This paper introduces 5 methods to ensure consistent in line attributes. Use of Attribute Map, a new feature in SAS Version 9.3 is introduced.

1. IS THE LEGEND IN YOUR
SAS/GRAPH® OUTPUT ST ILL
TELLING THE RIGHT STORY?
ALICE M. CHENG
OCTOBER13, 2011

2. OBJECTIVES
 To explore both traditional and the latest approaches
to ensure Legend Consistency.
 This paper is meant to be a sequel to the SUGI 29 paper:
Is the legend in your SAS/Graph®
output Telling the right story?
Justina M. Flavin, Art Carpenter
2

3. AGENDA
 The Nature of SGPLOT Procedure.
How are Line Attributes Assigned?
 Re-visit the Line Inconsistency Problem
by means of SGPLOT Procedure.
 5 Solutions to Resolve Line Inconsistency Issues.
 The SGPANEL Procedure
(as a Special Case of SGPLOT Procedure).
3

4. INTRODUCTION
 Line Attributes (line color, symbol and style).
Placebo
Drug A
Drug B
Drug C
It is critical that line attributes are CONSISTENT.
4

5. THE NATURE OF SGPLOT
(HOW ARE LINES ATTRIBUTES ASSIGNED?)
5

6. Treatment
Order based
on Input Data
Order.
6
Figure 1A: Average Scores of 4 Treatments are displayed according
to input data order.

7. INPUT DATASET
data DRUG;
input TRT & $7. MONTH : 2. SCORE : 3. @@;
label TRT=‘Treatment:’
MONTH=‘Month’
SCORE=‘Average Score’;
Datalines;
Placebo 1 10 Placebo 2 15 Placebo 3 18 Placebo 4 20 Placebo 5 22
Drug A 1 30 Drug A 2 40 Drug A 3 60 Drug A 4 85 Drug A 5 100
Drug B 1 20 Drug B 2 30 Drug B 3 45 Drug B 4 70 Drug B 5 90
Drug C 1 25 Drug C 2 30 Drug C 3 35 Drug C 4 60 Drug C 5 85
;
run;
Note: Based on input dataset DRUG,
Order of Treatments is: Placebo, Drug A, Drug B, Drug C.
7

8. DEFINE STYLE
proc template;
define style STYLES.MYSTYLES;
parent=STYLES.DEFAULT;
*--- Re-define Style for Line Attributes. ---*;
style GraphData1 from GraphData1 / linestyle=1 contrastcolor=red
markersymbol=‘circle’; * Line Attributes for 1st Treatment. ;
style GraphData2 from GraphData2 / linestyle=2 contrastcolor=blue
markersymbol=‘square’; * Line Attributes for 2nd Treatment. ;
style GraphData3 from GraphData3 / linestyle=3 contrastcolor=green
markersymbol=‘diamond’; * Line Attributes for 3rd Treatment. ;
style GraphData4 from GraphData4 / linestyle=4 contrastcolor=orange
markersymbol=‘circlefilled’; * Line Attributes for 4th Treatment. ;
*--- Re-define other styles to make sure the graph is easier to read. ---*;
class GraphFonts / ‘GraphLabelFont’=(“Arial”, 18pt, bold)
‘GraphValueFont’=(“Arial”, 15pt, bold)
‘GraphTitleFont’=(“Arial”, 25pt, bold);
style graphbackground from graphbackground / color = _undef_;
end;
run;
Note: The k-th treatment in the input dataset takes on the k-th color here. 8
For instance, the first treatment (Placebo) takes on the RED color.

