Changing bar labels on hbar

[Paula Fernandez]

I want to change the labels on my bars to match the variable labels rather than the variable name (i.e., agree_1). How can I do this without manually editing it on the pop up window?

My code: graph hbar (mean) agree_1 (mean) agree_2 (mean) agree_3 (mean) agree_4 (mean) agree_5 (mean) agree_6 (mean) agree_7

[Nick Cox]

No data example here, so I invented one.

I may well be missing something simple, or something subtle but documented, but

1. statplot from SSC will do this, at the cost of a one-colour display.

2. Otherwise this was the best I could think up:

clear
set obs 100
set seed 314159 
forval j = 1/3  { 
    gen agree_`j' = runiformint(0, `j' + 2) 
    label var agree_`j' "text for `j'"
}

* you start here, changing 3 to 7

gen which = _n in 1/3 

forval j = 1/3 { 
    su agree_`j', meanonly 
    gen mean`j' = r(mean) in `j'
    label def which `j' "`: var label agree_`j''", modify 
}

label val which which 

graph hbar (asis) mean?, over(which) nofill legend(off)

[Paula Fernandez]

Thank Nick.

However, neither of these solutions work because I do not have an "over". As I specified in my example code, there are 7 different variables (dummy 0/1). That is, I am plotting on 1 bar graph 7 different variables and I want to change their labels.

[Nick Cox]

Not so; the point of the longer code in #2 is that you create a which -- a new variable which does what you want it to do.

Also, as said, the principle holds for 7 as easily as 3.

Did you see the comment

* you start here, changing 3 to 7 ?

Also, as said, it may be easier to convince you if you give a real or at least realistic data example.

The variable labels shown in the graphs in #1 are just so ridiculously long for graphical purposes that at some point you will need to type in shorter labels yourself. The only alternative -- which surely does not appeal -- is to remove the variable labels altogether.

[Nick Cox]

Also, you evidently didn't try statplot, which doesn't require any extra variables, just that it be installed.

[Nick Cox]

Sorry about this comment

The variable labels shown in the graphs in #1 are just so ridiculously long for graphical purposes that at some point you will need to type in shorter labels yourself. The only alternative -- which surely does not appeal -- is to remove the variable labels altogether.

which is utterly irrelevant to this thread, but was a thought about another question from someone else.