GPL

[Maguin, Eugene]

How much formatting control is possible in GPL? I've been doing some charts and there's things that seem like they ought to be possible but I'm not sure if they are because I find the documentation really confusing and none of the examples (that I looked at) demonstrate the features. So: 1) can the formatting of the axis be controlled such as number of decimal places, major divisions, minor divisions, etc. 2) can the placement of plot elements such as legends, be controlled?

The documentation has statements like

Valid Functions
label Function (For GPL Guides)

So, is there a separate label function for something/anything/everything other than a GPL guide? Doesn't seem to be according to the index.

Applies To
GUIDE Statement (GPL)

And, you just know the '(GPL)' text chunk means something but what. And, you see it everywhere in the index.

I know, bitch, bitch, bitch.
Gene Maguin

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[ViAnn Beadle]

You asked some fairly general questions. Here are some fairly general
answers:

The Help Hierarchy for GPL

If you go to the function label in the GPL Functions hierarchy tree (as in
Help > GPL Reference > GPL Statement and Function Reference > GPL
Functions>) you will see two nodes:  labels for elements and labels for
guides. In general, the label function is used to display a piece of text
and that piece of text could be attached to an axis, a chart title, a point
on a scatterplot, etc. Each function page shows examples of the use of the
label function within a given context. This is kinda like a dictionary
approach to help. I think that you are looking more for a usage approach.
IMHO, the best way is to figure all this out is to start with the GPL
Statements hierarchy. So, for example if you go the GUIDE Statement you will
be on the road to a list of valid functions for that statement. The page for
axis Guide Type includes the label which is used to provide axis label text.


I suspect that GPL is appended to the nodes in the index to differentiate
the GPL help from non-GPL topics which might show up in a  search scope for
all of SPSS Statistics.

**************************************

Level of Formatting Control.

GPL generally defines the contents of a chart but not formatting, placement
of labels, and aesthetics. For those you need to either edit the chart in
the chart editor to create formatting template(s) to apply to future charts
or create a formatting template by hand assuming you know the schema for the
vizML. For example, if you want to control the formatting of a number for a
chart generated with GPL, you must edit the chart in the Chart Editor,
select an axis, and then use the UI to control increments, number formats,
etc. Save the template and then refer to in the GGRAPH syntax.

Formatting templates are very fragile and complicated and don't always do
what you want. When I run into a defect, I report it through the online
support system and then occasionally go through many iterations with tech
support people to get the issue into the hands of the developer.

***************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Maguin, Eugene
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 1:51 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: GPL

How much formatting control is possible in GPL? I've been doing some charts
and there's things that seem like they ought to be possible but I'm not sure
if they are because I find the documentation really confusing and none of
the examples (that I looked at) demonstrate the features. So: 1) can the
formatting of the axis be controlled such as number of decimal places, major
divisions, minor divisions, etc. 2) can the placement of plot elements such
as legends, be controlled?

The documentation has statements like

Valid Functions
label Function (For GPL Guides)

So, is there a separate label function for something/anything/everything
other than a GPL guide? Doesn't seem to be according to the index.

Applies To
GUIDE Statement (GPL)

And, you just know the '(GPL)' text chunk means something but what. And, you
see it everywhere in the index.

I know, bitch, bitch, bitch.
Gene Maguin

=====================
To manage your subscription to SPSSX-L, send a message to
[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command SIGNOFF SPSSX-L For a list of
commands to manage subscriptions, send the command INFO REFCARD

=====================
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[hidden email] (not to SPSSX-L), with no body text except the
command. To leave the list, send the command
SIGNOFF SPSSX-L
For a list of commands to manage subscriptions, send the command
INFO REFCARD