[Rd] axis() default values for "lty", "lwd", and "col"

[Jerome Asselin]

Hi,

I would like to recommend a minor modification in axis() which I believe 
can simplify the making of plots for publications. I am trying to define 
default values for par() in order to make labels bigger and lines thicker, 
so that the resulting plots look good when resized for publication 
purposes. I ran into the following problem...

axis() does not use par() values as default for "lty", "lwd", and "col". 
Here is an example.

par(lty=2,lwd=3,col="blue")
plot(1,1,bty="n",axes=F)
axis(1)
axis(2)

Because axis() doesn't use the par() values, I have to explicitely define 
the parameters "lty", "lwd", and "col" in my axis() calls. It would make 
sense if axis() used the par() values by default.

Hence, I recommend this simple fix in the axis() function([...]) statement 
in order to have axis() read the par() values for "lty", "lwd", and "col".

axis <- 
function (side, at = NULL, labels = TRUE, tick = TRUE, line = NA,
    pos = NA, outer = FALSE, font = NA, vfont = NULL, lty = par("lty"),
    lwd = par("lwd"), col = par("col"), ...)
{ [...] }

I use R1.7.0 on Red Hat Linux 7.2.

Sincerely,
Jerome Asselin

-- 

Jerome Asselin (Jérôme), Statistical Analyst
British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
St. Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA V6Z 1Y6
Email: jerome at hivnet.ubc.ca
Phone: 604 806-9112   Fax: 604 806-9044