{smcl}
{* 26july2002}{...}
{hline}
help for {hi:tsgraph}
{hline}

{title:Time-series graph} 

{p 8 16}{cmd:tsgraph} {it:yvarlist} [{cmd:if} {it:exp}] [{cmd:in} {it:range}] 
[ {cmd:,} {it:graph_options} {cmdab:nla:bel(}{it:#}{cmd:)} ]

{title:Description}

{p}
{cmd:tsgraph} plots one or more {it:y} variables against whatever {help tsset}
knows as the time variable. It is a convenience graph with options built-in 
to plot time series as connected lines. Data must have been {cmd:tsset} 
previously. 

{p}{cmd:tsgraph} looks for a panel variable and identifies distinct panels 
whenever there are no more than 4.


{title:Remarks} 

{p}Whenever 

{p 4 4}the time variable has a {cmd:%t} or {cmd:%d} format, and 

{p 4 4}neither {cmd:xlabel} nor {cmd:xlabel()} is specified, and 

{p 4 4}values span more than one year

{p}{cmd:tsgraph} attempts to select for the time ({it:x}) axis nice labels
based on the years included in the time series.  For daily, weekly, monthly,
quarterly or half-yearly data, it attempts to show the first time period within
each of various years which are nice numbers. For yearly data, it attempts to
show years which are nice numbers. Nice numbers here are preferably multiples
of 10, 5 or 2. The main algorithm used is based on code by Hardin (1995).


{title:Options}

{p 0 4} 
{it:graph_options} are options allowed with {cmd:graph, twoway}. Defaults are  

{p 4 4}{cmd:connect(L)}, {cmd:connect(LL[_])}, {cmd:connect(LL[_]L[-])}, 
{cmd:connect(LL[_]L[-]L[.])} for 1, 2, 3, 4 {it:y} variables 
	
{p 4 4}{cmd:symbol} is {cmd:i} for each {it:y} variable 

{p 4 4}{cmd:xlabel ylabel gap(4)} 

{p 4 4}{cmd:l2title("(log scale)")} if {cmd:ylog} 

{p 4 4}{cmd:l1title} shows variable label or variable name of single {it:y}
variable.

{p 0 4}{cmd:nlabel(}{it:#}{cmd:)} suggests the number of nice labels 
to be shown on the time axis. The suggestion may or may not be taken 
literally. This option is independent of {cmd:xlabel} or {cmd:xlabel()}. 

 
{title:Examples}

{p 4 8}{inp:. tsset year} 

{p 4 8}{inp:. tsgraph GDP*} 


{title:Authors}

	Nicholas J. Cox, University of Durham, U.K.  
	n.j.cox@durham.ac.uk
	
	Christopher F. Baum, Boston College 
	baum@bc.edu


{title:Acknowledgements} 

	Alan Riley made a very helpful suggestion.

	
{title:References} 

{p}Hardin, J.W. 1995. Calculate nice numbers for labeling or drawing grid
lines. {it:Stata Technical Bulletin} 25, 2-3. (Also in {it:STB Reprints}
Volume 5, 19-20.)
 
 
{title:Also see}

{p 0 19}On-line:  help for {help graph}, {help tsset}, {help dfmt}, {help tfmt} 
{p_end}