A complement to a do-file: When I have a complicated graph command
that I'll want to re-use within a large do-file, I define pieces of
it in macros and string them together in another macro. If I want to
use them in different programs, then I save this definition section
in a separate do-file, as Nick suggests.
For example:
**************************DEFINE PLOT**************************
global plotmax 180 // maximum for plot
local twoway "twoway scatter ydf* outcome if outcome<= $plotmax,"
local xlabel "xlabel(0(10)$plotmax) legend(off)"
local ylabel "ylabel(0 25 50 75 100, format(%4.0f))"
local yline "yline(25 50 75)"
local connect "c(J J J J J J J J J J J J J J)"
local msymbol "msymbol(i i i i i i i i i i i i i i)"
local xtitle "xtitle("Days since arrest")"
local plotcmd "`twoway' `xlabel' `ylabel' `yline' `connect' `msymbol' `xtitle'"
***************************END DEFINITION***************************
Then a particular call might go:
`plotcmd' ///
saving(`graphno',replace) ///
caption("Graph: `graphno'. Program: `pname'." "Data: `dsno'. Date:
`c(current_date)'.") ///
title("Percent enrolled in program by days since arrests" "Classified
by Crime Type & Charge Level")
(The locals `graphno', `pname', `dsno' are set beforehand.)
If necessary, occasionally, you can change any option in the original
"plotcmd" by adding a revised version after invoking the original, for
example after the "title" line above. Stata uses the last version it
encounters.
-Steve
On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 1:30 PM, Nick Cox <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> When a graph command gets complicated, I tend to copy it to the do-file editor and space it out so that I can see the structure. If it looks worth keeping, keep it as a do-file.
--
Steven Samuels
[email protected]
18 Cantine's Island
Saugerties NY 12477
USA
845-246-0774
*
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
