automating mixed line/bar graph generation

[David Clark]

Hello,

My query is about how to automate the process of generating a specific type of graph in Eviews.

At present I have been manually generating a mixed graph with bars; two series map lines, and shaded areas as bars based on the dummy values of a third series. Each time, I create a group and save it, generate the graph, rename the series legends, and freeze the outcome once I've added axis labels in the frozen window so I can save it. When I generate the graph I change the dummy series to "right" on the "series axis assignment" and "axis scale end points" are changed to "Data minimum and maximum". There are other options also changed but many of these (such as hiding the tick marks on the right hand scale, selecting B&W, line colours etc) I have changed in the default settings.

My question is this: Is there a way of automating this graph generation process? I Need to generate 100+ graphs so it would be extremely time saving if so. I would like to write a loop to do this with but am struggling with the code to get the graph to generate in the needed format. I am using Eviews 8.

Any help would be much appreciated- thanks in advance.

[EViews Gareth]

All of what you have described can be put into an EViews program.

If you had EViews 9, you could use the command capture technology to write the program for you.

In EViews 8 you'll have to look up the commands manually. You want the group and graph sections of Chapter 1 of the Object Reference (pdf available from help menu).

Graph.setelem and graph.axis are going to be the most useful parts for you.

[David Clark]

Thank you for your response.

Based on your advice I have tried using Eviews 9 to do this. I have tried to use the below code, derived from the sections of the command capture files referenced in your response alongside the capture window in Eviews 9:

Code: Select all

g.mixed bar(1) line(2,3) g.setelem(1) axis(right) g.axis(right) range(minmax)

Where g is a group of 3 variables. I keep getting the error:

SETELEM is not a valid view for G in "DO_ G.SETELEM(1)
AXIS(RIGHT)".

or commenting out the second line:

AXIS is not a valid view for G in "DO_ G.AXIS(RIGHT)
RANGE(MINMAX)".

I have also checked the command capture section when manually generating the graph. Unfortunately the only code it provides for the grouping and creating the graph with all the necessary criteria specified is this:

Code: Select all

{%group}.sheet {%graph}.mixed bar(1) line(2,3)

Hence why I've tried to use axis and setelum to modify the specifics.

Please can you advise me on how to proceed? I really appreciate the guidance.

[EViews Gareth]

The graph commands only work on a graph object. So you will have to freeze the group into a graph object.

Code: Select all

freeze(gr) g.mixed bar(1) line(2,3) gr.setelem(1) axis(right) gr.axis(right) range(minmax)

[David Clark]

Thank you for your response - with the freezing option this now works! This is a great help.

However some of the legend options have not worked. The legend option for the first variable works but 2 and 3 do not work, but no error message is given. Instead, the legend includes the data series name for variables 2 and 3. I have tried changing the order and checking the user guide section of setelem but to no avail. I've enclosed the entire code just in case it might be a related issue to what I've included.

Code: Select all

freeze(gr) g.mixed bar(1) line(2,3) gr.axis(right) range(minmax) gr.axis(left) units("GSADF statistic and Critical Values") gr.addtext(l) "GSADF & Critical Values" gr.setelem(1) axis(right) legend("") gr.setelem(2) axis(left) legend("GSADF Critical Value") gr.setelem(3) axis(left) legend("GSADF")

Is there something I've missed or misspecified? I've tried including text for gr.setelem(1) but this also appears, so it just seems to be isolated to the lines of gr.setelem(2) and (3).

Many thanks.

[EViews Jason]

It will be fixed in the next patch