How to pass custom function arguments into ggplot aes

tidyverse
,
1

I'm trying to write a function for ggplot to define aes arguments. But I get errors running it since the internal column headings are not objects in themselves like the data frame is. For example:

df <- data.frame(conc = c(2, 3, 3.7), abs = c(0.2, 0.31, 0.33))

ggplot(df, aes(x = conc, y = abs))  + geom_point()

plot <- function(a, b, c) {
  ggplot(a, aes(x = b, y = c))  + geom_point()
}

plot(df, conc, abs)

Is there any way to define aes this way using a function?

2

Here are two solutions.

library(ggplot2)
df <- data.frame(conc = c(2, 3, 3.7), abs = c(0.2, 0.31, 0.33))

ggplot(df, aes(x = conc, y = abs))  + geom_point()

672×480 2.47 KB


#Solution #1
plotFunc <- function(a, b, c) {
  ggplot(a, aes_string(x = b, y = c))  + geom_point()
}

plotFunc(df, "conc", "abs")

672×480 2.47 KB


#Solution #2
library(rlang)
plotFunc2 <- function(a, b, c) {
  ggplot(a, aes(x = {{b}}, y = {{c}}))  + geom_point()
}

plotFunc2(df, conc, abs)

672×480 2.47 KB

Created on 2023-03-14 with reprex v2.0.2

3

Ah first time I have encountered aes_string and those issues. Very helpful thank you!
If you happen to know a resource you can point me to understand {{}} I would appreciate it. Googling operators is always a problem

4

I think textbook wise this is the best approach Introduction | Advanced R (hadley.nz)

Theres also rlang (r-lib.org) if you look at the top links under "Tidy Evaluation" and "Metaprogramming"