[R] 3d bar plot

Lorenz.Gygax@fat.admin.ch Lorenz.Gygax at fat.admin.ch
Tue Jan 18 07:50:41 CET 2005


> This graph -> 
> http://www.math.hope.edu/~tanis/dallas/images/disth36.gif
> is an example I found at
> http://www.math.hope.edu/~tanis/dallas/disth1.html
> created by Maple.
> 
> Does anybody know how to create something similar in R?
> 
> I have a feeling it could be possible using scatterplot3d
> (perhaps with type=h, the fourth example in help('scatterplot3d')?),
> but I cannot figure it out.

Sorry to butt in with a more fundamental question. Is this really the kind
of graph we want to cultivate and support? In my oppinion, it is hardly ever
necessary to have a graph in 3D or even in higher dimensions (one certain
exception is if one tries to spin a higly dimensional dataset in search of
patterns as you can do in ggobi and there might certainly be others).

At least the graph presented in the example does - in my eyes - not warrant
a 3D plot. Why not just draw curves for each of the n's in a plot of 'A'
against 'row'? This would enable a reader to make straightforward
comparisons of the curves and allow to estimate the height of the 'columns'
along the 'A'-axis much more easily.

Only because we can easily create 3D graphs, I do not believe that we should
use them often. Only if a careful evaluation of alternatives was not
promising success I would resign myself to using 3D graphs.

Lorenz
- 
Lorenz Gygax, Dr. sc. nat.
Centre for proper housing of ruminants and pigs
Swiss Federal Veterinary Office
agroscope FAT Tänikon, CH-8356 Ettenhausen / Switzerland




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