Changing the label of a graph

[Linus Ze]

Hello all, I am fairly new to stata. I have this graph and I am desperately trying to get the x-axis to stop at 2016 (the last year of observations). I tried many different things. The code for the graph I'm currently using is:

graph twoway line var1 year, lc(black) lpattern(dash) legend(label(1 "X")) || line var2 year, lc(red) lpattern(dash) legend(label(2 "Y")) title("title") note("description") ylabel(,angle(horizontal)) xscale(range(1980 2016))

Event though I use the xscale command, it doesnt do anything. I tried many different things, using the xtick command, changing the graph to a line and a xtline.. But I always get the same graph.
Help would be much appreciated.
Best
L

[Andrew Musau]

Does the data go beyond 2016? If so, add an -if- restriction:

graph twoway line var1 year if year<=2016

You can also try adding

xlab(1980(10)2010)

Otherwise, a data example will help your case here. Refer to FAQ Advice #12.

[Nick Cox]

I agree broadly with Andrew Musau. The issue is that graph looks at the range of your x variable and decides that 1980(10)2020 would look good as axis labels.

xscale() won't override that, but something like

xla(1984 1990(10)2010 2016) 

as an extra option would probably do what you want. Here 1984 is just an eyeball guess at your first year. Or 1983?