[R] Make playwith a default graphic device

[Felix Andrews]

Hi Ronaldo,

As Professor Ripley explained, playwith is a function, not a device.
It uses a Cairo-based device from the cairoDevice package. I too would
like to have `playwith` as the default behavior for some plots, but
there is no standard way to do that. It can not be implemented as a
device because it needs to know what the high-level plot call is.

The only way I can think of is to redefine the generic plot
function(s). But that is an ugly hack, and can never cover all cases.
You could do it with the standard Lattice high-level plot functions,
as follows:

library(lattice)

latticePlay <- function(x, data, ...) {
	playing <- 'plotAndPlayUpdate' %in%
		sapply(sys.calls(), function(x) toString(x[[1]]))
	if (require(plotAndPlayGTK, quietly=TRUE) && !playing)
		return(playwith(plot.call=sys.call()))
	eval(sys.call(), as.environment("package:lattice"))
}

latticeFns <- c("barchart", "bwplot", "cloud", "contourplot",
	"densityplot", "dotplot", "histogram", "levelplot",
	"parallel", "qq", "qqmath", "splom", "stripplot",
	"wireframe", "xyplot")

## this will mask all the high-level Lattice generics
invisible(lapply(latticeFns, assign, latticePlay, env=.GlobalEnv))

## now `playwith` is called automatically:
xyplot(Murder ~ Population, data.frame(state.x77))

## to revert (remove definitions from the Global Env)
rm(list=latticeFns)

Note that this approach does not allow you to specify any of the
optional arguments to playwith().

I would be much more reluctant to try the same thing with base
graphics (`plot`, etc) because it would cause problems with
multi-figure layouts.

I have had several reports of the "figure margins too large" error,
but have not experienced it myself. It seems to happen on unix-like
systems (macOS / linux) and not on windows. The default window size is
supposed to be 640x480 pixels, which should be large enough...

Best,
Felix


On 10/14/07, Prof Brian Ripley <ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk> wrote:
> You seem to be under the misapprehension that playwith() is a graphics
> device: it is not.
>
> To set a graphics device as the default, use options(device=).  I am not
> sure what 'more functionalities' you are looking for: the playwith() uses
> the cairoDevice package for its graphics device, and there is also the
> Cairo package.
>
> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007, Ronaldo Reis Junior wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I looking for a graphic device on Linux with more functionalities than the X11
> > (). I find the plotAndPlayGTK package and the playwith function. It is a good
> > device. It is possible to make it default in my system.
>
> Did you mean that to be a question?
>
> > Now I need:
> >
> >> library(plotAndPlayGTK )
> > Loading required package: RGtk2
> > Loading required package: cairoDevice
> >>
> >> playwith(plot(1,1))
> > Error in plot.new() : figure margins too large
> >
> > I got this error above, I dont know why? But in the device I edit call ant it
> > work.
> >
> > But I try to put it default and make a more simple use llike this:
> >
> > plot(1,1) and it use a playwith device to make a plot.
> >
> > It is possible?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Ronaldo
> > --
> >> Prof. Ronaldo Reis Júnior
> > |  .''`. UNIMONTES/Depto. Biologia Geral/Lab. de Biologia Computacional
> > | : :'  : Campus Universitário Prof. Darcy Ribeiro, Vila Mauricéia
> > | `. `'` CP: 126, CEP: 39401-089, Montes Claros - MG - Brasil
> > |   `- Fone: (38) 3229-8187 | ronaldo.reis at unimontes.br | chrysopa at gmail.com
> > | http://www.ppgcb.unimontes.br/ | ICQ#: 5692561 | LinuxUser#: 205366
> >
> > ______________________________________________
> > R-help at r-project.org 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,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
> 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
> ______________________________________________
> R-help at r-project.org 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.
>
>


-- 
Felix Andrews / 安福立
PhD candidate
Integrated Catchment Assessment and Management Centre
The Fenner School of Environment and Society
The Australian National University (Building 48A), ACT 0200
Beijing Bag, Locked Bag 40, Kingston ACT 2604
http://www.neurofractal.org/felix/
3358 543D AAC6 22C2 D336  80D9 360B 72DD 3E4C F5D8