@Giuseppe, you may want to consider this for a flexible specification of the plots arrangement (modified from here):
library(ggplot2)
library(gridExtra)
library(grid)
grid_arrange_shared_legend <- function(..., nrow = 1, ncol = length(list(...)), position = c("bottom", "right")) {
plots <- list(...)
position <- match.arg(position)
g <- ggplotGrob(plots[[1]] + theme(legend.position = position))$grobs
legend <- g[[which(sapply(g, function(x) x$name) == "guide-box")]]
lheight <- sum(legend$height)
lwidth <- sum(legend$width)
gl <- lapply(plots, function(x) x + theme(legend.position = "none"))
gl <- c(gl, nrow = nrow, ncol = ncol)
combined <- switch(position,
"bottom" = arrangeGrob(do.call(arrangeGrob, gl),
legend,
ncol = 1,
heights = unit.c(unit(1, "npc") - lheight, lheight)),
"right" = arrangeGrob(do.call(arrangeGrob, gl),
legend,
ncol = 2,
widths = unit.c(unit(1, "npc") - lwidth, lwidth)))
grid.newpage()
grid.draw(combined)
}
Extra arguments nrow and ncol control the layout of the arranged plots:
dsamp <- diamonds[sample(nrow(diamonds), 1000), ]
p1 <- qplot(carat, price, data = dsamp, colour = clarity)
p2 <- qplot(cut, price, data = dsamp, colour = clarity)
p3 <- qplot(color, price, data = dsamp, colour = clarity)
p4 <- qplot(depth, price, data = dsamp, colour = clarity)
grid_arrange_shared_legend(p1, p2, p3, p4, nrow = 1, ncol = 4)
grid_arrange_shared_legend(p1, p2, p3, p4, nrow = 2, ncol = 2)
