How can I arrange an arbitrary number of plots using grid.arrange?

[Brian Danielak]

My situation is that I'm working on a function that outputs an arbitrary number of plots (depending upon the input data supplied by the user). The function returns a list of n plots, and I'd like to lay those plots out in 2 x 2 formation. I'm struggling with the simultaneous problems of:

1. How can I allow the flexibility to be handed an arbitrary (n) number of plots?
2. How can I also specify I want them laid out 2 x 2

My current strategy uses grid.arrange from the gridExtra package. It's probably not optimal, especially since, and this is key, it totally doesn't work. Here's my commented sample code, experimenting with three plots:

library(ggplot2)

library(gridExtra)

x <- qplot(mpg, disp, data = mtcars)

y <- qplot(hp, wt, data = mtcars)

z <- qplot(qsec, wt, data = mtcars)

# Calling grid.arrange works great

grid.arrange(x, y, z)

# For my purposes, I need a 2 x 2 layout, and the command below works fine

grid.arrange(x, y, z, nrow = 2, ncol = 2)

# The problem is that the function I'm developing outputs a LIST of an arbitrary

# number plots, and I'd like to be able to plot every plot in the list on a 2 x 2

# laid-out page. I can at least plot a list of plots by constructing a do.call()

# expression, below. (Note: it totally even surprises me that this do.call expression

# DOES work. I'm astounded.)

plot.list <- list(x, y, z)

do.call(grid.arrange, plot.list)

# But now I need 2 x 2 pages. No problem, right? Since do.call() is taking a list of

# arguments, I'll just add my grid.layout arguments to the list. Since grid.arrange is

# supposed to pass layout arguments along to grid.layout anyway, this should work.

args.list <- c(plot.list, "nrow = 2", "ncol = 2")

# Except that the line below is going to fail, producing an "input must be grobs!"

# error

do.call(grid.arrange, args.list)

[Ben Bolker]

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On 07/13/2011 10:59 AM, Brian Danielak wrote:
> My situation is that I'm working on a function

> <https://github.com/briandk/granova/blob/dev/R/granova.contr.ggplot.R>

> that outputs an arbitrary number of plots (depending upon the input data
> supplied by the user). The function returns a list of n plots, and I'd
> like to lay those plots out in 2 x 2 formation. I'm struggling with the
> simultaneous problems of:
>

> 1. How can I allow the flexibility to be handed an arbitrary (n)
> number of plots?
> 2. How can I also specify I want them laid out 2 x 2

>
> My current strategy uses grid.arrange from the gridExtra package. It's

> probably not optimal, especially since, and this is key, it /totally
> doesn't work/. Here's my commented sample code, experimenting with three

Have you tried

args.list <- c(plot.list, list(nrow=2, ncol=2)) ...

?
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[Adam_L...@keybank.com]

This works for me:

function(plt, nrow, ncol)
{
loops <- ceiling(length(plt) / (nrow * ncol))
p <- 1
for (l in 1:loops) {
grid.newpage()
pushViewport(viewport(layout=grid.layout(nrow, ncol)))
for (r in 1:nrow) for (c in 1:ncol) {
if (p > length(plt)) break
print(plt[[p]], vp=viewport(layout.pos.row=r, layout.pos.col=c))
p <- p + 1
}
}}

In your case, nrow and ncol are each 2. I guess you'd need some ggsave logic as well.  



Adam Loveland

Brian Danielak <brian.d...@gmail.com> Sent by: ggp...@googlegroups.com 07/13/2011 10:59 AM Please respond to ggp...@googlegroups.com

To ggp...@googlegroups.com cc Subject How can I arrange an arbitrary number of plots using grid.arrange?

My situation is that I'm working on a function that outputs an arbitrary number of plots (depending upon the input data supplied by the user). The function returns a list of n plots, and I'd like to lay those plots out in 2 x 2 formation. I'm struggling with the simultaneous problems of:

1.        How can I allow the flexibility to be handed an arbitrary (n) number of plots?
2.        How can I also specify I want them laid out 2 x 2

My current strategy uses grid.arrange from the gridExtra package. It's probably not optimal, especially since, and this is key, it totally doesn't work. Here's my commented sample code, experimenting with three plots:

library(ggplot2)
library(gridExtra)

x <- qplot(mpg, disp, data = mtcars)
y <- qplot(hp, wt, data = mtcars)
z <- qplot(qsec, wt, data = mtcars)

# Calling grid.arrange works great
grid.arrange(x, y, z)

# For my purposes, I need a 2 x 2 layout, and the command below works fine
grid.arrange(x, y, z, nrow = 2, ncol = 2)

# The problem is that the function I'm developing outputs a LIST of an arbitrary
# number plots, and I'd like to be able to plot every plot in the list on a 2 x 2
# laid-out page. I can at least plot a list of plots by constructing a do.call()
# expression, below. (Note: it totally even surprises me that this do.call expression
# DOES work. I'm astounded.)
plot.list <- list(x, y, z)
do.call(grid.arrange, plot.list)

# But now I need 2 x 2 pages. No problem, right? Since do.call() is taking a list of
# arguments, I'll just add my grid.layout arguments to the list. Since grid.arrange is
# supposed to pass layout arguments along to grid.layout anyway, this should work.
args.list <- c(plot.list, "nrow = 2", "ncol = 2")

# Except that the line below is going to fail, producing an "input must be grobs!"
# error
do.call(grid.arrange, args.list)

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[Brian Danielak]

On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 11:04 AM, Ben Bolker <bbo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Have you tried

 args.list <- c(plot.list, list(nrow=2, ncol=2)) ...

Ben,

That totally works, though this does not:

args.list <- c(plot.list, list("nrow=2", "ncol=2"))

So now I have two questions:

1. Is it obvious I should have been passing an additional LIST for those grid.layout arguments?
2. Why do they work bare, but not as strings?

Also, feel free to post this answer on StackOverflow and I'll accept it.

- B

[baptiste auguie]

Hi,

Try this,

require(ggplot2)
require(gridExtra)
plots = llply(1:11, function(.x) qplot(1:10,rnorm(10),
main=paste("plot",.x)))

params <- list(nrow=2, ncol=2)

n <- do.call(prod, params)
pages <- length(plots) %/% n + as.logical(length(plots) %% n)

groups <- split(seq_along(plots), gl(pages, n, length(plots)))

print(groups)
for (g in groups){
dev.new()
do.call(grid.arrange, c(plots[g], params))
}

[cross-posted from SO for completeness]

HTH,

baptiste