Shading Graphs - Area Plot Tapered

[Hassan Enayati]

Hello,

I am trying to plot a trend line with recessionary periods shaded in grey. Prior posts on this forum address the methods of shading graphs (e.g., https://www.stata.com/statalist/arch.../msg00121.html). These discussions were helpful in creating a graph that nearly does what I want. The problem is that the grey shaded areas are wider on the bottom than on the top. Does anyone know how to make the shaded area have vertical lines perpendicular to the x-axis?

Here is a snippet of data that shows the issue.

* Example generated by -dataex-. To install: ssc install dataex
clear
input float(time recession trend)
184 0  5.275247
185 0  5.435284
186 0  5.782407
187 0  5.680537
188 0  5.860635
189 0  5.696178
190 0  5.665268
191 7  5.749439
192 7   5.69439
193 7  5.597833
194 7  5.342285
195 7  5.042449
196 7 4.5402293
197 7 4.2877626
198 0  3.875503
199 0  3.930877
200 0  4.123271
201 0  4.307055
202 0  4.420278
203 0 4.5420003
end
format %tq time

This is the command that generates the graph with the tapered areas.

twoway  (area recession time, color(gs12)) (line trend time, xlab(184(4)203,labsize(small) angle(45)) yscale(range(0 7)) yla(0(1)7) legend(order(2 1) label(1 "Recession") label(2 "Trend")))

In case it is helpful, I am using Stata/SE 15.1. Thanks.

[Nick Cox]

SJ-16-3 gr0067 . Speaking Stata: Shading zones on time series and other plots
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N. J. Cox
Q3/16 SJ 16(3):805--812 (no commands)
discusses background shading of time series and other plots

is a recent survey of this topic. https://www.stata-journal.com/articl...article=gr0067 is a URL. The .pdf version should become visible to all shortly following the Stata Journal's three-year rule.

[Scott Merryman]

Limit the area graph to just the recession:

 ... (area recession time if recession == 7, color(gs12%50)...

[Hassan Enayati]

Thanks to you both for the advice. Nick's Stata Journal article helped me resolve the issue.