Can there be a global option to free the absolute plot dimensions?

[jbengler]

Per default tidyplots generates plots with absolute dimensions. We can free these plots to take all available space by doing adjust_size(width = NA, height = NA. Can we make this the default?

[jbengler]

The idea to make absolute sizes the default was to ensure consistent visual proportions across font size, line thickness, aspect ratio, and plot elements.

However, you can free the plot in one of these ways.

library(tidyplots)

# 1. adjust_size()
study |> 
  tidyplot(x = treatment, y = score, color = sex) |> 
  add_mean_bar() |> 
  adjust_size(width = NA, height = NA)

# 2. within tidyplot()
study |> 
  tidyplot(x = treatment, y = score, color = sex, width = NA, height = NA) |> 
  add_mean_bar()

Could there be a global option?

Personally, I do not like global options because they can compromise reproducibility. With global options, the entire behavior of a function changes, just depending on whether another line of code was executed in the same session or not.

Are there other work around?

# 3. short helper
free_me <- function(x) x |> adjust_size(width = NA, height = NA)

study |> 
  tidyplot(x = treatment, y = score, color = sex) |> 
  add_mean_bar() |> 
  free_me()

# 4. tidyplot() wrapper
# Caution! This might break if the tidyplot() function is changed in the future

tidyplot_free <- function(data, ..., width = NA, height = NA, dodge_width = NULL) {
  tidyplot(data = data, ..., width = width, height = height, dodge_width = dodge_width)
}

study |> 
  tidyplot_free(x = treatment, y = score, color = sex) |> 
  add_mean_bar()

[brianmsm]

Whether in a script or a markdown document, I don’t see how a setting in the global options differs from code that loads a package or configures a global theme for graphics, for example, in terms of reproducibility.

The best workaround that would work for me right now would be the tidyplot_free() function.

[jbengler]

I see. I will think about ways how support this.

[jbengler]

I have now merged this PR (#85) supporting global options in the dev version of tidyplots.

You can give it a try by installing the dev version like so:

install.packages("pak")
pak::pak("jbengler/tidyplots")

[brianmsm]

Thank you very much!

[jbengler]

You are welcome!