Continuous line cumulative frequency graph

[Ben Hettner]

Hello Forum,

I'm creating a cumulative frequency graph, but the visual result is not like expected. How do I create a continuous line without these “outgrowths”?

I appreciate any help

Ben

[Nick Cox]

What code did you use?

[Ben Hettner]

*Create cdf
cumul PSM_too_cheap, gen(cdf_PSM_too_cheap) 
cumul PSM_cheap, gen(cdf_PSM_cheap)
cumul PSM_expensive, gen(cdf_PSM_expensive)
cumul PSM_too_expensive, gen(cdf_PSM_too_expensive)

*stack 
stack cdf_PSM_too_cheap PSM_too_cheap cdf_PSM_cheap PSM_cheap cdf_PSM_expensive PSM_expensive cdf_PSM_too_expensive PSM_too_expensive, into(c PSM) wide clear

*Graph
line cdf_PSM_too_cheap cdf_PSM_cheap cdf_PSM_expensive cdf_PSM_too_expensive PSM, sort

[Ben Hettner]

What code did you use?

I used your equal option. Now it looks better. Thanks

[Nick Cox]

cumul is an official command. You're right that the equal option was originally suggested by me.

Otherwise you could find distplot from the Stata Journal more direct.

distplot PSM_*

should get you started.

SJ-19-1 gr41_5  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software update for distplot
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q1/19   SJ 19(1):260
        changes include better handling of the by() option calls;
        simpler default y-axis titles; more detailed discussion of
        exactly what is plotted; and more information on ridits

SJ-10-1 gr41_4  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software update for distplot
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q1/10   SJ 10(1):164
        new reverse(ge) option specifies plotting probabilities or
        frequencies greater than or equal to any data value

SJ-5-3  gr0018  . . . . . . . . . .  Speaking Stata: The protean quantile plot
        . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q3/05   SJ 5(3):442--460           (see gr41_3 and gr42_3 for commands)
        discusses quantile and distribution plots as used in
        the analysis of species abundance data in ecology

SJ-5-3  gr41_3  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software update for distplot
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q3/05   SJ 5(3):471
        simplified syntax; both by() and over() are now allowed

SJ-4-2  gr0004  .  Speaking Stata: Graphing categorical and compositional data
        . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q2/04   SJ 4(2):190--215                                 (no commands)
        discusses graphical possibilities for categorical and
        compositional data

SJ-4-1  gr0003  . . . . . . . . . . . . Speaking Stata: Graphing distributions
        . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q1/04   SJ 4(1):66--88                                   (no commands)
        a review of official and user-written commands for
        graphing univariate distributions; includes tricks
        beyond what is obviously and readily available

SJ-3-4  gr41_2  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software update for distplot
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q4/03   SJ 3(4):449
        option tscale() renamed as trscale()

SJ-3-2  gr41_1  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Software update for distplot
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        Q2/03   SJ 3(2):211
        enhanced to use Stata 8 graphics and provides new options

STB-51  gr41  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Distribution function plots
        (help distplot if installed)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  N. J. Cox
        9/99    pp.12--16; STB Reprints Vol 9, pp.108--112
        plots the cumulative distribution function or survival function
        and allows multiple variables

The 1999 and 2004 papers retain some value; otherwise the 2019 version is the latest public version of the code.