9. USE SGPLOT TO GENERATE FIGURE
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
title ‘Score Over Time by Treatment’;
proc sgplot data=DRUG;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / group=TRT markers;
keylegend / noborder title=‘Treatment’;
run;
 Use the style STYLES.MYSTYLE.
 Assign TRT as the GROUP variable.
9

10. PROC SGPLOT VS PROC GPLOT
SGPLOT GPLOT
Default Order Data Order Internal Value
of Group
(TRT) Variable
Line Style Statement in Symboln
Attributes PROC TEMPLATE Statement
So if you want to present the values based on Internal Value of the Group
Variable in PROC SGPLOT (like in GPLOT), prior to SAS 9.3, you have to
sort by the Group (TRT) variable.
10

11. Or in SAS Version 9.3, use …
proc sgplot data = DRUG;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / GROUP=TRT
GROUPORDER=ascending
markers;
run;
GROUP=variable and GROUPORDER=ascending/descending/data options
in the SERIES statement specify:
the order of the values in the GROUP variable
based on which the line attributes have been assigned to the groups.
11

12. Now based on
the ascending
order of the
value of TRT.
Figure 1B: With GROUP=TRT and GROUPORDER=ASCENDING,
the order of the treatments in the legend and the line attributes
12
have been changed.

13. THE PROBLEM
(Line Inconsistency when using SGPLOT.)
13

14. LINE ATTRIBUTES
 Line Attributes (line color, symbol and style).
Drug A
Drug B
Drug C
Placebo
It is critical that line attributes are CONSISTENT.
14

15. WHAT IF DRUG B IS NO LONGER IN A STUDY?
SGPLOT
Drop Drug B We Want
(Default)
Drug A
Drug B
Drug C
Placebo
THE LINE ATTRIBUTES ARE NO LONGER CONSISTENT.
15

16. Error!!!
Inconsistency
In line attribute.
Drug C should
GREEN and
Placebo should
be ORANGE!
Figure 2: The same line inconsistency issues in the GPLOT
procedure now re-appears in the output for SGPLOT procedure 16
when Drug B is excluded.

17. THE FIGURE WE WANT …
17
Note: The lines in the legend are consistent with the lines when
all 4 treatments are available.

18. 5 SOLUTIONS TO RESOLVE
LINE INCONSISTENCY ISSUES
18

19. SOLUTION # 1
USE DUMMY DATA
19

20. Solution # 1. Use Dummy Data
 Create a dummy dataset with a single observation
for each treatment group.
 In this dummy dataset, only the Group variable has
non-missing values.
 Add this dummy dataset to your original dataset.
20

21. Solution # 1. Use Dummy Data
*- Create a DUMMY dataset so that all treatment groups are represented. -*;
data DUMMY;
length TRT $7.;
TRT=‘Drug A’; MONTH= . ; SCORE= . ; output;
TRT=‘Drug B’; MONTH= . ; SCORE= . ; output;
TRT=‘Drug C’; MONTH= . ; SCORE =. ; output;
TRT=‘Placebo’; MONTH= . ; SCORE =.; output;
run;
*- Add DUMMY dataset to the original DRUG dataset without Drug B. -*;
data DRUG_WT_DUMMY;
Note: DUMMY data must come
set DUMMY
before DRUG data to retain the
DRUG (where=(TRT ne ‘Drug B’) );
right order.
run;
*- Generate Figure 3A. -*;
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
proc sgplot data=DRUG_WT_DUMMY;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / group=TRT markers;
keylegend / noborder title=‘Treatment’;
run; 21

22. Solution # 1. Use Dummy Data
Since Drug B
is not supposed
to be in this
figure.
Drug B should
NOT be in the
legend!!!
22
Figure 3A: The Add Dummy Data Approach ensures line consistency,
However, the excluded treatment group Drug B remains in the legend.

23. SOLUTION # 2
RE-MAP LINE ATTRIBUTES
23

24. Solution # 2. Re-Map Line Attributes
 Create a LOOKUP dataset with data for every possible
GROUP variable value and its line attributes.
 Get the data from LOOKUP dataset for the GROUP
variable values and their line attributes based on current
source database.
 Create a new template by Re-defining the
Style GraphDatan statements.
 Apply the newly defined Style to PROC SGPLOT.
24

25. Solution # 2. RE-MAP LINE ATTRIBUTE
*- Establish a LOOKUP dictionary for line attribute for each drug. -*;
data LOOKUP;
input ID & $7. LINESTYLE : 3. COLOR : $6. SYMBOL : $12.;
cards;
Drug A 1 red circle
Drug B 2 blue square
Drug C 3 green diamond
Placebo 4 orange circlefilled
;
run;
25

