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DateListBarChart / Ticks in BarChart

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg104471] DateListBarChart / Ticks in BarChart
• From: Luci Ellis <luci at verbeia.com>
• Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 04:01:39 -0500 (EST)

Dear MathGroupers,
I am trying to set up some custom functions/ option settings to 
replicate the standard look and feel of charts as used by my employer. 
These are currently done in DeltaGraph, but I would like to be able to 
generate charts directly in Mathematica so that I don't have to worry 
about the additional (Export to Excel -> Import into DeltaGraph -> 
bother a research assistant ) steps.

Most of our charts are of time series, and I have been able to 
replicate the look for line graphs by customising DateListPlot[]. But I 
can't replicate the effect for bar charts. Our standard is to put a 
tick every X periods (say, to mark off every year or every quarter) and 
then centre the date label in that region. I am having serious problems 
putting the ticks in exactly the right place for bar charts. Adding up 
bar widths and (prespecified) BarSpacings never quite seems to work.
(If you need an example of what I'm trying to do, have a look at the 
two graphs on the left-hand side of the first page in 
http://www.rba.gov.au/ChartPack/output_expenditure_activity_fincon.pdf  
-- I have the equivalent of the bottom right-hand graph on that page 
working.)

I tried using a Thickness style for Filling of a non-joined 
DateListPlot, but it doesn't work because the thickness also applies to 
the ends of the line -- ie the "rectangle" doesn't actually stop at the 
axis but goes past it by an amount equal to the value of Thickness.

There is also the issue that I will need to combine Line and Bar charts 
for certain applications. We often plot a year-ended percentage change 
as a line and then the quarterly or monthly percentage change as small 
bars on the same axis.

Can anyone offer any guidance on placement of ticks in BarChart, and 
combining them with DateListPlots? Or, failing that, making 
DateListPlots look like BarCharts?

Thanks in advance,
Luci