savePlot is just an internal version of dev.copy, part of the support for
the menus on the windows() graphics device.
It is described in `An Introduction to R' (the most basic R manual).
On Sat, 19 Aug 2006, Thomas Harte wrote:
> the problem is a little hard to explain; the .Rnw files (below)
> probably do a better job, but here goes ...
>
> Sweave doesn't like it when i size a graphical device in a code
> chunk using either, e.g.:
>
> windows(width=20, height=5)
>
> in Windows, or, e.g.
>
> x11(width=20, height=5)
>
> under X, when i then plot something in said device and try to
> include this graphical output in the resulting document.
>
> Sweave does not object to my writing code chunks in the above
> manner, so long as i do not wish to include the code in a LaTeX
> figure environment.
>
> oftentimes i want to do precisely what Sweave doesn't appear
> to allow. for example, with time-series data, i want to see a
> wide window on the screen as i code, and then i want to include
> the graphical output in my document the way that i fine tuned
> it on the screen. i don't want to write two pieces of code:
> the first, to view output on the sceen; the second, to save
> the output to a .pdf file for inclusion in the document.
>
> some example .Rnw files should illustrate my plight.
> suggestions on a workaround (i.e. how to do what i describe in
> linux/X) welcome.
>
>
> % >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> example-windows.Rnw
> \documentclass[a4paper]{article}
>
> \begin{document}
>
> \noindent This is an example of what I can do on Windows. Unhappily, I seem
> to be
> able to squeeze marginally more out of \texttt{Sweave} \emph{chez\/} Bill
> Gates
> than I can under Linux. Ho, hum.
>
> <<echo=false,results=hide>>=
> # create a simple AR process:
> make.ar.1<- function(alpha=1,n=300) {
> Z<- rnorm(n);
> Y<- numeric(n);
> Y[1]<- Z[1];
> for (i in 2:n) Y[i]<- alpha*Y[i-1]+Z[i];
> return(Y)
> }
> @
>
> <<label=ar.1>>=
> # a long AR process is best viewed in a wide window:
> windows(width=20, height=5)
> sp<- make.ar.1(alpha=.5, n=800)
> plot(sp, type="l", col="blue")
> # WISIWIS: What I See Is What I Save ;)
> savePlot("ar",type="pdf")
> @
> \begin{figure}
> \begin{center}
> % imporantly, by saving the plot i have direct control over graphics in
> LaTeX,
> % and i can fine-tune the the graphics placement as much as i want:
> \includegraphics[width=14.5cm]{./ar.pdf}
> \caption{An AR(1) process of length~\protect\Sexpr{length(sp)}
> is best viewed in a wide window.}
> \end{center}
> \end{figure}
>
>
> \noindent Had I tried to do the following, \texttt{Sweave} would have blown
> up!
> \begin{verbatim}
> <<label=ar.1>>=
> windows(width=20, height=5) # <- this is the offending
> command:
> sp<- make.ar.1(alpha=.5, n=800)
> plot(sp, type="l", col="blue")
> @
> \begin{figure}
> \begin{center}
> <<fig=true>>=
> <<ar.1>>
> @
> \caption{An AR(1) process of length~\protect\Sexpr{length(sp)}
> is best viewed in a wide window.}
> \end{center}
> \end{figure}
> \end{verbatim}
>
>
> \noindent The take-home message is that \texttt{savePlot} saves the day under
> Windows.
> As far as I know, there is no equivalent under Linux, or rather, under X.
>
> In Windows, then,
> \begin{itemize}
> \item I can plot the way I want on the screen;
> \item I can save that plot to a file without writing any other code;
> \item I can include the saved plot in my \LaTeX\ figure, allowing me to
> fine-tune with the [EMAIL PROTECTED]@ command.
> \end{itemize}
> Strike one for the Evil Empire.
>
> \end{document}
> % <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< example-windows.Rnw
>
>
>
> % >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> example-linux.Rnw
> \documentclass[a4paper]{article}
>
> \begin{document}
>
> \noindent This is an example of the hapless state of my \texttt{Sweave}ing
> under Linux.
>
> <<echo=false,results=hide>>=
> # create a simple AR process:
> make.ar.1<- function(alpha=1,n=300) {
> Z<- rnorm(n);
> Y<- numeric(n);
> Y[1]<- Z[1];
> for (i in 2:n) Y[i]<- alpha*Y[i-1]+Z[i];
> return(Y)
> }
> @
>
> \noindent Because of the [EMAIL PROTECTED](width=20, height=5)@ command,
> I can't embed the graphical output that the following piece of code
> produces in my document, although I can view the results on screen:
> <<label=first.ar.1>>=
> # a long AR process is best viewed in a wide window:
> x11(width=20, height=5)
> sp<- make.ar.1(alpha=.5, n=800)
> plot(sp, type="l", col="blue")
> # no savePlot ... can't seem to do anything with this plot
> # if i try to include this code in a figure environment then
> # Sweave blows up
> # so i have to stop here :(
> @
>
> \noindent Instead, I have to do something like the following, which has the
> unfortunate
> side effects of disallowing me from seeing the graphical output on the
> screen, and,
> probably
> more importantly, of duplicating the above code:
> <<label=ar.1,echo=true>>=
> sp<- make.ar.1(alpha=.5, n=800)
> pdf("ar.pdf", width=20, height=5)
> plot(sp, type="l", col="blue")
> dev.off()
> @
> \begin{figure}
> \begin{center}
> % at least i still retain direct control over graphics in LaTeX; i can
> fine-tune the
> % the graphics placement as much as i want:
> \includegraphics[width=14.5cm]{./ar.pdf}
> \caption{An AR(1) process of length~\protect\Sexpr{length(sp)}
> is best viewed in a wide window.}
> \end{center}
> \end{figure}
>
> Under X, then,
> \begin{itemize}
> \item I have to use a device such as \texttt{pdf} and I lose the ability to
> first
> see the output on screen;
> \item I can still save that plot to a file without writing any other code;
> \item I can still include the saved plot in my \LaTeX\ figure, allowing me to
> fine-tune with the [EMAIL PROTECTED]@ command.
> \end{itemize}
>
> \end{document}
> % <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< example-linux.Rnw
>
> ______________________________________________
> [email protected] mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>
--
Brian D. Ripley, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Professor of Applied Statistics, http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
University of Oxford, Tel: +44 1865 272861 (self)
1 South Parks Road, +44 1865 272866 (PA)
Oxford OX1 3TG, UK Fax: +44 1865 272595
______________________________________________
[email protected] mailing list
https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
