move_node: Move Nodes in a Plot

In semptools: Customizing Structural Equation Modelling Plots

Move Nodes in a Plot

Description

Move the nodes in an plot generated by semPlot::semPaths().

Usage

move_node(semPaths_plot, move_by = NULL)

Arguments

semPaths_plot

A qgraph::qgraph object generated by semPlot::semPaths, or a similar qgraph object modified by other semptools functions.

move_by

A named list. The names are the names of nodes to be moved. Each element of the list can be either a named numeric vector or an unnamed vector of two numbers. If a named vector, x is the horizontal change in the position (e.g., .25 means moving to the right by .25, and -.5 means moving to the left by .5), and y is the vertical change (e.g., .5 means moving up by .5, and -.1 means moving down by .1). If unnamed, then the vector must have two numbers, the first for the horizontal move (x) and the second for the vertical move. The value is interpreted based on the unit of the plot, usually from -1 to 1 for x and y, with 0 being the center of the plot.

Details

Modify a qgraph::qgraph object generated by semPlot::semPaths and move selected nodes.

The change assumes that the layout is defined with 0 as the center, -1 to 1 from left to right, and from bottom to top.

Value

A qgraph::qgraph based on the original one, with the selected nodes moved.

Examples

mod_pa <-
  'x1 ~~ x2
   x3 ~  x1 + x2
   x4 ~  x1 + x3
  '
fit_pa <- lavaan::sem(mod_pa, pa_example)
lavaan::parameterEstimates(fit_pa)[, c("lhs", "op", "rhs", "est", "pvalue")]
m <- matrix(c("x1",   NA,   NA,
                NA, "x3", "x4",
              "x2",   NA,   NA), byrow = TRUE, 3, 3)
p_pa <- semPlot::semPaths(fit_pa, whatLabels="est",
            style = "ram",
            nCharNodes = 0, nCharEdges = 0,
            layout = m)

p_changed <- move_node(p_pa,
                       list(x3 = c(x = -.25, y = -.25),
                            x4 = c(y = .5)))
plot(p_changed)

semptools documentation built on Aug. 8, 2025, 6:22 p.m.