26. Solution # 2. RE-MAP LINE ATTRIBUTE
*- Define LINEATTR macro to create Style Template with line attributes. -*;
%macro lineattr ( indata = /* Enter Input Data Set Name */
, lookup=LOOKUP /* Enter LOOKUP Dataset */
, idvar=ID /* ID variable in LOOKUP Data Set. */
, groupvar=TRT /* Enter Group Variable. */
, style=STYLES.MYSTYLE2 /* Enter Style name to be output. */
, parent_style=STYLES.MYSTYLE /* Enter Parent Style. */
)/ des=‘To create line attributes in Style Template’;
%local I;
%*- Get line attribute for treatment groups from LOOKUP. -*%;
%*- Note: only line attributes for treatment groups in the dataset specified in -*%;
%*- the dataset specified in &indata will be kept. -*%;
proc sql noprint;
create table LINEATTR as
select distinct L.*, D.&GROUPVAR
from &indata D
left join
&LOOKUP L
on D.&GROUPVAR=L.&IDVAR
order by D.&GROUPVAR; 26
quit;

27. Solution # 2. RE-MAP LINE ATTRIBUTE
%*- Assign value for the line style, colors and symbol of each treatment. -*%;
data null;
set LINEATTR;
call symput (‘LINESTYLE’ || strip(_n_, 3.)), LINESTYLE);
call symput (‘COLOR’ || strip ( put (_n_, 3.)), COLOR);
call symput (‘SYMBOL’|| strip(put (_n_, 3.)), strip(SYMBOL) );
run;
%*- Redefine your line attributes in a new style. -*%;
proc template;
define style &STYLE;
parent=&parent_style;
%do i=1 %to &sqlobs;
style GraphData&i from GraphData&i / linestyle=&&LINESTYLE&i
contrastcolor=&&color&I markersymbol=&&symbol&i;
%end;
end;
Run;
%mend lineattr;
27

28. Solution # 2. RE-MAP LINE ATTRIBUTE
*- Create a dataset based on DRUG, excluding TRT B. -*;
data DRUG_noB;
set DRUG (where=(TRT ne ‘Drug B’));
run;
*- Invoke %lineattr to create STYLES.MYSTYLES2 with the correct line styles. -*;
%lineattr(indata=DRUG_noB,
style=STYLES.MYSTYLES2);
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLES2;
Title h=20pt ‘Score Over Time by Treatment’;
proc sgplot data=DRUG_noB;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / group=TRT markers;
keylegend / noborder title=‘Treatment: ‘;
run;
28

29. This is the
figure we
want!
Figure 3B: 3 remaining treatments are represented by lines consistent in 29
appearance as those seen in Figure 1B. Legend reflects only the lines
in the figure.

30. SOLUTION # 3
RE-CODE INTERNAL VALUES
OF GROUP VARIABLE
30

31. WHAT IF DRUG B IS NO LONGER IN A STUDY?
SGPLOT
Drop Drug B We Want
(Default)
Drug A
Drug B
Drug C
Placebo
NOTE: Line attributes before the deleted group, namely DRUG A,
remain intact.
31

32. WHAT IF PLACEBO IS NOT IN A STUDY?
SGPLOT
Drop Placebo We Want
(Default)
Drug A
Drug B
Drug C
Placebo
NOTE: Line attributes are consistent.
Line attributes before the deleted group remain intact.
32

33. Solution # 3. RE-CODE INTERNAL VALUES OF GROUP VARIABLE
 So if one knows ahead of the treatments that are going to be
dropped, one can put these treatments to be dropped last,
in terms of its internal value.
 The line attributes for the remaining treatment groups will
remain intact.
33

