Aligning axes labels on multiple plots

Question

I'm trying to create some "publication quality" figures, but Mathematica is fighting me all the way. So my question is: Should I switch to Origin? Please help!

---

Well, all joking aside: I'm trying to create a multipanel figure. Here is an example:

p1 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   FrameLabel -> {"XXX", "YYY"}, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{100, 1}, {0, 10}}];
p2 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   FrameLabel -> {"XXX", "TTTT"}, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{100, 1}, {40, 0}}];
Column[{p1, p2}, Spacings -> 0]

So the real question is: How can I align the TTTT and YYYY axes labels?

I also tried using grid, with separate labels but then the TTTT is not centered on the axis, but is too low.

Answer 1

Mark Caprio's LevelScheme is great for this stuff. Overkill actually ....

Quiet@Needs["LevelScheme`LevelScheme`"]

(* plot the functions *)
p1 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{60, 50}, {0, Automatic}}];
p2 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{60, 50}, {Automatic, 0}}];

(* define grids *)
grd1 = Graphics[{Directive[Lighter@Gray, Thin],
    Line[{{-5, 0}, {5, 0}}],
    Line[{{0, -100}, {0, 100}}]
    }];
grd2 = Graphics[{Directive[Lighter@Gray, Thin],
    Line[{{-5, 0}, {5, 0}}],
    Line[{{0, -100}, {0, 100}}]
    }];

(* assemble figure *)
Figure[{
  Multipanel[{2, 1},
   XPanelSizes -> 1,
   YPanelSizes -> {.5, .5},
   XPlotRanges -> {-5, 5},
   YPlotRanges -> {{-100, 100}, {-5, 5}},
   XFrameLabels -> "XXXX",
   YFrameLabels -> {"YYYY", "TTTT"},
   Margin -> {{55, 5}, {45, 5 }},
   BufferB -> 5,
   BufferL -> 5
   ],
  FigurePanel[{1, 1}, ShowPanelLetter -> False],
  RawGraphics@p1,
  RawGraphics@grd1,
  FigurePanel[{2, 1}, ShowPanelLetter -> False],
  RawGraphics@p2,
  RawGraphics@grd2
  },
 ImageSize -> {300, 300}
 ]

Answer 2

I would like to do it with Grid:

p1 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5},
          Frame -> True,
          LabelStyle -> Large,
          ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{60, 50}, {0, Automatic}}];
p2 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5},
          Frame -> True,
          LabelStyle -> Large,
          ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{60, 50}, {Automatic, 0}}];
Grid[{{
       Rotate[Style["YYY", "Graphics", Large, RGBColor[0, 0, 0, .999]], π/2],
       Rotate[Style["TTTT", "Graphics", Large, RGBColor[0, 0, 0, .999]], π/2],
       ""},
      {p1, p2, Style["XXX", "Graphics", Large]}
     }\[Transpose],
     Spacings -> {0, 0}, ItemSize -> Full]

Answer 3

In the end I used Epilog with Text. The downside of this approach is that the plot label style is not automatically picked up. I really have to learn to better use LevelScheme some day... (or matplotlib:)

p1=Plot[100 Sin@x,{x,-5,5},Frame->True,FrameLabel->{"XXX",""},LabelStyle->Large
    ,ImageSize->400,ImagePadding->{{100,1},{0,10}},PlotRangeClipping->False
    ,Epilog->{Text[Rotate[Style[#,Large],\[Pi]/2]&@"YYYY",Scaled[{-0.15,0.5}]]}];

p2=Plot[5 Sin@x,{x,-5,5},Frame->True,FrameLabel->{"XXX",""},LabelStyle->Large
    ,ImageSize->400,ImagePadding->{{100,1},{Automatic,0}},PlotRangeClipping->False
    ,Epilog->{Text[Rotate[Style[#,Large],\[Pi]/2]&@"YYYY",Scaled[{-0.15,0.5}]]}];

Column[{p1,p2},Spacings->0]

Answer 4

Method 1 Rasterize FrameLabel

---

Control the size with ImagePad, and need Raterize for ImagePad.

======================================================================Input 1

1.  rasterizePad[x_, pad_: {{0, 0}, {0, 0}}] := 
   
     Rasterize[
   
      ImagePad[Rasterize[Style[ToString@x, FontFamily -> Times], 
   
        ImageSize -> 100], t = pad, Red]]
   
    frameLables11 = rasterizePad[XXX]; frameLables12 = 
   
     rasterizePad[YYY]; frameLables21 = rasterizePad[XXX];
   
    Manipulate[
   
     frameLables22 = rasterizePad[TTTT, {{0, 0}, {k, 0}}], {k, 0, 30, 1}]
   
    p11 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {frameLables11, frameLables11}, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   
       ImageSize -> 400, ImagePadding -> {{100, 1}, {0, 40}}];
   
    p12 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {frameLables21, Dynamic@frameLables22}, 
   
       LabelStyle -> Large, ImageSize -> 400, 
   
       ImagePadding -> {{100, 1}, {100, 0}}];
   
    Dynamic@Column[{p11, p12}, Spacings -> 0]
   

Method 2 use Graphics FrameLabel

---

======================================================================Input 2

2.  frameGraphics = 
   
      Graphics[{Text[Style["TTTT", FontSize -> 24], {0, 1}], {Opacity[0], 
   
         Rectangle[{0, 0}, {1, 1}]}}, ImageSize -> {100, 50}];
   
    p21 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {"XXX", "YYY"}, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   
       ImageSize -> 500, ImagePadding -> {{120, 50}, {0, 0}}];
   
    p22 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {"XXX", frameGraphics}, LabelStyle -> Large, 
   
       ImageSize -> 500, ImagePadding -> {{120, 50}, {60, 0}}];
   
    Column[{p21, p22}, Spacings -> 0]
   

Method 3(failed)

---

As @silvia mentioned in her comment of her answer about Spacers.

So I tried this:

I think I failed here in using Sapcings,Column and Spacers

======================================================================Input 3

3.  p31 = Plot[100 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {"XXX", 
   
         Column[{"YYY", ""}, Spacings -> 0, Frame -> True]}, 
   
       LabelStyle -> Large, ImageSize -> 500, 
   
       ImagePadding -> {{120, 50}, {0, 0}}];
   
    p32 = Plot[5 Sin@x, {x, -5, 5}, Frame -> True, 
   
       FrameLabel -> {"XXX", 
   
         Column[{"TTTT", Spacer[{0, 1}]}, Spacings -> 1, Frame -> True]}, 
   
       LabelStyle -> Large, ImageSize -> 500, 
   
       ImagePadding -> {{120, 50}, {60, 0}}];
   
    Column[{p31, p32}, Spacings -> 0]
   

Any Suggestions?