PROC SGPLOT VBOX — how to get consistent colors across the BY groups

[PaigeMiller]

proc sort data=sashelp.class out=class;
	by sex;
run;
proc sgplot data=class;
styleattrs;
	by sex;
    vbox height/group=age grouporder=ascending;
run;

produces this result:

How can I do this so that the color for 11 year olds is the same on each plot, and the color for 12 year olds is the same on each plot, etc.?

[DanH_sas · Accepted solution]

Just use a discrete attributes map, like the following:

proc sort data=sashelp.class out=class;
	by sex;
run;

data attrmap;
retain id "myid" linecolor "black";
length fillcolor $ 6;
input value $ fillcolor $;
cards;
11 orange
12 purple
13 green
14 blue
15 red
16 gold
;
run;

proc sgplot data=class dattrmap=attrmap;
  by sex;
  vbox height/group=age attrid=myid grouporder=ascending;
run;

Hope this helps!

Dan 

[PaigeMiller]

Thanks, @DanH_sas , I have used discrete attribute maps in the past and totally forgot about them. But this works!

[ballardw]

If your group variable within levels of the by variable have the same minimum and the same values except for possibly max then a modification to sort works:

proc sort data=sashelp.class out=class;
	by sex age;
run;

proc sgplot data=class;
styleattrs;
	by sex;
    vbox height/group=age grouporder=ascending;
run;

but when there are differing gaps in the values of the group variable the color no longer aligns.