34. Solution # 3. RE-CODE INTERNAL VALUES OF GROUP VARIABLE
*- Define formats for re-coding group variable, TRT. -*;
proc format;
invalue INTRTF ‘Drug A’ = 1
‘Drug B’ = 4
‘Drug C’= 2
‘Placebo’=3;
value TRTF 1= ‘Drug A’
2=‘Drug C’ Note that Drug B is now
3=‘Placebo’ assigned to the largest value!
4=‘Drug B’;
run;
*- Re-coded the value from TRT to TRT2 so that treatment groups to be -*;
*- dropped have higher internal values and will be listed last. -*;
data DRUG_RECODED;
set DRUG (where=(TRT ne ‘Drug b’) );
TRT2=input(TRT, intrf.);
label TRT2=‘Treatment: ‘;
format TRT2 TRTF.; run;
*- Sort the data based on the internal value of the re-coded variable -*;
*- of TRT2. -*;
proc sort data=DRUG_RECODED;
by TRT2; 34
run;

35. Solution # 3. RE-CODE INTERNAL VALUES OF GROUP VARIABLE
*- Re-order the line attributes to match internal values of group variable, TRT2;
proc template;
define style STYLES.MYSTYLE3;
parent=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
style GraphData1 from GraphData1 / linestyle=1 contrastcolor=RED
markersymbol=‘circle’;
style GraphData2 from GraphData2 / linestyle=3 contrastcolor=GREEN
markersymbol=‘diamond’;
style GraphData3 from GraphData3 / linestyle=4 contrastcolor=ORANGE
markersymbol=‘circlefilled’;
style GraphData4 from GraphData4 / linestyle=2 contrastcolor=BLUE
markersymbol=‘square’;
end;
Run;
Note: line attributes for Drug B
is now the last in the list.
*- Generate Figure 3B that excludes Drug B with Re-coded variable, TRT2 -*;
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLES3;
title ‘Score Over Time by Treatment’;
proc sgplot data=DRUG_RECORDED;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / group=TRT2 markers;
keylegend/noborder title=‘Treatment: ‘; 35
Run;

36. SOLUTION # 4
USE INDEX OPTION IN
GRAPH TEMPLATE LANGUAGE (GTL)
36

37. PROC SGPLOT vs Graph Template Language (GTL)
PROC SGPLOT GTL
Single Cell Plot Multiple Cell Plot
Quality Graphics Higher Quality Graphics
Some Customization More Customization
Quick and Easy to Require Significant Time
Learn and Use and Effort to Learn
37

38. Use of Index Options in GTL Can Ensure Line Consistency.
What if you have yet to master GTL?
 If you have SAS 9.3, you can use SG Attribute Map (Solution #5).
 If not and if you only need a simple plot that can be produced by the SG
procedure, you can use TMPLST options to get the code to create the
template and then render that template.
Example:
proc sgplot data=DRUG
tmplst=“c:alicewuss_2011_graphline_plot.sas”;
series y=SCORE x=MONTH / group=TRT markers;
keylegend/noborder title=‘Treatment: ‘;
run;
38

39. Solution # 4. USING INDEX IN GTL
*- Create a variable IDVAL to associate the group variables with -*;
*- line attributes defined in STYLES.MYSTYLE. -*;
data DRUG_IDVAL;
set DRUG (where=(TRT NE ‘Drug B’) );
if TRT=‘Drug A’ then IDVAL=1;
else if TRT=‘Drug B’ then IDVAL=2;
else if TRT=‘Drug C’ then IDVAL= 3;
else if TRT=‘Placebo’ then IDVAL=4;
run;
*- Template SGPLOT was obtained from TMPLOUT options in PROC SGPLOT.-*;
*- INDEX options in SERIESPLOT statement has been added manually. -*;
proc template;
define statgraph SGPLOT;
begingraph;
EntryTitle “Score Over Time by Treatment’/ textattrs=(size=2pct);
layout overlay;
seriesplot x=MONTH y=SCORE /
primary=true group=TRT index=IDVAL display=(markers)
LegendLabel=“Average Score” Name=“SERIES”;
DiscreteLegend “Series” / Location=Outside Title=“Treatment: “ Border=false;
endlayout;
39
endgraph; Add Manually.
end; run;

40. Solution # 4. USING INDEX IN GTL
*- Use PROC SGRENDER to render the graph from the stored graphics -*;
* Template SGPLOT. -*;
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
proc sgrender data=DRUG_IDVAL template=SGPLOT;
run;
40

