What is the process used to place the major components of a twoway graph?

[Nils Enevoldsen]

Has anyone described the process used to place the major components of a twoway graph? I find myself confused every time I try to fiddle with xsize, ysize, aspectratio, margins, and other parameters. If I better understood which constraints get applied in what order, I wouldn't have to flail about like I do now. I think/hope the process is similar or identical for all twoway plot types. I don't care about the contents of the plotregion, just the dimensions of the plotregion, the dimensions of the graphregion, the placement of the plotregion within the graphregion, the placement and size of the various titles, the margins, etc.

I think I'm not alone, so I wondered if somebody had written an article for Stata Journal, or shown a slide deck at a Stata conference.

[Nick Cox]

I don't recall seeing anything on this in the Stata Journal.

help region options

seems a good place, especially the remarks on controlling the aspect ratio.

I don't know what would happen if xsize() ysize() aspect() were specified together but were inconsistent.

[Nils Enevoldsen]

I don't think they can be inconsistent, because the x and y sizes are for the graphregion alone, but the aspectratio is for the plotregion alone.

I think the graphregion is determined first, then certain additional constraints are calculated for the plotregion, then the plotregion is determined, and then stuff around the plotregion is placed. But I'm vague on the details.