Start and delta for dates in graphs (GPL)?

[Andy W]

I was looking to specify start values for a date variable in a graph, as well as the number of dates in between ticks (the data is aggregated weekly, so I want 7 days in between ticks and starting at a specific date).

Below is an quick example to show what I expected the format to be, but it isn't clear how to pass date/time parameters to the start and delta functions in GGRAPH (the manual gives no examples as far as I can tell either).

I'm using V15 and the below example does not work, but I would certainly like to know how to do it in general (even if it is not possible in V15).

*****************************************************.
data list free / weekN y.
begin data
0 4
1 5
2 6
3 7
end data.
dataset name weekdata.

compute #days = weekN*7.
compute #start = DATE.MDY(09,21,2012).
compute weekD = DATESUM(#start,#days,"days").
formats weekD (ADATE10).
exe.

*Base chart that does work.
GGRAPH
  /GRAPHDATASET NAME="graphdataset" VARIABLES=weekD y
  /GRAPHSPEC SOURCE=INLINE.
BEGIN GPL
 SOURCE: s=userSource(id("graphdataset"))
 DATA: weekD=col(source(s), name("weekD"), unit.time(), format("MM/dd/yy"))
 DATA: y=col(source(s), name("y"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(1), label("Week"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(2), label("y"))
 ELEMENT: line(position(weekD*y))
END GPL.

*This is how I would guess it works, but it does not.
GGRAPH
  /GRAPHDATASET NAME="graphdataset" VARIABLES=weekD y
  /GRAPHSPEC SOURCE=INLINE.
BEGIN GPL
 SOURCE: s=userSource(id("graphdataset"))
 DATA: weekD=col(source(s), name("weekD"), unit.time(), format("MM/dd/yy"))
 DATA: y=col(source(s), name("y"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(1), label("Week"), start("09/21/2012"), delta(7))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(2), label("y"))
 ELEMENT: line(position(weekD*y))
END GPL.
*****************************************************.

[ViAnn Beadle]

Oh, this is very interesting. I am on 21 and here's what I see.

2nd chart has no labelling at all. I open it in the chart editor and the
data format is set to automatic. I check the scale values and the delta is
set to 7. If I make the delta Auto and apply it, the delta then shows 604800
which is probably time in seconds but I also get nice 7 day intervals. Now
if I override the automatic Date format and set it mm/dd/yyyy, the delta
goes back to 7 but also works just fine. I smell an initialization bug here.
A template fixes that issue up.

Unfortunately, I can't get it to set the start date to 9/21/2012 and it
insists on making it 9/20. I could override this by making it custom but
presumably you want something that works with different data ranges.

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Andy W
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 8:04 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Start and delta for dates in graphs (GPL)?

I was looking to specify start values for a date variable in a graph, as
well as the number of dates in between ticks (the data is aggregated weekly,
so I want 7 days in between ticks and starting at a specific date).

Below is an quick example to show what I expected the format to be, but it
isn't clear how to pass date/time parameters to the start and delta
functions in GGRAPH ( the manual
<http://www.unt.edu/rss/class/Jon/SPSS_SC/Manuals/v19/GPL%20Reference%20Guid
e%20for%20IBM%20SPSS%20Statistics.pdf>
gives no examples as far as I can tell either).

I'm using V15 and the below example does not work, but I would certainly
like to know how to do it in general (even if it is not possible in V15).

*****************************************************.
data list free / weekN y.
begin data
0 4
1 5
2 6
3 7
end data.
dataset name weekdata.

compute #days = weekN*7.
compute #start = DATE.MDY(09,21,2012).
compute weekD = DATESUM(#start,#days,"days").
formats weekD (ADATE10).
exe.

*Base chart that does work.
GGRAPH
  /GRAPHDATASET NAME="graphdataset" VARIABLES=weekD y
  /GRAPHSPEC SOURCE=INLINE.
BEGIN GPL
 SOURCE: s=userSource(id("graphdataset"))
 DATA: weekD=col(source(s), name("weekD"), unit.time(), format("MM/dd/yy"))
 DATA: y=col(source(s), name("y"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(1), label("Week"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(2), label("y"))
 ELEMENT: line(position(weekD*y))
END GPL.

*This is how I would guess it works, but it does not.
GGRAPH
  /GRAPHDATASET NAME="graphdataset" VARIABLES=weekD y
  /GRAPHSPEC SOURCE=INLINE.
BEGIN GPL
 SOURCE: s=userSource(id("graphdataset"))
 DATA: weekD=col(source(s), name("weekD"), unit.time(), format("MM/dd/yy"))
 DATA: y=col(source(s), name("y"))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(1), label("Week"), start("09/21/2012"), delta(7))
 GUIDE: axis(dim(2), label("y"))
 ELEMENT: line(position(weekD*y))
END GPL.
*****************************************************.




-----
Andy W
[hidden email]
http://andrewpwheeler.wordpress.com/
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