41. SOLUTION # 5
USE OF SG ATTRIBUTE MAP
(Available in SAS Version 9.3)
41

42. Solution # 5. USING SG Attribute Map Approach
*- Create Attribute Map Data Set named MYATTRMAP. ---*;
data MYATTRMAP;
retain ID “MYID”;
input VALUE & $7. LINESTYLE : 3. LINECOLOR : $6
MARKERSYMBOL : $12 MARKCOLOR : $6.;
cards;
Drug A 1 red circle red
Drug B 2 blue square blue
Drug C 3 green diamond green
Placebo 4 orange circlefilled orange
; run;
*- Reference to MYATTRMAP to define the line attributes. -*;
ods listing;
title ‘Score Over Time by Treatment’;
proc sgplot data=DRUG dattrmap=MYATTRMAP;
series y=SCORE X=MONTH / group=TRT attrid=MYID
marker; 42
keylegend / noborder title=“Treatment: “; run;

43. THE SGPANEL PROCEDURE
43

44. A Panel of Graph Cells Produced by PROC SGPANEL
PANELBY variables
(BMI, SUBJID) controls
the cell order.
44
Figure 4A: Lines are NOT consistent with the desirable line attributes.

45. THE SGPANEL PROCEDURE
Code for Figure 4A
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
title h=20pt ‘HbA1c (%) by Month’;
proc sgpanel data=HBA1C;
panelby BMI SUBJID / layout=panel columns=3 colheader=top
rowheaderpos=right uniscale=row start=topleft spacing=5;
series x=MONTH y=HBA1C / group=TRT name=‘HBA1C’
lineattrs=(pattern=solid thickness=3) markers;
keylegend ‘HBA2C’ / noborder position=bottom title=“Treatment: “;
colaxis value=(0 3 6 9 12) label=‘Month’;
rowaxis label=‘HbA1c (%)’;
run;
 Unlike SGPLOT, in SGPANEL, the default order is controlled by
the order of PANELBY variables and then the order of GROUP
variable within the same panel.
45
 Here, we can think of each cell as having 3 missing treatment groups.

46. A Panel of Graph Cells Produced by PROC SGPANEL
46
Figure 4B: Lines are consistent with the desirable line attributes.

47. THE SGPANEL PROCEDURE
Code for Figure 4B (Using Index Options in GTL)
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
title h=20pt ‘HbA1c (%) by Month’;
proc sgpanel data=HBA1C tmplout=“c:wuss_2011Figure4B.sas” ;
panelby BMI SUBJID / layout=panel columns=3 colheader=top
rowheaderpos=right uniscale=row start=topleft spacing=5;
series x=MONTH y=HBA1C / group=TRT name=‘HBA1C’
lineattrs=(pattern=solid thickness=3) markers;
keylegend ‘HBA2C’ / noborder position=bottom title=“Treatment: “;
colaxis value=(0 3 6 9 12) label=‘Month’;
rowaxis label=‘HbA1c (%)’;
run;
47

48. Code for Figure 4B
*- Define a template name GPANEL -*;
proc template;
define statgraph SGPANEL;
… SAS codes …;
begingraph / …;
EntryTitle “HbA1c (%) by Month” / textattrs=(size=20pt);
layout datapanel classvars= (BMI SUBJID) / …;
… SAS codes …; Add Manually.
layout prototype / __SGPROC;
SeriesPlot x=MONTH y=HBA1C / primary=true display=(markers)
Group=TRT INDEX=INDVAL Lineattrs=(Pattern=1 Thickness=3)
LegendLabel=“HbA1c” Name=“HBA1C”;
endlayout;
endlayout;
DiscreteLegend “HBA1c” / Title=“Treatment: “ Border=false;
endlayout; endgraph; end; run;
ods listing style=STYLES.MYSTYLE;
proc sgrender data=HBA1C template=SGPANEL; 48
run;

49. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 Art Carpenter, Caloxy
 Shawn Hopkin, Seattle Genetics
 Lelia McConnell, SAS Technical Support
 Susan Morrison, SAS Technical Support
 Marcia Surratt, SAS Technical Support
49

50. The END
50