Default graph size in Stata?

[Francois Durant]

Hi,

I would like to increase the size of a VAR graph in Stata to full screen. I am using the GUI to generate the graph:
Statistics > Multivariate time series > IRF and FEVD analysis > Graphs by impulse or response

When setting all the option, on tab "Overall" you can choose "Width" and "Height" (I enclose a screenshot). What is the default value? How can I get to the full screen or at least proportionate graph that would be significantly bigger? Thanks a lot in advance!

[Friedrich Huebler]

The width and height settings have no effect on the size of the graph on your screen, so you can leave these options blank. Draw a graph, drag the borders of the Graph window to the desired size, and then draw another graph. You will see that it is drawn at the size of the last Graph window.

The default settings for Stata graphs are xsize(5.5) and ysize(4). This is mentioned in

help graph display

[wbuchanan]

Friedrich Huebler an additional caveat might be that those are the defaults using schemes developed by StataCorp. The default values for schemes created by brewscheme are the equivalent of xsize(9) ysize(6); basically large enough to print on US Letter size paper in landscape orientation with decent sized margins around the graph.

[Francois Durant]

I am trying to "automatize" as much as I can as I will be running the same tables +100 times. I'm seeking the best code to save the graph as a tif and large format. In the default format the quality is not enough to be included in a research paper. Any idea?

I currently have that:

irf graph oirf, irf(IRF12) response(UR) level(90) individual iname(IR_8q, replace ) isaving(Inflation_4q, replace ) ciopts1(recast(rline) lpattern(dash) cmissing(y)) ytitle(Percent) xtitle(Lag (Quarter)) title(IRF Inflation-IR-UR-Cost Stick. - Recursive VAR)

graph export "C:\help.tif", as(tif) replace

[Stephen Jenkins]

Your -irf- graph code call does not refer to ysize() or xsize() -- see the previous posts. Also, why are you exporting to TIFF format (raster) rather than a scalable format such as PDF or EPS etc?

[wbuchanan]

Stephen Jenkins oddly enough, some journals actually require submission of graphics in raster formats. It makes little sense to me since it gives the publishing company little to no flexibility, but I've had to create lower resolution raster formats for this reason in the past.

Francois Durant it would be helpful to know what you mean by "large format". How are the dimensions defined by the publisher (e.g., pixels, twips, inches. cm, etc...)? And if you're able to get them to accept raster formats, it would definitely be the better way to go.

[Friedrich Huebler]

And if you're able to get them to accept raster formats, it would definitely be the better way to go.

You probably meant vector format.

[wbuchanan]

Friedrich Huebler thanks for catching that.

[Francois Durant]

I would like to output pictures that have a good resolution with a size of 1/2 page A4 format for publication purpose. I'm currently exporting in TIFF but it could be another format. Please let me know. Thanks!

[Friedrich Huebler]

Which word processing software do you use? Can you work with EPS files?

[wbuchanan]

If you're working on a Windoze machine they use different vector graphics formats: Enhanced Meta File (.emf) and Windoze Meta File (.wmf). Word will play nicely with them and there are some programs available to convert other vector formats (e.g., eps, ps, pdf) to the Windoze variants. In either case, you'll always have the greatest amount of flexibility for resizing/editing with a vector format over a raster format, so if you're able to use a vector format it would definitely be the way to do. If you know how the size translates into inches you could also pass those values to the xsize() and ysize() options of the graph command as well.

[Friedrich Huebler]

Graphs in EPS format exported from Stata can be inserted into an MS Word document on Windows. The image won't look good on your screen but the quality of the printout will be excellent.

EMF is generally superior to WMF but export from Stata to EMF is not perfect, as explained in this post.

[wbuchanan]

Friedrich Huebler thanks for the clarification.