# Remove white space before and after graphic with tikz and r

After creating a plot in R, I wanted to use it within my latex project. But there appears to be much whitespace before and after the plot. Can anybody help me to remove that? For me it does not matter if this is done in R or by Latex.

The problem:

First the R code

tikz('dataBrakePads.tex', width = 5.75, height = 3)
scatterplot3d(df$width, df$length,
df$thickness, pch=16, color=df$colors,
type="h",
lty.hplot=3,
xlab = xlab,
ylab = ylab,
zlab = zlab)
dev.off()


Now the quite long .tex-file, but I removed some of the points because of the file length. These parts are marked by three dots.

% Created by tikzDevice version 0.10.1 on 2018-02-14 19:26:18
% !TEX encoding = UTF-8 Unicode
\begin{tikzpicture}[x=1pt,y=1pt]
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{255,255,255}
\path[use as bounding box,fill=fillColor,fill opacity=0.00] (0,0) rectangle (415.55,216.81);
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] ( 37.20, 61.20) rectangle (378.35,167.61);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{190,190,190}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84, 65.14) -- (158.52,102.93);

...

\node[text=drawColor,rotate= 90.00,anchor=base,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at ( 40.80,125.88) {22};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] ( 37.20, 61.20) rectangle (378.35,167.61);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (257.47, 63.30) { 60};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (273.00, 68.70) { 80};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (288.53, 74.10) {100};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (304.05, 79.50) {120};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (319.58, 84.90) {140};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (335.11, 90.30) {160};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (350.63, 95.70) {180};

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base west,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  0.80] at (366.16,101.10) {200};

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84, 65.14) --
(245.47, 65.14);
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] (  0.00,  0.00) rectangle (415.55,216.81);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\node[text=drawColor,anchor=base,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  1.00] at (147.65, 33.60) {Breite in mm};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] ( 37.20, 61.20) rectangle (378.35,167.61);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (245.47, 65.14) --
(354.16,102.93);
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] (  0.00,  0.00) rectangle (415.55,216.81);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\node[text=drawColor,rotate= 90.00,anchor=base,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  1.00] at (393.95,102.93) {Länge in mm};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] ( 37.20, 61.20) rectangle (378.35,167.61);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84, 65.14) --
( 49.84,125.88);
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] (  0.00,  0.00) rectangle (415.55,216.81);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\node[text=drawColor,rotate= 90.00,anchor=base,inner sep=0pt, outer sep=0pt, scale=  1.00] at ( 16.80, 95.51) {Dicke in mm};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}
\path[clip] ( 37.20, 61.20) rectangle (378.35,167.61);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (158.52,102.93) --
(354.16,102.93);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (158.52,163.67) --
(354.16,163.67);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84, 65.14) --
(158.52,102.93);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84,125.88) --
(158.52,163.67);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (158.52,102.93) --
(158.52,163.67);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (354.16,102.93) --
(354.16,163.67);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (235.83,152.12) -- (235.83,101.10);

...

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (108.53, 80.93) -- (108.53, 70.00);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (141.82, 98.78) -- (141.82, 69.62);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 97.69, 80.66) -- ( 97.69, 66.09);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{16,78,139}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (108.68, 87.55) -- (108.68, 65.68);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (101.69, 83.90) -- (101.69, 65.68);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{16,78,139}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (109.57, 74.71) -- (109.57, 65.60);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,dash pattern=on 1pt off 3pt ,line join=round,line cap=round] (109.57, 86.86) -- (109.57, 65.60);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[fill=fillColor] (235.83,152.12) circle (  2.25);

...

\path[fill=fillColor] (121.72,106.17) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (121.03,107.39) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[fill=fillColor] (115.02, 85.40) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (117.81, 85.40) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{16,78,139}

\path[fill=fillColor] (118.93, 87.83) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (108.34, 82.23) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (108.53, 80.93) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (141.82, 98.78) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[fill=fillColor] ( 97.69, 80.66) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{16,78,139}

\path[fill=fillColor] (108.68, 87.55) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{139,26,26}

\path[fill=fillColor] (101.69, 83.90) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{fillColor}{RGB}{16,78,139}

\path[fill=fillColor] (109.57, 74.71) circle (  2.25);

\path[fill=fillColor] (109.57, 86.86) circle (  2.25);
\definecolor{drawColor}{RGB}{0,0,0}

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] ( 49.84,125.88) --
(245.47,125.88);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (245.47,125.88) --
(354.16,163.67);

\path[draw=drawColor,line width= 0.4pt,line join=round,line cap=round] (245.47, 65.14) --
(245.47,125.88);
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}


It's included in another latex file:

\begin{figure}
\centering
\caption{Systematisierung der Funktionen und Einflüsse auf die Entwicklung des Klassifizierungssystems}
\end{figure}


Thanks for thinking about my question.

The whitespace comes from a few different lines scattered throughout the TikZ code. First off, the second line:

\path[use as bounding box,fill=fillColor,fill opacity=0.00] (0,0) rectangle (415.55,216.81);


The use as bounding box key means exactly what it says, i.e. that the bounding box of the tikzpicture is defined by that path, i.e. the rectangle with corners at (0,0) and (415.55,216.81).

In addition there are multiple lines starting with \path[clip], some of which influence the bounding box. In particular, there are two lines (53 and 66 in the TikZ code you showed) saying

\path[clip] (  0.00,  0.00) rectangle (415.55,216.81);


A clip path, unlike a use as bounding box path, will cut off anything outside it. It doesn't look like any clipping necessary though, so likely you can comment out all of them. If you need clipping, adjust the size of the rectangle.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[margin=2cm]{geometry}
\usepackage{tikz}
\begin{document}
This is what your original code looks like:
\medskip

\fbox{\input{fig}}

\bigskip

And this is with all \verb|\path[clip]| and the \verb|\path[use as bounding box, ...]| commented out:
\medskip

\fbox{\input{fig2}}
\end{document}

• Commenting out the line does not change the spaces bevor the picture. – So S Feb 16 '18 at 15:38
• @SoS Oops, sorry, I made a mistake while testing. There are about 10 instances of \path[clip] which can also influence the bounding box. In particular the two saying \path[clip] ( 0.00, 0.00) rectangle (415.55,216.81); in the lines 53 and 66 of (the partial) databrakePads.tex you showed increases its size by quite a lot. – Torbjørn T. Feb 16 '18 at 20:24