The layout and number of plots appearing on a single graphics page is governed by attempts to minimize the total number of pages of plots produced. Hence CODA may fit up to 9 plots onto one page. However, the user may over-ride this default in various ways. Selecting option 5 of the CODA Plotting Defaults Menu enables the user to request a new page of plots for each variable. Hence, if one chain is available, and the user has requested just density plots, a single plot will be produced per page, with one page per variable. If 3 separate chains were available, and the user had also used option 4 of the CODA Plotting Defaults Menu to request separate plots for each chain, then 3 plots would appear on each page of graphics output, and so on. Alternatively, the user can control which variables and chains are plotted together by pre-selecting these using options 2 and 3 of the CODA Main Defaults Menu before requesting the plots option.
A third alternative is to select option 6 of the CODA Plotting Defaults Menu. This enables the user to chose how many rows and columns of plots should appear in the graphics window, rather than leaving CODA to decide this. The following prompt appears first:
Do you want to specify your own page layout for the plots (y/n) ? 1:
If you respond y to this question, you will then be asked to enter the number of rows (maximum allowed = 7) and number of columns (maximum allowed = 8) of plots required. Responding n will simply cause the CODA Plotting Defaults Menu to be re-displayed on the screen.