R help - May 2005 - labels on map

dear all:

Im trying to obtain maps on R, under mapdata library, but I cannot define the
labels.
Here is an example:

library(mapdata)
map("worldHires",
c("portugal","spain"),ylim=c(34,46),xlim=c(-14,3.5))
axis(1,at=seq(-12,3,3))
axis(2)

when I try the parameter xlab or ylab in axis, i get: 
parameter "ylab" couldn't be set in high-level plot() function 

any suggestion?  thanks in advance for your always useful advices

j. silva
	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]

jose silva wrote:
> dear all:
> 
> Im trying to obtain maps on R, under mapdata library, but I cannot define
the labels.
> Here is an example:
> 
> library(mapdata)
> map("worldHires",
c("portugal","spain"),ylim=c(34,46),xlim=c(-14,3.5))
> axis(1,at=seq(-12,3,3))
> axis(2)
> 
> when I try the parameter xlab or ylab in axis, i get: 
> parameter "ylab" couldn't be set in high-level plot()
function
> 
> any suggestion?  thanks in advance for your always useful advices
Despite their names, x and y axis labels aren't really part of the axis, 
they're titles in the margins of the plot.  Use the title() function to 
set them.

You could probably also set them in map(), but I don't have it installed 
to check.  mtext() is another general purpose way to put text in the 
margins.

Duncan Murdoch

What makes you think that there is a ylab parameter?
> args(map)
function (database = "world", regions = ".", exact = FALSE,
boundary = TRUE,
    interior = TRUE, projection = "", parameters = NULL, orientation =
NULL,
    fill = FALSE, col = 1, plot = TRUE, add = FALSE, namesonly = FALSE, 
    xlim = NULL, ylim = NULL, wrap = FALSE, resolution = if (plot) 1 else 0, 
    type = "l", bg = par("bg"), mar = c(0, 0,
par("mar")[3],
        0.1), border = 0.01, ...) 
NULL
>
Just because there are ellipses does not mean that ylab is an appropriate
parameter. If you type map you'll see the function. Go looking for where the
ellipses are used and you find

polygon(coord, col = col, ...)
lines(coord, col = col, type = type, ...)

So how why would these functions take a ylab parameter, they are for use within
a plot. You have to remember that each function will only do what the author has
programmed it to do.

So if you need to put a label somewhere you could always use mtext(side = 2,line
= 1,"A label on side 2")

Tom
> -----Original Message-----
> From: r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch
> [mailto:r-help-bounces at stat.math.ethz.ch]On Behalf Of jose silva
> Sent: Tuesday, 31 May 2005 8:12 AM
> To: r-help at stat.math.ethz.ch
> Subject: [R] labels on map
> 
> 
> dear all:
> 
> Im trying to obtain maps on R, under mapdata library, but I 
> cannot define the labels.
> Here is an example:
> 
> library(mapdata)
> map("worldHires",
c("portugal","spain"),ylim=c(34,46),xlim=c(-14,3.5))
> axis(1,at=seq(-12,3,3))
> axis(2)
> 
> when I try the parameter xlab or ylab in axis, i get: 
> parameter "ylab" couldn't be set in high-level plot()
function??
> 
> any suggestion??? thanks in advance for your always useful advices
> 
> j. silva
> 	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
> 
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at stat.math.ethz.ch mailing list
> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
> PLEASE do read the posting guide! 
> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>

thanks Duncan, thats what I was looking for :)

p.s. xlab in map() gives the same result as in axis()

j. silva

jose silva wrote: 
> dear all: 
> 
> Im trying to obtain maps on R, under mapdata library, but I cannot define
the labels.
> Here is an example: 
> 
> library(mapdata) 
> map("worldHires",
c("portugal","spain"),ylim=c(34,46),xlim=c(-14,3.5))
> axis(1,at=seq(-12,3,3)) 
> axis(2) 
> 
> when I try the parameter xlab or ylab in axis, i get: 
> parameter "ylab" couldn't be set in high-level plot()
function
> 
> any suggestion? thanks in advance for your always useful advices 
Despite their names, x and y axis labels aren't really part of the axis, 
they're titles in the margins of the plot. Use the title() function to 
set them. 

You could probably also set them in map(), but I don't have it installed 
to check. mtext() is another general purpose way to put text in the 
margins. 

Duncan Murdoch
	[[alternative HTML version deleted]]