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When exporting a plot using ggsave(), nearly all elements (notably, text) of my ggplot are enlarged compared to when viewing and exporting my plot in R studio. The reason I'm using ggsave() is so that I can get the 300 dpi and 85mm width needed for publication.

How can I ensure that the ggsave() output matches what RStudio exports?

1. RStudio export (correct proportions):

RStudio export

2. ggsave() export (incorrect proportions):

ggsave export

3. My code

library(ggplot2)
library(cowplot)
library(grid)

# Make plot
fig4 <- ggplot()
# Add Landings lines
fig4 <-
  fig4 + geom_line(
    data = NorRus,
    aes(year, tonnes, color = fishing_entity),
    size = 0.75
    )
# Change colors. 
fig4 <-
  fig4 + scale_color_manual(
    values = bluesPalette,
    name = NULL
    )
# adjust y axis labels, remove scientific notation
fig4 <-
  fig4 + scale_y_continuous(
    expand = c(0,0), #removes stupid gap btwn plot & axes
    breaks = seq(0, 2500000, 500000),
    limits = c(0, 2500000),
    labels = divide1000() # divide units by 1000 w function specified above 
  )
# adjust x axis labels
fig4 <-
  fig4 + scale_x_continuous(
    expand = c(0,0), # removes stupid gap btwn plot & axes
    breaks = seq(1950, 2014, 10),
    limits = c(1950, 2014)
  )
# Add titles to axes
fig4 <- 
  fig4 + labs(
    y = Land10e3,
    x = "Year"
  )
# Adjust axis margins
fig4 <- 
  fig4 + theme(
    axis.title.y=element_text(margin=margin(0,20,0,0)),
    axis.title.x=element_text(margin=margin(20,0,0,0))
  )
# Adjust text sizes
fig4 <- 
  fig4 + theme(
    legend.title=element_text(size=10), # Legend title
    legend.text=element_text(size=8), # Legend items
    axis.title=element_text(size=10), # Axis titles
    axis.text=element_text(size=8) # Axis labels
  )
# move legend to inside
fig4 <- 
  fig4 + theme(
    legend.justification = c(1, 1), 
    legend.position = c(1, 1)
  )
# Plot
plot(fig4)

# Export plot w ggsave
ggsave(
  "R exports/fig4-ggsave.tiff",
  plot = fig4, 
  device = "tiff", 
  dpi=150, 
  width=85, 
  height=53, 
  units = "mm"
  )

I suspect my issue has something to do with element_text() being in point units, while the units I've specified with ggsave() are in mm.

These two questions are very close to helping me solve my issue, but I don't quite know how to implement them as a solution!

  1. ggplots2 ggsave text size not changing
  2. ggplot geom_text font size control
spops
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2 Answers2

2

Change these arguments: 

width=85, maybe to 850
height=53, maybe to 530

Manipulating with width and hight of plot will give you needed output.

Piotr
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  • That produces this: http://imgur.com/a/EO4pG Unfortunately I also have to keep the 85 mm width for publication requirements. I suppose I could always mess around with the width and heights in R until it looks good, and then resize it outside of R, but that's hacky. – spops Jun 21 '17 at 20:41
  • 5
    Ok so my hacky workaround is this: `width=85 * (14/5), height=53 * (14/5),` which is the ratio provided in my second linked question. So for now until something better comes along, I'm applying this ratio to all my ggsaves, then resizing to 85 mm in an outside program. – spops Jun 21 '17 at 20:43
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    @spops I had same problem with plots to my thesis. After long time I fed up with code and started exporting plots manualy (export -> save as image -> set width and hight until it looks good -> resize photo in final document) If there are few plots it is not as bad as it seems :) But I would also like to see a better way to solve this problem. – Piotr Jun 21 '17 at 20:47
2

(As per my comment on Piotr's answer): My hacky workaround is this: width=85 * (14/5), height=53 * (14/5), which is the ratio provided in my second linked question. So for now until something better comes along, I'm applying this ratio to all my ggsaves, then resizing to 85 mm in an outside program.

spops
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