\fIN\fR = the comparison is successful if the first \fIN\fR characters
of the data item match the first \fIN\fR characters of the category name.
.IP
\fCfuzzy=\fID\fR = a "fuzzy match" algorithm is applied to do the comparison.  \fID\fR controls the degree
of strictness: 5 = strict, 4 = medium-strict, 3 = medium 2= loose, 1 = very loose.
With fuzzy matching an asterisk (*) at beginning or end of data item will be interpreted 
as a wild card.
.LP
.ig >>
<a name=catnote></a>
.>>
.LP
Note: There is a minor issue when cloning an areadef where categories are used.  
Categories attributes cannot be "turned off" when cloning.  If categories are
used in an areadef and then that areadef is cloned, the categories will be
active in the clone, and cannot be suppressed.


.SH Attributes pertaining to axis generation

.LP
\fBxaxis.*\fR
.IP
\fBproc axis\fR attributes for the x axis.  Any \fBproc xaxis\fR attributes may be used
from within \fBproc areadef\fR as a convenience, by prefixing the name with \fCxaxis.\fR.
See 
.ig >>
<a href="axis.html">
.>>
proc axis
.ig >>
</a>
.>>

.LP
\fByaxis.*\fR
.IP
\fBproc yaxis\fR options for the y axis.  Any \fBproc yaxis\fR options may be used
from within Proc Areadef as a convenience, by prefixing the name with \fCyaxis.\fR.
See
.ig >>
<a href="axis.html">
.>>
proc axis
.ig >>
</a>
.>>

.LP
\fBaxisline\fR, \fBtic*\fR, \fBminortic*\fR
.IP
These \fBproc xaxis/yaxis\fR attributes may be defined within
\fBproc areadef\fR to control \fBboth\fR axes.  
.ig >>
<a href="axis.html">
.>>
proc axis
.ig >>
</a>
.>>

.ig >>
<br>
<br>
</td></tr>
<td align=right>
<a href="Welcome.html">
<img src="../doc/ploticus.gif" border=0></a><br><small>data display engine &nbsp; <br>
<a href="Copyright.html">Copyright Steve Grubb</a>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<img src="../gallery/all.gif">
</center>
</td></tr>
</table>
.>>
