export_to: Export gridify objects to a file

In gridify: Enrich Figures and Tables with Custom Headers and Footers and More

Export gridify objects to a file

Description

The export_to() function exports a gridifyClass object or a list of such objects to a specified file. Supported formats include PDF, PNG, TIFF and JPEG. For lists, if a single file name with a PDF file extension is provided, the objects are combined into a multi-page PDF; if a character vector with one file per object is provided, each object is written to its corresponding file. It is not possible to create multi-page PNG or JPEG files.

Usage

export_to(x, to, device = NULL, ...)

## S4 method for signature 'gridifyClass'
export_to(x, to, device = NULL, ...)

## S4 method for signature 'list'
export_to(x, to, device = NULL, ...)

## S4 method for signature 'ANY'
export_to(x, to, device = NULL, ...)

Arguments

x	A gridifyClass object or a list of gridifyClass objects.
to	A character string (or vector) specifying the output file name(s). The extension determines the output format.
device	a function for graphics device. By default a file name extension is used to choose a graphics device function. Default NULL
...	Additional arguments passed to the graphics device functions (pdf(), png(), tiff(), jpeg() or your custom one). Default width and height for each export type, respectively: PDF: 11.69 inches x 8.27 inches PNG: 600 px x 400 px TIFF: 600 px x 400 px JPEG: 600 px x 400 px

Details

For PDF export, a new device is opened, the grid is printed using the object's custom print method, and then the device is closed. For PNG and JPEG, the device is opened, a new grid page is started, the grid is printed, and then the device is closed.

When exporting a list of objects:

• If to is a single PDF file (length is 1), the function creates a multi-page PDF.

• If a vector of file names (one per object) is provided, each gridify object is written to its corresponding file.

Value

No value is returned; the function is called for its side effect of writing output to a file.

Note

gridify objects can be saved directly in .Rmd and .Qmd documents, just like in the gridify package vignettes.

gt pct() issue

Using pct() to set the width of gt tables can be unreliable when exporting to PDF. It is recommended to use px() to set the width in pixels instead.

Examples

library(gridify)
library(magrittr)
library(ggplot2)

# Create a gridify object using a ggplot and a custom layout:

# Set text elements on various cells:
gridify_obj <- gridify(
  object = ggplot2::ggplot(data = mtcars, ggplot2::aes(x = mpg, y = wt)) +
    ggplot2::geom_line(),
  layout = pharma_layout_base(
    margin = grid::unit(c(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 0.5), "inches"),
    global_gpar = grid::gpar(fontfamily = "serif", fontsize = 10)
  )
) %>%
  set_cell("header_left_1", "My Company") %>%
  set_cell("header_left_2", "<PROJECT> / <INDICATION>") %>%
  set_cell("header_left_3", "<STUDY>") %>%
  set_cell("header_right_1", "CONFIDENTIAL") %>%
  set_cell("header_right_2", "<Draft or Final>") %>%
  set_cell("header_right_3", "Data Cut-off: YYYY-MM-DD") %>%
  set_cell("output_num", "<Output> xx.xx.xx") %>%
  set_cell("title_1", "<Title 1>") %>%
  set_cell("title_2", "<Title 2>") %>%
  set_cell("title_3", "<Optional Title 3>") %>%
  set_cell("by_line", "By: <GROUP>, <optionally: Demographic parameters>") %>%
  set_cell("note", "<Note or Footnotes>") %>%
  set_cell("references", "<References:>") %>%
  set_cell("footer_left", "Program: <PROGRAM NAME>, YYYY-MM-DD at HH:MM") %>%
  set_cell("footer_right", "Page xx of nn") %>%
  set_cell("watermark", "DRAFT")

# Export a result to different file types

# Different file export formats require specific capabilities in your R installation.
# Use capabilities() to check which formats are supported in your R build.

# PNG
temp_png_default <- tempfile(fileext = ".png")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_png_default
)

temp_png_custom <- tempfile(fileext = ".png")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_png_custom,
  width = 2400,
  height = 1800,
  res = 300
)

# JPEG
temp_jpeg_default <- tempfile(fileext = ".jpeg")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_jpeg_default
)

temp_jpeg_custom <- tempfile(fileext = ".jpeg")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_jpeg_custom,
  width = 2400,
  height = 1800,
  res = 300
)

# TIFF
temp_tiff_default <- tempfile(fileext = ".tiff")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_tiff_default
)

temp_tiff_custom <- tempfile(fileext = ".tiff")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_tiff_custom,
  width = 2400,
  height = 1800,
  res = 300
)

# PDF
temp_pdf_A4 <- tempfile(fileext = ".pdf")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_pdf_A4
)

temp_pdf_A4long <- tempfile(fileext = ".pdf")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_pdf_A4long,
  width = 8.3,
  height = 11.7
)

# Use different pdf device - cairo_pdf
temp_pdf_A4long_cairo <- tempfile(fileext = ".pdf")
export_to(
  gridify_obj,
  to = temp_pdf_A4long_cairo,
  device = grDevices::cairo_pdf,
  width = 8.3,
  height = 11.7
)

# Multiple Objects - a list

gridify_list <- list(gridify_obj, gridify_obj)

temp_pdf_multipageA4 <- tempfile(fileext = ".pdf")
export_to(
  gridify_list,
  to = temp_pdf_multipageA4
)

temp_pdf_multipageA4long <- tempfile(fileext = ".pdf")
export_to(
  gridify_list,
  to = temp_pdf_multipageA4long,
  width = 8.3,
  height = 11.7
)

temp_png_multi <- c(tempfile(fileext = ".png"), tempfile(fileext = ".png"))
export_to(
  gridify_list,
  to = temp_png_multi
)

temp_png_multi_custom <- c(tempfile(fileext = ".png"), tempfile(fileext = ".png"))
export_to(
  gridify_list,
  to = temp_png_multi_custom,
  width = 800,
  height = 600,
  res = 96
)

gridify documentation built on Feb. 5, 2026, 5:09 p.m.