#' Run a plotting function and save the output as a PNG #' #' This function returns the name of the PNG file that it generates. In #' essence, it calls \code{png()}, then \code{func()}, then \code{dev.off()}. #' So \code{func} must be a function that will generate a plot when used this #' way. #' #' For output, it will try to use the following devices, in this order: #' quartz (via \code{\link[grDevices]{png}}), then \code{\link[Cairo]{CairoPNG}}, #' and finally \code{\link[grDevices]{png}}. This is in order of quality of #' output. Notably, plain \code{png} output on Linux and Windows may not #' antialias some point shapes, resulting in poor quality output. #' #' @param func A function that generates a plot. #' @param filename The name of the output file. Defaults to a temp file with #' extension \code{.png}. #' @param width Width in pixels. #' @param height Height in pixels. #' @param res Resolution in pixels per inch. This value is passed to #' \code{\link{png}}. Note that this affects the resolution of PNG rendering in #' R; it won't change the actual ppi of the browser. #' @param ... Arguments to be passed through to \code{\link[grDevices]{png}}. #' These can be used to set the width, height, background color, etc. #' #' @export plotPNG <- function(func, filename=tempfile(fileext='.png'), width=400, height=400, res=72, ...) { # If quartz is available, use png() (which will default to quartz). # Otherwise, if the Cairo package is installed, use CairoPNG(). # Finally, if neither quartz nor Cairo, use png(). if (capabilities("aqua")) { pngfun <- png } else if (nchar(system.file(package = "Cairo"))) { require(Cairo) # Workaround for issue #140: Cairo ignores res and dpi settings. Need to # use regular png function. if (res == 72) { pngfun <- Cairo::CairoPNG } else { pngfun <- png } } else { pngfun <- png } do.call(pngfun, c(filename=filename, width=width, height=height, res=res, list(...))) tryCatch( func(), finally=dev.off()) filename }