Creating a Classification Panel

Methods for Creating a Classification Panel

The ODS Graphics Designer enables you to create classification panels in several ways:

If the classification panel that you want to create exists in the Graph Gallery (in the Panels tab), then you can create the graph by opening the predefined graph from the gallery. For more information, see Create a Classification Panel by Using the Graph Gallery.
You can start from a blank graph window and then add one or more plots to create your graph. When you assign data to the plot, you specify both plot and panel variables. For more information, see Create a Classification Panel from a Blank Graph Window.
If you have an existing single-cell graph that you want to use as the basis for your classification panel, you can convert the single-cell graph to a panel. Most single-cell graphs can be converted to classification panels. For more information, see Change a Single-Cell Graph to a Classification Panel.
Note:
- Multi-cell heterogeneous panels cannot be converted to classification panels.
- Graphs that contain an ellipse plot cannot be converted to classification panels.

The following sections describe these methods of creating classification panels.

Create a Classification Panel by Using the Graph Gallery

The Panels tab of the Graph Gallery contains several predefined classification panels. For graphs that are created from the Graph Gallery, placeholder data is assigned to the graph. You typically will change the data as appropriate for your graph.

To create a classification panel:

Open the Graph Gallery if it is not already open. For instructions, see Open and Use the Graph Gallery.
Click the Panels tab.

Note: If you have created a classification panel and saved it to the Graph Gallery in a custom tab, then you can select your custom tab instead.
Select the classification panel that you want to use, and click OK. The Assign Data dialog box opens and displays the Panel Variables tab.
Specify the SAS library and data set you want to use by selecting the appropriate items from the Library and Data Set list boxes.
In the Variables section, assign a data variable to a classification role. To assign a variable, select the variable from the list box next to the role's label. You can assign up to two classification roles.
Click the Plot Variables tab and assign variables for the plot. For more information, see Change the Data Assignment for a Plot in a Graph.

If the graph contains more than one plot, select each plot from the Plot list box and assign variables.
Click OK.

After you have created a graph, you can perform additional steps to customize your graph. For example, you might add another plot to the graph or change plot properties. You can also add titles, footnotes, and make other changes to the graph. For more information about the tasks you can perform, see High-Level Steps for Designing Graphs.

Create a Classification Panel from a Blank Graph Window

To create a classification panel from a blank graph window:

Select FileNewBlank Graph, or click the New Blank Graph toolbar button.
Add a plot to the blank graph. For more information, see Add a Plot to a Graph.

The Assign Data dialog box opens.
In the Assign Data dialog box, assign the data for the plot in the graph. For more information, see Assign Data to a New Plot.
Click the Panel Variables tab.
Select the Data Lattice or the Data Panel check box. For more information, see About Data Lattices and Data Panels.
In the Variables section, assign a data variable to a classification role. To assign a variable, select the variable from the list box next to the role's label. You can assign up to two classification roles.

The dialog box displays the number of cells for the panel based on the values of the classification variables.
Click OK.

After you have created a graph, you can perform additional steps to customize your graph. For example, you might add another plot to the graph. You can also add titles, footnotes, and make other changes to the graph. For more information about the tasks you can perform, see High-Level Steps for Designing Graphs.

Change a Single-Cell Graph to a Classification Panel

To change an existing single-cell graph to a classification panel:

Open the single-cell graph that you want to change. A single-cell graph contains one row and one column.
Note: Not all single-cell graphs can be changed to classification panels. For example, you cannot change single-cell graphs that have any of these characteristics:
- contain a (confidence) ellipse
- use both the X and X2 axes or both the Y and Y2 axes
- contain cell legends
Right-click an existing plot and select Assign Data. The Assign Data dialog box opens.
If you want to change the SAS library or data set, select the appropriate items from the Library and Data Set list boxes.

After you change the library or data set, the plot labels might appear red. This color indicates that required variables do not exist in the new data set, and that you must reassign variables for the plots. When you reassign variables, the plot name changes to black.
If necessary, assign variables to the plot roles. For more information, see Change the Data Assignment for a Plot in a Graph.
Click the Panel Variables tab.
Select the Data Lattice or the Data Panel check box. For more information, see About Data Lattices and Data Panels.
In the Variables section, assign a data variable to a classification role. To assign a variable, select the variable from the list box next to the role's label. You can assign up to two classification roles.

The dialog box displays the number of cells for the panel based on the values of the classification variables.
Click OK.

After you have modified the graph, you can perform additional steps to customize your graph. For example, you might add another plot to the graph or change plot properties. You can also add titles, footnotes, and make other changes to the graph. For more information about the tasks you can perform, see High-Level Steps for Designing Graphs.

About Data Lattices and Data Panels

When you change the data assignment for a classification panel, you can select one of the following layout options:

Data Lattice

Headers appear along the top (for column classification variables) and the side (for row classification variables).

If there are no observations for a particular crossing of the classification variables, the designer creates a blank cell for the crossing. For example, suppose that you create a graph with two classification variables: gender and year. Now suppose that there is no data for females in the year 2005. The designer creates a cell for females in 2005, but leaves the cell blank.

Data Panel

Headers appear in each cell.

If there are no observations for a particular crossing of the classification variables, the designer might not create the cell. The designer creates blank cells only to complete the panel grid. For example, suppose that your graph contains 10 columns and 10 rows, and only 40% of the cells have data. Instead of having blank cells (as with the lattice) for 60 of the 100 cells, the designer creates a smaller graph. In this example, the graph contains eight rows and five columns.