gistfile1.r

# Read in data
timeSeriesElectionData <- read.table("twitterElectionTimeline_tsvWithHeader.txt",header=TRUE)

# Attach columns of data as variables in R environment
attach(timeSeriesElectionData)

# open a pdf file for writing
pdf(file="electionTimeline.pdf",height=4,width=12)

# plot the sum of tweets about obama and romney, as a line, with no x-axis ticks, bla bla... 
plot(obama+romney, type='l',xaxt='n',xlab='Date',ylab="Number of Obama and Romney Tweets")

# create a sequence of dates, from Mar. 1 to Dec. 1, by month
d <- seq.Date(from=as.Date('2012-3-01'), to=as.Date('2012-12-01'),by='month')

# find the number of data points:
length(obama)
# output: [1] 1068

# write the dates as axis ticks
axis(side=1,labels=d,at=seq(from=1,to=1068,length.out=10),cex.axis=0.8,las=2)

#close the pdf file
dev.off()