Question about graph editor

[Eddie Brighton]

Hi Statalist:

I guess this is a general question; no data or code required.
Is it possible to know the code of a graph (e.g., twoway line) after all the micro adjustments via the graph editor?
My dataset is large and editing takes a long time for each action, and I want to replicate my micro-adjustments to my dofile so that I won't have to go through those steps for other graphs. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Ken Chui]

See this option 1: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf...867X0800800415

And for option 2, you can incorporate the grec file codes into the do-file. This is perhaps more useful if you collaborate and may risk forgetting attaching the grec file with your code:

Open the grec file, you'll see something like this:

StataFileTM:00001:01100:GREC:                          :
00007:00007:00001:
*! classname: twowaygraph_g
*! family: twoway
*! date: 18 May 2023
*! time: 10:19:46
*! graph_scheme: s2color
*! naturallywhite: 1
*! end

// File created by Graph Editor Recorder.
// Edit only if you know what you are doing.

.plotregion1.plot1.style.editstyle marker(fillcolor(purple)) editcopy
.plotregion1.plot1.style.editstyle marker(linestyle(color(purple))) editcopy
// plot1 edits

.yaxis1.style.editstyle majorstyle(tickstyle(textstyle(size(small)))) editcopy
// yaxis1 size

.yaxis1.style.editstyle majorstyle(tickangle(horizontal)) editcopy
// yaxis1 edits

// <end>

If you copy those xx.style commands, you can replicate that in a do file. Just add "gr_edit" in front of them, like this:

sysuse auto, clear
scatter price mpg

gr_edit .plotregion1.plot1.style.editstyle marker(fillcolor(purple)) editcopy
gr_edit .plotregion1.plot1.style.editstyle marker(linestyle(color(purple))) editcopy
gr_edit .yaxis1.style.editstyle majorstyle(tickstyle(textstyle(size(small)))) editcopy
gr_edit .yaxis1.style.editstyle majorstyle(tickangle(horizontal)) editcopy

[Eddie Brighton]

@Ken Chui Awesome, many thanks!

[Eddie Brighton]

@Ken Chui Alright, I think I need some additional help...
I've copy and pasted the grec. file's command, which looks like ...

StataFileTM:00001:01100:GREC:                          :
00007:00007:00001:
*! classname: twowaygraph_g
*! family: twoway
*! date: 25 May 2023
*! time: 08:13:16
*! graph_scheme: s2color
*! naturallywhite: 1
*! end

// File created by Graph Editor Recorder.
// Edit only if you know what you are doing.

.xaxis1.plotregion.xscale.curmax = 2022
// xaxis1 edits

.legend.Edit, style(cols(5)) style(rows(0)) keepstyles
// legend edits

.legend.plotregion1.key[1].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
// key[1] edits

// key[1] edits

// view edits

.legend.plotregion1.key[2].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
// key[2] edits

// key[2] edits

// view edits

.legend.plotregion1.key[3].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
// key[3] edits

// key[3] edits

// view edits

.legend.Edit , style(key_xsize(5)) keepstyles 
// legend size

.legend.Edit, style(cols(9)) style(rows(0)) keepstyles
// legend edits

.yaxis1.title.text = {}
.yaxis1.title.text.Arrpush Length of service
// title edits

.yaxis1.title.text = {}
// title edits

.title.text = {}
.title.text.Arrpush Length of service by agency (Cal)
// title edits

.title.style.editstyle size(medium) editcopy
// title size

.xaxis1.title.text = {}
.xaxis1.title.text.Arrpush Year
// title edits


// <end>

And I've made the following codes to my original code:

twoway (line los_year_va_cal year, sort lpatt(solid)) (line los_year_he_cal year, sort lpatt(dash)) (line los_year_ag_cal year, sort lpatt(dot)) (line los_year_tr_cal year, sort lpatt(vshortdash)) (line los_year_in_cal year, sort lpatt(dash_dot)) (line los_year_td_cal year, sort lpatt(shortdash)) (line los_year_dj_cal year, sort lpatt(shortdash_dot)) (line los_year_gs_cal year, sort lpatt(longdash)) (line los_year_cm_cal year, sort lpatt(longdash_dot)), legend(label(1 "VA") label(2 "HE") label(3 "AG") label(4 "TR") label(5 "IN") label(6 "TD") label(7 "DJ") label(8 "GS") label(9 "CM")  size(vsmall)) 

gr_edit .xaxis1.plotregion.xscale.curmax = 2022 editcopy
gr_edit .legend.Edit, style(cols(5)) style(rows(0)) keepstyles editcopy
gr_edit .legend.plotregion1.key[1].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
gr_edit .legend.plotregion1.key[2].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
gr_edit .legend.plotregion1.key[3].xsz.editstyle 5 editcopy
gr_edit .legend.Edit , style(key_xsize(5)) keepstyles  editcopy
gr_edit .legend.Edit, style(cols(9)) style(rows(0)) keepstyles editcopy
gr_edit .title.text.Arrpush Length of service by agency (Cal) editcopy
gr_edit .title.style.editstyle size(medium) editcopy
gr_edit .xaxis1.title.text.Arrpush Year editcopy

Now, I get the following message:

. twoway (line los_year_va_cal year, sort lpatt(solid)) (line los_year_he_cal year, sort lpatt(dash)) (line los_year_ag_cal year, sort lpatt(dot)) (line los_year_tr_cal year, sort lpatt(vshort
> dash)) (line los_year_in_cal year, sort lpatt(dash_dot)) (line los_year_td_cal year, sort lpatt(shortdash)) (line los_year_dj_cal year, sort lpatt(shortdash_dot)) (line los_year_gs_cal year,
>  sort lpatt(longdash)) (line los_year_cm_cal year, sort lpatt(longdash_dot)), legend(label(1 "VA") label(2 "HE") label(3 "AG") label(4 "TR") label(5 "IN") label(6 "TD") label(7 "DJ") label(8
>  "GS") label(9 "CM")  size(vsmall)) 

. 
. gr_edit .xaxis1.plotregion.xscale.curmax = 2022 editcopy
invalid 'editcopy' 
r(198);

end of do-file

r(198);

I guess I'm not sure of the principles of pasting the grec codes to the dofile codes. Can you help me out on what went wrong? Thanks.

[Ken Chui]

Are you really just copying and pasting without editing? The first command in grec file does not have "editcopy" at the end but then it was added to the do-file. And the next line even has both keepstyle and editcopy in the same line. Perhaps first try to stay 100% true to the grec file's codes, and see what happened?

[Eddie Brighton]

@Ken Chui Oh... now I know how this works. I thought the "editcopy" after each line (from your example) was something I had to write manually. I've copy & pasted the whole thing and it works. Many thanks!