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How are the abbreviations from the par function like mgp, mar, mai, deciphered?

How are the abbreviations from the par() function like mgp, mar, mai, etc., deciphered? Some of them are intuitive (e.g., lty = line type), but some not. This would help make them easier to remember.

Solution

  • This is the table by Paul Murrell as shared by @zx8754 in the comments above.

    Parameter Memnonic
    adj Text ADJustment (i.e., justification).
    ann Draw plot ANNotations? (i.e., labels and titles).
    ask ASK before starting a new page?
    bg Back Ground colour.
    bty Box TYpe (what style of box for box() to draw).
    cex Character EXpansion factor (text size multiplier).
    cex.axis
    cex.lab
    cex.main
    cex.sub    		 cex for AXIS tick labels, axis LABels, MAIN plot label (title), and plot SUB-title.
    cin Character size in INches.
    col Drawing COLour.
    col.axis
    col.lab
    col.main
    col.sub    		 Drawing colour for AXIS tick labels, axis LABels, MAIN plot label (title), and plot SUB-title.
    cra Character size in RAasters (pixels).
    crt Character RoTation angle.
    csi Character SIze (height) in inches.
    cxy Character size in XY coordinates (relative to the axis scales).
    din Device size in INches.
    family Text font FAMILY.
    fg Fore Ground colour.
    fig Size of the FIGure region (as a proportion of the inner region).
    fin Size of the Figure region in INches.
    font Text FONT face.
    font.axis
    font.lab
    font.main
    font.sub    		 Text FONT face for AXIS tick labels, axis LABels, MAIN plot label (title), and plot SUB-title.
    lab Placement of axis LABels.
    las Axis LAbel Style
    lend Line ENDing style.
    lheight Line HEIGHT (multiplier).
    ljoin Line JOIN style.
    lmitre Line MITRE limit (when does a pointy line join get beveled).
    lty Line TYpe (solid, dashed, ...).
    lwd Line Wid Dth
    mai Figure MArgins in Inches.
    mar Figure MARgins in lines of text.
    mex Figure Margin character EXpansion (multiplier).
    mfcol Number of Multiple Figures (use COLumn-wise).
    mfg Specify next figure in Multiple Fi Gure arrangement.
    mfrow Number of Multiple Figures (use ROW-wise).
    mgp Mar Gin Position for plot title and axis labels.
    new Is the plot region NEW? (not been drawn on).
    oma Size of the Outer MArgins in lines of text.
    omd Size of the Outer Margins as a proportion of the Device (page).
    omi Size of the Outer Margins in Inches.
    pch Plotting CHaracter (symbol).
    pin Size of the Plot region in INches.
    plt Size of the PLoT region as a proportion of the figure region.
    ps Text Point Size.
    pty Plot TYpe (points, lines, both).
    srt String (text) RoTation angle.
    tck Length of axis TiCK marks as a proportion of the plot region.
    tcl Length of axis TiCk marks as a proportion of the height of a Line of text.
    usr The axis scale ranges (USe R coordinates).
    xaxp X-AXis tick mark Positions.
    xaxs X-AXis Style.
    xaxt X-AXis Type.
    xpd Bill Venables has proposed "Do you want to eXceed any of the Plotting Domains?"
    yaxp Y-AXis tick mark Positions.
    yaxs Y-AXis Style.
    yaxt Y-AXis Type.