Using the plotcli R6 Class

Claas Heuer

2026-02-09

Using plotcli R6 class

Setting up a scatter plot with two data sets

library(plotcli)  

plot_width = 80
plot_height = 40

# Create some example data
x <- seq(0, 2 * pi, length.out = 100)
y1 <- sin(x)
y2 <- cos(x)

data_1 = list(
              x = x, 
              y = y1, 
              name = "y1 = sin(x)", 
              color = "blue",
              type = "line",
              braille = FALSE
              )

data_2 = list(
                x = x, 
                y = y2, 
                name = "y2 = cos(x)", 
                color = "red",
                type = "line",
                braille = FALSE
                )

# Create a plotcli object with specified dimensions
plot <- plotcli$new(
                    plot_width = plot_width, 
                    plot_height = plot_height, 
                    x_label = "X-axis", 
                    y_label = "Y-axis"
                    )

# Add data sets to the plot
plot$add_data(data_1)
plot$add_data(data_2)

# Print the plot
plot$print_plot()
#> 
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#>                 │ *                 *                    *                    *                  │   y1 = sin(x)  
#>   Y-axis    0.0 │*                   *                   *                   *                  *│   y2 = cos(x)  
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#>                   0.0                1.6                3.1                 4.7               6.3       
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#>                                                      X-axis                                             
#>

Combining Ascii and braille characters

plotcli can use braille characters for plotting scatter and line plots, which give a much higher resolution on supported terminals. Whether to use braille or ascii characters can be specified for each data set.

library(plotcli)  

data(mtcars)

# Fit a linear model
lm_fit <- lm(wt ~ mpg, data = mtcars)

# Create a new dataset with the predicted values
predicted_data <- data.frame(mpg = mtcars$mpg, predicted_wt = predict(lm_fit, mtcars))

# we use braille characters for the regression line
data_1 = list(
              x = predicted_data$mpg, 
              y = predicted_data$predicted_wt, 
              name = "Regression Line", 
              color = "red",
              type = "line",
              braille = TRUE
              )

# and ascii characters for the raw data
data_2 = list(
                x = mtcars$mpg, 
                y = mtcars$wt, 
                name = "Data Points", 
                color = "blue",
                type = "scatter",
                braille = FALSE
                )

# Create a plotcli object
plot_width = 80
plot_height = 40
plot_obj <- plotcli$new(
                        plot_width, 
                        plot_height, 
                        x_label = "Miles per Gallon", 
                        y_label = "Weight"
                        )

# Add raw data and regression line
plot_obj$add_data(data_1)
plot_obj$add_data(data_2)

# Print the plot
plot_obj$print_plot()
#> 
#>                                                                                                         
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#>                 │             *  **    ⠈⠑⢦⡀                                                      │      
#>                 │                *        **⣄* *                                                 │   Regression Line  
#>   Weight    3.3 │                           ⠈⠙⢦⣀                                                 │   Data Points  
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#>                                                                                                         
#>                  10.4               16.3               22.1                28.0              33.9       
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#>                                                 Miles per Gallon                                        
#>