Explicitly set panel size (not just plot size) in ggplot2

Question

Is it possible to explicitly set the panel size (i.e., the gray grid panel) in a ggplot? I imagine (but can't find) that there is some ggplot extension that allows for arguments that resemble panel.width = unit(3, "in"), panel.height = unit(4, "in").

I have seen solutions for setting the size of the entire plot, or of getting multiple plots to align using the egg package. But nothing that would let me explicitly set the size of the panel.

library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)
library(tibble)

ds_mt <- mtcars %>% rownames_to_column("model")
mt_short <- ds_mt %>% arrange(nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)
mt_long <- ds_mt %>% arrange(-nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)

p_short <- 
    mt_short %>% 
    ggplot(aes(x = model, y = mpg)) + 
    geom_col() + 
    coord_flip()

p_short

@jan-glx, ggsave() can set the dimensions of the entire plot, but I am trying to control the dimensions of the panel within the plot. — Joe, Nov 13 '18 at 16:41
@jan-glx yes, and thank you for clarifying, I have updated the question to reflect this. — Joe, Nov 13 '18 at 17:10
I knew that if someone would have [the answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/32583612/1870254) it would be @baptiste. — jan-glx, Nov 13 '18 at 17:31
Can you provide a visual of desired result? This may involve using image software (Paint, Paintbrush, Pinta, etc.) — Parfait, Nov 13 '18 at 18:20
Following @jan-glx link I found that I can use p1 <- set_panel_size(p_short, width = unit(4, "cm"), height = unit(4, "cm")) in combo with grid.arrange(p1) to set panel size explicitly. — Joe, Nov 13 '18 at 18:26

score 17 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 21 '21 at 16:48

17

The ggh4x package has a similar function to the egg solution presented in the other answer. A slight convenience is that the plot is still a valid ggplot after using the function, so it would work with ggsave() and other layers can be added afterwards. (disclaimer: I wrote ggh4x)

library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)
library(tibble)
library(ggh4x)

ds_mt <- mtcars %>% rownames_to_column("model")
mt_short <- ds_mt %>% arrange(nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)
mt_long <- ds_mt %>% arrange(-nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)

mt_short %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x = model, y = mpg)) + 
  geom_col() + 
  coord_flip() +
  force_panelsizes(rows = unit(4, "in"),
                   cols = unit(3, "in"))

^{Created on 2021-04-21 by the reprex package (v1.0.0)}

answered Apr 21 '21 at 16:48

teunbrand

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1

it's like the ggh4x package is becoming a solution for almost all unsolved ggplot problems :) – tjebo Apr 21 '21 at 17:40
3

well that might be because ggh4x is my outlet for solving my own ggplot problems :p – teunbrand Apr 21 '21 at 17:41
2

I like this one because it works with `ggsave` – Zhiqiang Wang Feb 17 '22 at 00:52

Tung · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-26T02:25:47.653

You can use set_panel_size() function from the egg package

library(tibble)
library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)

ds_mt <- mtcars %>% rownames_to_column("model")
mt_short <- ds_mt %>% arrange(nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)
mt_long <- ds_mt %>% arrange(-nchar(model)) %>% slice(1:4)

p_short <- 
  mt_short %>% 
  ggplot(aes(x = model, y = mpg)) + 
  geom_col() + 
  coord_flip()

library(egg)
library(grid)
p_fixed <- set_panel_size(p_short,
                          width  = unit(10, "cm"),
                          height = unit(4, "in"))
grid.newpage()
grid.draw(p_fixed)

^{Created on 2018-11-13 by the reprex package (v0.2.1.9000)}

Explicitly set panel size (not just plot size) in ggplot2

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