Kurt_Helf at nps.gov
2011-Jan-28 21:53 UTC
[R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological order in graph
Greetings Though I have months in chronological order in my data table, the data were sampled every other month (i.e., February, April, June, August, October, December), every time I try to plot them (on the x-axis) they are plotted in alphabetical order. What am I missing? Cheers Kurt *************************************************************** Kurt Lewis Helf, Ph.D. Ecologist EEO Counselor National Park Service Cumberland Piedmont Network P.O. Box 8 Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 Ph: 270-758-2163 Lab: 270-758-2151 Fax: 270-758-2609 **************************************************************** Science, in constantly seeking real explanations, reveals the true majesty of our world in all its complexity. -Richard Dawkins The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition in having two layers. Like the latter it passes on its theories but it also passes on a critical attitude towards them. The theories are passed on not as dogmas but rather with the challenge to discuss them and improve upon them. -Karl Popper ...consider yourself a guest in the home of other creatures as significant as yourself. -Wayside at Wilderness Threshold in McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, TX Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN) Homepage: tiny.cc/e7cdx CUPN Forest Pest Monitoring Website: bit.ly/9rhUZQ CUPN Cave Cricket Monitoring Website: tiny.cc/ntcql CUPN Cave Aquatic Biota Monitoring Website: tiny.cc/n2z1o
Don McKenzie
2011-Jan-28 22:07 UTC
[R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological order in graph
Kurt You need to give us more information if you want good advice. For example, what sort of plot are you trying to make? A barplot? A time series? A reproducible example is always best. Please see the R-news posting guide for hints on a successful query. On Jan 28, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Kurt_Helf at nps.gov wrote:> > Greetings > Though I have months in chronological order in my data table, the data > were sampled every other month (i.e., February, April, June, August, > October, December), every time I try to plot them (on the x-axis) they are > plotted in alphabetical order. What am I missing? > Cheers > Kurt > > *************************************************************** > Kurt Lewis Helf, Ph.D. > Ecologist > EEO Counselor > National Park Service > Cumberland Piedmont Network > P.O. Box 8 > Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 > Ph: 270-758-2163 > Lab: 270-758-2151 > Fax: 270-758-2609 > **************************************************************** > Science, in constantly seeking real explanations, reveals the true majesty > of our world in all its complexity. > -Richard Dawkins > > The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific tradition > in having two layers. Like the latter it passes on its theories but it > also passes on a critical attitude towards them. The theories are passed > on not as dogmas but rather with the challenge to discuss them and improve > upon them. > -Karl Popper > > ...consider yourself a guest in the home of other creatures as significant > as yourself. > -Wayside at Wilderness Threshold in McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains > National Park, TX > > Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN) Homepage: > tiny.cc/e7cdx > > CUPN Forest Pest Monitoring Website: > bit.ly/9rhUZQ > > CUPN Cave Cricket Monitoring Website: > tiny.cc/ntcql > > CUPN Cave Aquatic Biota Monitoring Website: > tiny.cc/n2z1o > > ______________________________________________ > R-help at r-project.org mailing list > stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.Don McKenzie Research Ecologist Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab US Forest Service Affiliate Professor School of Forest Resources and CSES Climate Impacts Group University of Washington phone: 206-732-7824 cell: 206-321-5966 dmck at uw.edu
David Winsemius
2011-Jan-28 22:17 UTC
[R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological order in graph
On Jan 28, 2011, at 4:53 PM, Kurt_Helf at nps.gov wrote:> > Greetings > Though I have months in chronological order in my data table, > the data > were sampled every other month (i.e., February, April, June, August, > October, December), every time I try to plot them (on the x-axis) > they are > plotted in alphabetical order. What am I missing?A reproducible example for one thing. A short sig for another. > monfac <- factor(month.name[sample(1:100)]) > plot(monfac) > plot( factor(monfac, levels=month.name))> Cheers > Kurt > > *************************************************************** > Kurt Lewis Helf, Ph.D. > Ecologist-- David Winsemius, MD West Hartford, CT
RICHARD M. HEIBERGER
2011-Jan-28 22:22 UTC
[R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological order in graph
You need to make your variable into a factor and specify the order.> mymonths <- c("December", "March") > factor(mymonths)[1] December March Levels: December March> factor(mymonths, levels=month.name)[1] December March 12 Levels: January February March April May June July August September October ... December> month.name[1] "January" "February" "March" "April" "May" "June" "July" [8] "August" "September" "October" "November" "December"> month.abb[1] "Jan" "Feb" "Mar" "Apr" "May" "Jun" "Jul" "Aug" "Sep" "Oct" "Nov" "Dec">On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 4:53 PM, <Kurt_Helf@nps.gov> wrote:> > Greetings > Though I have months in chronological order in my data table, the data > were sampled every other month (i.e., February, April, June, August, > October, December), every time I try to plot them (on the x-axis) they are > plotted in alphabetical order. What am I missing? > Cheers > Kurt > > *************************************************************** > Kurt Lewis Helf, Ph.D. > Ecologist > EEO Counselor > National Park Service > Cumberland Piedmont Network > P.O. Box 8 > Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 > Ph: 270-758-2163 > Lab: 270-758-2151 > Fax: 270-758-2609[[alternative HTML version deleted]]
Greg Snow
2011-Jan-28 22:29 UTC
[R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological order in graph
This would be easier if you showed us a sample of your data and what commands you are using. Without we need to guess. Probably your month variable is being turned into a factor somewhere and the default for factors is alphabetical. The best solution depends on how/where/when your months are being factorized. You need to control the factorizing, maybe turning them into some type of date object instead of a factor, or create the factor, but specify the order that you want. -- Gregory (Greg) L. Snow Ph.D. Statistical Data Center Intermountain Healthcare greg.snow at imail.org 801.408.8111> -----Original Message----- > From: r-help-bounces at r-project.org [mailto:r-help-bounces at r- > project.org] On Behalf Of Kurt_Helf at nps.gov > Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 2:54 PM > To: r-help at r-project.org > Subject: [R] Months in alphabetical order rather than chronological > order in graph > > > Greetings > Though I have months in chronological order in my data table, the > data > were sampled every other month (i.e., February, April, June, August, > October, December), every time I try to plot them (on the x-axis) they > are > plotted in alphabetical order. What am I missing? > Cheers > Kurt > > *************************************************************** > Kurt Lewis Helf, Ph.D. > Ecologist > EEO Counselor > National Park Service > Cumberland Piedmont Network > P.O. Box 8 > Mammoth Cave, KY 42259 > Ph: 270-758-2163 > Lab: 270-758-2151 > Fax: 270-758-2609 > **************************************************************** > Science, in constantly seeking real explanations, reveals the true > majesty > of our world in all its complexity. > -Richard Dawkins > > The scientific tradition is distinguished from the pre-scientific > tradition > in having two layers. Like the latter it passes on its theories but it > also passes on a critical attitude towards them. The theories are > passed > on not as dogmas but rather with the challenge to discuss them and > improve > upon them. > -Karl Popper > > ...consider yourself a guest in the home of other creatures as > significant > as yourself. > -Wayside at Wilderness Threshold in McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe > Mountains > National Park, TX > > Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN) Homepage: > tiny.cc/e7cdx > > CUPN Forest Pest Monitoring Website: > bit.ly/9rhUZQ > > CUPN Cave Cricket Monitoring Website: > tiny.cc/ntcql > > CUPN Cave Aquatic Biota Monitoring Website: > tiny.cc/n2z1o > > ______________________________________________ > R-help at r-project.org mailing list > stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide R-project.org/posting- > guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.