stata - Sort by variable in twoway scatter. X-axis stays alphabetical and sort produces gibberish: why? -

i have 2 variables:

ie_ctotal cntry2 

note: cntry2 encoded version of string variable cntry: don't know if may affecting things.

i want twoway scatter of ie_ctotal , cntry2, , want sort scatter variable gdppc,

 twoway  || scatter ie_ctotal cntry2, c(1) xlabel(,valuelabel) 

the above without sort works fine. once introduce sort, however,

 twoway  || scatter ie_ctotal cntry2, c(1) sort(gdppc) xlabel(,valuelabel) 

the graph turns gibberish, or rather connects according sort, x axis remains alphabetical, making connections seem scribbled.

any ideas doing wrong?

note: don't want sort original data, because advised in previous questions bad idea. want sort data 1 graph.

there no reproducible example here, , not graph, possible guess problem.

you typing above

c(1)  

which ill-advised, although stata right thing. better type

c(l) 

which instructs stata join data points on graph in line. (nod @dimitriy v. masterov on detail.)

in first example, values of cntry2 define x axis.

as say, effect of sort(gdppc) connect points in order of values lowest gdppc highest. result not want.

here dopey reproducible example makes point.

. sysuse auto, clear (1978 automobile data)  . scatter mpg weight, sort(price) c(l) 

you want sort countries gdppc order. sorting make in stata's auto data according mpg, plotting weight. here foreign cars. it's not graph, sounds close in spirit want. solution requires installation of labmask, search labmask , download stata journal website.

sysuse auto, clear keep if foreign sort mpg  gen obsno = _n  labmask obsno, values(make)  scatter weight obsno, xla(1/22, valuelabel ang(v) noticks) xtitle("")  

in nutshell: sort() option here defines connection order; doesn't map x axis variable reshuffled version. need before graphics.

update in fact, can same graph without prior manipulation:

graph dot (asis) weight if foreign, over(make, sort(mpg) label(ang(v)))  vertical linetype(line) lines(lc(none)) 

this going along op's interest in putting labelled categories on x axis. graph easier read put them on y axis: text can read left right. that, omit vertical above: default graph dot. although command above omits guide lines setting colour none, thin light colour guide lines can help.