How to change the width of bars in a catplot graph

[Zain Kasrin]

Hello everyone,

I generated a bar graph using the catplot command for two categorical variables and I want to change the width of the bars showing. I tried with the graph editor but i couldn't manage. Any ideas?

I am using the following code:

catplot Variable1 Variable2, percent(Variable2) blabel(bar, position(inside) color(white) format(%8.0f)) asyvars

Thanks in advance.

[Andrew Musau]

catplot is from SSC, authored by Nick Cox. Use the option -var#opts(gap(*#))- where the 1st hash references the variable order and the second hash the gap (0= no gap), e.g.,.

catplot Variable1 Variable2, var1opts(gap(*0.1))  var2opts(gap(*0.1))

[Zain Kasrin]

Ok, but how to control the thickness of the bars?

[Zain Kasrin]

Nick Cox , as you are the mastermind behind this 'life-saving' command for my purposes. Can you please advice?

[Nick Cox]

Andrew Musau has already explained the principle. His example showed how to shrink the gaps.

More generally, catplot is just a wrapper for graph hbar or graph bar in this context, so you need to reach through to either command -- really, it is the same code -- if an option of catplot is not obviously relevant.

So, as another example, increase the gaps between the bars -- and the bars must get thinner.

sysuse auto, clear 
catplot foreign rep78 
catplot foreign rep78, var1opts(gap(*10))