# quarters

How to download and try this example

    Usage: pl -gif quarters.htm

    In order to use date quarters notation, the X range must be specified
    with scaletype date using a month-day-year notation such as mmddyy;
    then before plotting bars, switch to X scaletype date nqyy (or some other
    quarters notation) using proc defineunits.

    It must be done this way because internally dates in quarters notation
    are converted to a midpoint mmddyy, e.g. 1Q99 -> 2/15/99  and
    3Q99 -> 8/15/99.  This is done for plotting and date arithmetic purposes.

    Kind of tricky I realize.. it is touched on in the pl dates man page.

    //  do areadef with X scaled in years, using proc areadef
    #proc areadef
    title: Average dividend yield,\nby quarter
    rectangle: 1 1 4 2.5
    xscaletype: date mmddyy
    xrange: 010198 123101
    yrange: 3.0 6.0

    //  do year X axis using proc xaxis
    #proc xaxis
    stubs: inc 1 year
    stubformat: yyyy
    ticlen: 0 0.2
    location: min-0.18
    axisline: none
    stubslide: 180(s)

    //  do another X axis to show quarters, using proc xaxis
    #proc xaxis
    stubs: inc 3 month
    stubformat: Q
    tics: none
    stubdetails: adjust=0,+0.05
    stubslide: 45(s)

    //  do a Y axis using proc yaxis
    #proc yaxis
    stubs: inc 0.5
    grid: color=blue
    stubformat: %3.1f%%

    //  now change X units to nQyy notation to plot data.. use proc defineunits
    #proc defineunits
    axis: x
    units: date nqyy

    //  specify data using proc getdata
    #proc getdata
    data:	1Q98 	5.3
    	2Q98 	4.9
    	3Q98 	4.7
    	4Q98 	4.8
    	1Q99 	5.1
    	2Q99 	4.8
    	3Q99 	5.2
    	4Q99 	5.3
    	1Q00 	5.5
    	2Q00 	5.2
    	3Q00 	4.9
    	4Q00 	4.9
    	1Q01 	4.8
    	2Q01 	4.9

    //  render bars using proc bars
    #proc bars
    locfield: 1
    lenfield: 2
    barwidth: 0.1
    color: yelloworange