nwplotmatrix

Plot a network as sociomatrix

Syntax

nwplotmatrix
[netname] 
[if]
[,
sortby(varname)
group(varname, [connect_options])
label_options
patch_options
twoway_options]

labelopt(marker_label_options)	options for look of axis labels (e.g. size, color)
tievalue	show tie values as text inside patches

Description

This command plots a network as a sociomatrix. It supports subnetworks specified by the if condition. It gives a lot of flexibility to control all elements in a network plot. Furthermore, it is compatible with schemes() and accepts all twoway_options.

This loads the Florentine data and makes a simple matrix plot.

. nwwebuse florentine, nwclear
. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, lab

The look and feel of the axis labels ca be overwritten with labelopt().

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, lab labelopt(labsize(tiny))

The following uses the values stored in variable wealth as labels.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, label(wealth)

Notice that one can also use normal twoway_options to control the y-axis and the x-axis independently from each other. For example, the following command produces the same output as the previous command:

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, ylabel(,labsize(tiny)) xlabel(,labsize(tiny))

It can be useful to sort the nodes of the network before plotting a sociomatrix. This example sorts the nodes according to the values in variable wealth.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, label(wealth) sortby(wealth)

The command accepts all normal twoway_options, e.g.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, scheme(s1mono) title("mynet")

One can also overwrite the colors used for the plot:

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, scheme(s1mono) colorpalette(black) background(yellow) lcolor(red)

The command also allows to display the tie values inside the patches. The look and feel of these values is controlled with ** tievalueopt()**.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, tievalue
. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, tievalue tievalueopt(mlabsize(tiny) mlabcolor(yellow))

The option group(varname) sorts the nodes by varname first and then adds lines to the sociomatrix to separate groups from each other. The example generates the variable seat, which is one when a family had some seats in the council.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, group(seat)

All normal options for lines can be applied as well.

. nwplotmatrix flomarriage, group(seat, lcolor(green))

Supported network types

Binary: yes. Directed: yes - the matrix display itself makes asymmetry visible directly (unlike nwplot’s node-link layout, which needs arrows to show direction). Weighted: yes, tie values can drive cell shading/size. Signed: not checked. Two-mode: not checked.

See also

• nwplot

• last certified : 25 Aug 2026