topic why is my x axis going out of order even though i have it sorted with numeric variable ? in Graphics Programming

why is my x axis going out of order even though i have it sorted with numeric variable ?

dsam — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:55:44 GMT

my code is below: I have x axis values like in months such as D1 D28 2 3 4 6 12 18 24 36 but for one subject it is plotting month 18 after month 48 even though data is sorted properly by numeric variable.

title 'Percent Predicted FEV1 for Individual Subjects in Four 4D-710 Dose Cohorts';
proc sgplot data= combo;
xaxis grid type= discrete discreteorder= data;
series x = month y= RESTRESN/ group=subjid;
scatter x=month y= RESTRESN/ group= subjid ;
xaxis label= 'Month';
yaxis label= 'ppFEV1 (%)';
by cohort;
run;

Re: why is my x axis going out of order even though i have it sorted with numeric variable ?

Tom — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:00:33 GMT

Most likely because the value of 18 did not appear in the first BY group.

Try adding observations for every possible MONTH value that have a new COHORT value that will sort before the others.

Re: why is my x axis going out of order even though i have it sorted with numeric variable ?

PaigeMiller — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:39:32 GMT

@dsam wrote:

my code is below: I have x axis values like in months such as D1 D28 2 3 4 6 12 18 24 36 but for one subject it is plotting month 18 after month 48 even though data is sorted properly by numeric variable.

title 'Percent Predicted FEV1 for Individual Subjects in Four 4D-710 Dose Cohorts';
proc sgplot data= combo;
xaxis grid type= discrete discreteorder= data;
series x = month y= RESTRESN/ group=subjid;
scatter x=month y= RESTRESN/ group= subjid ;
xaxis label= 'Month';
yaxis label= 'ppFEV1 (%)';
by cohort;
run;

When you have multiple XAXIS statements, the second one replaces whatever is specified in the first.

Re: why is my x axis going out of order even though i have it sorted with numeric variable ?

MarciaS — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:19:04 GMT

Combine your two XAXIS statements into one statement since it appears the DISCRETEORDER= option is not being maintained.

title 'Percent Predicted FEV1 for Individual Subjects in Four 4D-710 Dose Cohorts';
proc sgplot data= combo;
xaxis grid type= discrete discreteorder= data label= 'Month';
series x = month y= RESTRESN/ group=subjid;
scatter x=month y= RESTRESN/ group= subjid ;
yaxis label= 'ppFEV1 (%)';
by cohort;
run;

Hope that helps.

Marcia