Simple R function to plot values for each well of a 384-well plate... Is there better, prettier, smarter ?

plate.png

Plate.R

plate <- data.frame( Row = rep(LETTERS[1:16], 24)
                   , Col = unlist(lapply(1:24, rep, 16)))

plate$Row <- factor(plate$Row, levels=rev(levels(plate$Row)))

set.seed(1)
plate[001:096, "val"] <- rpois(96,10)
plate[097:384, "val"] <- rpois(96, 6)

# Plot with ggplot2
library(ggplot2)

png("plate.png", h = 400, w = 600)
ggplot(plate, aes(Col, Row, fill=val)) + geom_raster() + ggtitle("random Ct Data")
dev.off()

# Plot with HTqPCR
library(HTqPCR)

# plate needs to be sorted as follows: A1, A2, ..., P23, P24
plate$position <- paste0(plate$Row, plate$Col)
plate$position <- sub("^(.)(.)$", "\\10\\2", plate$position, perl=T)
plate <- plate[order(plate$position),]

library(HTqPCR)
raw <- new( "qPCRset"
          , exprs           = matrix(plate$val)
          , featureCategory = data.frame(rep("OK", nrow(plate)))
          )
sampleNames(raw)  <- "random Ct Data"
featureNames(raw) <- paste0(plate$Row, plate$Col)
featurePos(raw)   <- paste0(plate$Row, plate$Col)

png("plate2.png", h = 400, w = 600)
plotCtCard(raw, well.size = 2.6)
dev.off()

# Plot with platetools
library(platetools)
png("plate3.png", h = 400, w = 600)
raw_map(plate$val, paste0(plate$Row, plate$Col), 384)
dev.off()

plate2.png

plate3.png