Last week Bruno asked about creating a Schedule Chart using SG Procedures.  To me, such projects are very interesting and challenging...How much mileage can we get out of the current set of SGPLOT procedure features to create a visual that was not part of the original requirements?

The clear choice for such a graph is the HIGHLOW plot.  I found an image of a Schedule Chart on the Web, and decided to do it using SGPLOT procedure.  Here is the data I created:

I used the HIGHLOW plot, with Y=Item, Low=Start, high=End and group=Group.  I used the MODSTYLE macro to set the group colors to the blue and gold from the image I saw on the web.  Here is the graph.  Click on the graph for a higher resolution image.

SAS 9.3 SGPLOT Code:

proc sgplot data=schedule;
  title 'Schedule for Mid-Atlantic Light Rail';
  highlow y=item low=start high=end / type=bar group=group
          groupdisplay=cluster barwidth=0.9 name='a';
  yaxis reverse display=(nolabel) grid;
  xaxis display=(nolabel) grid;
  keylegend 'a' / location=inside position=topright across=1;
  run;

At SAS9.3, HIGHLOW plot in SGPLOT procedure does not support the DataSkin option.  GTL does.  So, I simulated the drop shadow by adding a second plot with a slight offset.

With SAS 9.4, a few additional features can be used.  SAS 9.4 SGPLOT supports split Y axis tick values, and color bands.  So, I used longer Item strings with the SPLITALWAYS fit policy.  I also used the color bands option.

SAS 9.4 SGPLOT Graph:

Bruno wanted to add connections between start and end segments.  He did that using a STEP plot in a non-grouped case.  For the grouped case (like this one), I wonder if connecting line segments are important, and if they are, how should we handle the crossings over the other group values?

Full SAS 9.3 Code:  Schedule_Chart_93

Full SAS 9.4 Code:  Schedule_Chart_94