Graphics Generator

 

The third tab on the navigation interface is the Graphics Generator interface.  The Graphics Generator interface allows you to format a graph based on two fields of input and easily change the fields to create a different graph.  Also, the format of the graph can be easily manipulated with available options.

 

The Source drop-down list and the Show Criteria button remain available and provide the same functionality throughout the application.

 

You can continue to work with the criteria that you established in the Report Criteria interface.  Any criteria that were set on the Report Criteria interface will filter the data included in the report.  If you change the Source at this point, you will lose any criteria you have populated. 

 

Click the Graphics Generator tab to display the Graphics Generator interface.

 

 

The functionality of the Graphics Generator is described in detail in subsequent sections, but basically the interface works as follows:

 

·         Select a field from the Category drop-down.  This sets the x-axis of the graph.

• Select a field from the Value drop down.  This sets the y-axis of the graph.
• The titles are automatically updated based on Category and Value selections, but you can change them to your own titles.
• View the graph by clicking the Run button.

 

The drop-down lists will contain all fields that relate to the Source that has been selected.

 

 

The category list will contain the available grouping fields as shown above.

 

 

The value list will contain the available summary and calculated fields as shown above.

 

Creating a Graph

 

Fields to be entered:

 

·         Category - a drop-down list of the Grouping Fields as they appear on the Report Criteria interface.  Data entry is required.

·         Value - a drop-down list of the Summary and Calculated Fields as they appear on the Report Criteria interface.  Data entry is required.

·         Title - defaults according to input into category and value fields, can be edited.

·         Y-Axis Title - defaults to same as ‘value’, can be edited.

·         X-Axis Title - defaults to same as ‘category’, can be edited.

 

 

Running A Graph

 

Once you have finished formatting the graph, click the Run button.

 

 

The graph you created will be displayed in the area below your selected values.  Just below the graph, criteria selected from the Report Criteria interface will be listed for reference. 

 

The right side of the interface will contain more formatting options.  The following image is a close up of this:

 

 

The graph type can be changed to one of the following options:

 

·         Column

·         Bar

·         Area

·         Line

·         Pie

·         3D Area

·         3D Bar

·         3D Column

·         3D Line

·         3D Pie

 

Other options include turning on/off titles, labels, legends, trend lines, and changing font sizes.  The graph will be updated following selection of options.   The Save button, Load button and View Graph button will be discussed in subsequent sections titled: Viewing a Graph, Saving a Graph and Loading a Graph.

 

The next image is the same data developed into a pie graph.  Select "Pie" in the Graph Type drop-down list to do this.

 

 

The following table lists the additional formatting options and the option availability by graph type.

 

Options	Graph Type
	Column	Bar	Area	Line	Pie	3D Area	3D Bar	3D Column	3D Line	3D Pie
Show Title	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Show Legend	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Show XY Titles	X	X	X	X	-	X	X	X	X	-
Add Trend Line	X	X	X	X	-	-	-	-	-	-
Show Data Labels	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Data Label Position	X	X	-	X	X	-	-	-	-	X
Title Font	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Legend Font	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
XY Titles Font	X	X	X	X	-	X	X	X	X
X-Axis Font	X	X	X	X	-	X	X	X	X	-
Y-Axis Font	X	X	X	X	-	X	X	X	X	-
Data Label Font	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

“X”  = available              “-“  = not available

 

Viewing A Graph

 

As shown in the previous section, graphs are initially viewed in the area of the Graphics Generator interface.  A graph can also be viewed in the form of a report by clicking the View Graph button.  In this view a graph will be larger and printable but not dynamically changeable.  Any options selected from the formatting options will be on the printable report.

 

Click the View Graph button to view the printable graph report.

 

 

Saving A Graph Format

 

After formatting a graph, you can save the format and load it back at a later time.  The Save button will save your current format in a file name that you specify.

 

 

Click the Save button and an interface opens requesting that you enter a Saved Name and a Description.  Enter a saved name that you can remember later and a description that will help you to recall the graph format.  Then click the Save button to save the graph format or if you decide not to save it, click the Cancel button.  Either action will return you to the Graphics Generator interface.

 

Loading A Graph Format

 

The Load button will load a previously saved graph.  You can bring back a graph format that you were working on or bring back a graph format saved by someone else.  If you choose to load a previously saved graph, verification will be displayed to verify that you want to overwrite any formatting that is currently on the interface.

 

Click the Load button and an interface opens with a list of saved graph formats showing the Saved ID, the Saved Name of the graph, the User ID of the person that saved it, the Create Date, which is the day it was saved, and a Description as entered by the person that saved it.  The list will be only those graph formats that relate to the current Source selection.

 

 

The list of saved graphs can be sorted by any one of the columns.  To sort a column on the Load interface, double-click the column header of the column you want to sort.

 

The Show Mine Only checkbox will filter the saved graphs to display only those saved under your user ID.  This will help you to find graphs that you saved and will provide a smaller list to search.

 

Place the cursor on any area of the row that you want to load and click the Load button to load the graph or if you decide not to load it, click the Cancel button.  Either action will return you to the Graphics Generator interface.

 

Deleting a Saved Graph Format

 

From the Load interface, you can delete saved graph formats that were previously saved under your ID.  You will only be allowed to delete formats that were created under your user ID.

 

To delete a saved graph format, place your cursor on the row to be deleted and click the Delete button.