SYMBOL Function

SYMBOL Function

Places symbols in the graphics output. Associated variables can specify the color, font, and height of the symbols displayed.

Updates: XLSTT, YLSTT

Syntax
Associated Variables
Details

Syntax

FUNCTION='SYMBOL';

Associated Variables

CBORDER='color' | 'CTEXT'

draws a colored border around the text. Color can be any SAS/GRAPH color name.

CBOX='color' | 'CBACK'

draws a solid, colored box behind the text. Color can be any SAS/GRAPH color name.

COLOR='color'

specifies the symbol color. Color can be any SAS/GRAPH color name. The COLOR variable behaves in the same way as the COLOR= option in the SYMBOL statement. See COLOR= for details

GROUP=group-value
MIDPOINT=midpoint-value
SUBGROUP=subgroup-value

specify coordinates for HBAR and VBAR charts from the GCHART procedure. Use these variables only with the data coordinate systems 1, 2, 7, and 8.

HSYS='coordinate-system'

specifies the coordinate system for the SIZE variable. See HSYS Variable for an explanation of coordinate-system.

SIZE=height

specifies the height of the symbol that is being drawn, using units determined by the HSYS variable. The SIZE variable is equivalent to the HEIGHT= option in the SYMBOL statement. See HEIGHT= for details.

STYLE='font' | "'hardware-font-name'" | 'NONE';

specifies the font that is used to draw the symbol that is specified by the TEXT variable. See STYLE Variable (Fonts) for a description of the various font specifications.

When the STYLE variable is used with the SYMBOL function, it behaves the same as the FONT= option in the SYMBOL statement. By default, no font is specified and the symbol that is specified by the TEXT variable is taken from the special symbol table. If you use STYLE to specify a symbol font, such as Marker, the string that is assigned by the TEXT variable is the character code for a symbol. If you use STYLE to specify a text font, such as Swiss, the string assigned by the TEXT variable is displayed as text. See FONT= for details.

TEXT='special-symbol' | 'text-string';

specifies the symbol to be displayed. Special-symbol can be up to eight characters long. Values for special-symbol are those described in the VALUE= option of the SYMBOL statement and are illustrated in VALUE=.

If you also specify a text font with the STYLE variable, you can specify a text string that is displayed as the symbol. The maximum length for text-string is 200 characters.

When the TEXT variable is used with the SYMBOL function, it behaves the same as the VALUE= option in the SYMBOL statement. See VALUE= for details.

WHEN='B' | 'A'

specifies when to draw the symbols in relation to other procedure output.

Y=vertical-coordinate
Z=depth-coordinate (PROC G3D only)
XC='character-type-horizontal-coordinate'
YC='character-type-vertical-coordinate'

specify the point at which the symbol is placed. Use the Z variable only with the G3D procedure.

XSYS='coordinate-system'

specifies the coordinate system for the X or XC variable. Use the XC variable only with XSYS='2'. See XSYS Variable for an explanation of coordinate-system.

YSYS='coordinate-system'

specifies the coordinate system for the Y or YC variable. Use the YC variable only with YSYS='2'. See YSYS Variable for an explanation of coordinate-system.

ZSYS='coordinate-system'

specifies the coordinate system for the Z variable. See ZSYS Variable for an explanation of coordinate-system.

Details

SYMBOL is similar to the LABEL function with these exceptions:

SYMBOL draws symbols. If you do not specify a font, SYMBOL can use the symbols found in Special Symbols for Plotting Data Points.
The text cannot be rotated or angled.
The text string cannot be longer than eight characters.
The text string is always centered with respect to x and y.

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