A convenience wrapper around ggplot2::ggsave() with sensible defaults for
figures in papers and reports: a moderate size, 300 dpi, and the output
directory created if needed. The device is inferred from the file extension,
and PDF, EPS and TIFF files are written to pass the technical checks
journals run on submitted figures. With check = TRUE, the figure is also
audited with check_figure() at the width it is saved at.
Usage
save_plot(
filename,
plot = ggplot2::last_plot(),
width = 7,
height = 4.5,
units = "in",
dpi = 300,
check = FALSE,
...
)Arguments
- filename
Output file path. The extension sets the device (e.g.
.png,.pdf,.eps,.tiff).- plot
The plot to save; defaults to the last plot drawn.
- width, height
Dimensions.
- units
Units for
widthandheight.- dpi
Resolution for raster devices. An EPS rasterises its translucent layers, and whatever they overlap, at this resolution or at 600 dpi, whichever is higher.
- check
Whether to audit the figure with
check_figure()at the width it is saved at, given as bothwidth_cmandrender_width_cm, so that the text sizes it reports are the printed ones. A warning names each check the figure fails. Defaults toFALSE. The audit runs before the file is written, so a plot it cannot read is refused without saving. For other thresholds, such as a journal's own text floor, callcheck_figure()with the saved width as both widths.- ...
Passed to
ggplot2::ggsave(), which passes what it does not use on to the device. Adeviceor device argument given here overrides the defaults described under "Formats journals accept".
Value
The filename, invisibly. With check = TRUE, the audit report is
attached to it as the attribute "check", which attr(, "check") reads.
Formats journals accept
When no device is given, three formats are written differently from
ggplot2's defaults.
A PDF is written with grDevices::cairo_pdf(), which embeds its fonts.
ggplot2's default, grDevices::pdf(), names the fonts without embedding
them.
An EPS or PostScript file is written with grDevices::cairo_ps(), with its
fonts embedded too. PostScript has no transparency, and
grDevices::postscript() leaves every translucent layer out of the file:
the points and the confidence band of the plot in the examples below
vanish. cairo_ps() rasterises those layers, together with whatever they
overlap, at fallback_resolution, by default max(dpi, 600) here. A
message says so when a layer of the plot, or of any panel of a patchwork, is
translucent. A PDF keeps such layers as vector graphics.
A TIFF is compressed with LZW, which is lossless. Uncompressed, a figure of
7 by 4.5 inches at 300 dpi takes 8.1 MiB, and one at the largest size PLOS
accepts takes more than the 10 MB PLOS allows. The TIFF is drawn on white
unless bg is given, so a transparent background, as in
ggplot2::theme_void(), leaves no alpha channel in the file.
Without cairo, a PDF is written with pdf() and a message says how to embed
its fonts with grDevices::embedFonts(), and an EPS is written with
postscript() and a warning. R for macOS from CRAN loads cairo only where
XQuartz (https://www.xquartz.org) is installed, and a Mac with neither
XQuartz nor ragg writes the TIFF uncompressed, with a warning from
grDevices::tiff(). A device, or a device argument such as
fallback_resolution, compression or bg, passed in ... is used as
given, so device = "pdf", device = "eps" or device = "tiff" restores
ggplot2's own behaviour.
Which formats three publishers accepted on 2 October 2026:
| Format | PLOS | Nature (final artwork) | Elsevier |
| No | Yes, as vector art | Yes | |
| EPS | Yes, with fonts embedded | Yes, as vector art | Yes, with fonts embedded |
| TIFF | Yes, LZW-compressed RGB or greyscale, no alpha channel, at most 10 MB | No | Yes |
Nature also asks for fonts embedded as TrueType 2 or 42, never Type 3, and
for line art and text that are not rasterised. A figure with translucent
layers therefore goes to Nature as a PDF. Elsevier asks for a graph sent as
a TIFF at 1000 dpi, so pass dpi = 1000 for one.
The Python twin takes the plot first, as save_plot(plot, filename).
References
PLOS ONE. Figures. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/figures
Nature. Guide to preparing final artwork. https://www.nature.com/documents/nature-final-artwork.pdf
Nature research figure guide. Preparing figures: our specifications. https://research-figure-guide.nature.com/figures/preparing-figures-our-specifications/
Elsevier. Artwork overview. https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/author/artwork-and-media-instructions/artwork-overview
Examples
p <- scatter_trend(crop_yield, fertiliser, yield)
tmp <- file.path(tempdir(), "yield.png")
save_plot(tmp, p)
# A TIFF well within the 10 MB that PLOS allows.
save_plot(file.path(tempdir(), "yield.tiff"), p)
# Audited at the 8.9 cm column it is saved for, where its text prints at
# the size it is drawn.
saved <- save_plot(file.path(tempdir(), "yield-column.png"), p,
width = 8.9, height = 6, units = "cm", check = TRUE)
attr(saved, "check")
#> check measured threshold verdict
#> 1 colour_separability NA 5.0 not applicable
#> 2 colour_separability_protan NA 5.0 not applicable
#> 3 colour_separability_deutan NA 5.0 not applicable
#> 4 colour_separability_tritan NA 5.0 not applicable
#> 5 greyscale_separability NA 5.0 not applicable
#> 6 text_size 8.80 6.0 pass
#> 7 text_contrast 8.45 4.5 pass
#> 8 geometry_contrast NA 3.0 not applicable
#> 9 redundant_encoding NA 1.0 not applicable
#> 10 annotation_text_size NA 6.0 not applicable
#> detail
#> 1 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 2 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 3 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 4 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 5 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 6 Smallest text 8.80 pt, drawn at 8.90 cm and printed at 8.90 cm.
#> 7 Lowest-contrast text #4d4d4d on #ffffff at 8.80 pt.
#> 8 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 9 No two encoding colours: nothing is distinguished by colour.
#> 10 The figure draws no text inside the panel.