Chart

The Chart control is used for data visualization in reports. It is used to graphically represent a series of points using 2D or 3D chart types.

There are a number of built-in chart view types available, for example, Bar, Point, Line, Pie and Doughnut, Area, Radar and Polar, Range Bar, Gantt, Candle Stick and Stock.

A Chart control contains multiple elements (for example, diagram, series, series points, axes, legend, titles, labels, strips, constant lines). When any of these elements is selected, the Properties window displays only the properties for the selected item.

The Chart control is data-aware in a different manner than other report controls. Consider three common report scenarios:

• Static data for a Chart series is provided manually. The Series Collection Editor can be accessed from the Series property, which is used to manually define values and arguments for each series point.

• A Chart series is created automatically, taking data from a data source and is dependent on rules defined by the Series Template property.

• Each series is created and customized manually and has a separate data source.

A created chart can be customized using both the Properties window and the Chart Wizard. To display the Chart Wizard, click the Smart tag, and in the displayed actions list, click Run Designer.

The Chart Wizard is used to customize the chart, from defining the view type to providing the data and customizing the appearance.

On the Properties window, the Chart control properties are divided into the following tabs:

Appearance

Annotation Repository

Displays the Annotation Collection Editor, used to manage and customize all annotations present in a chart.

Annotations

Displays the Annotation Collection Editor, used to manage and customize the collection of annotations present in the selected chart.

Appearance Name

Specifies the chart appearance options, defining how the chart elements (for example, diagram, axes, legend) are drawn.

Automatic Layout

Specifies if the adaptive layout feature is enabled for chart elements in the chart control.

Background Color

Specifies the background colour of controls. The functionality is also available on the Report Designer tab ().

Background Image

Loads a background image to the chart (or defines the URL), and also specifies if the image fits the entire chart area.

Border Color, Border Dash Style, Border Width and Borders

Specifies border settings for controls.

Diagram

Provides access to customize the chart diagram elements: main and secondary axes and panes.

By default, a chart displays using the Default pane, if necessary, each chart series can be displayed in a separate pane. Locate the Panes property and click the ellipsis to display the Pane Collection Editor to manage and customize the panes.Then select the required series within the chart and set the View > Pane property to the required pane.

Fill Style

Provides access to specify the fill style of the chart background (Empty, Solid, Gradient or Hatch) and to define other fill options if required.

Formatting Rules

Displays the Formatting Rules Editor window, used to choose which rules are applied to a report during report generation, and to define the priority of the applied rules.

Image Type

Specifies if a chart is internally rendered as a metafile in a report (in which case the quality of the rendered image is good, but in some cases some details of the control may be lost), or as a bitmap (in which case the quality of the rendered image can sometimes be poor, but the control is drawn more precisely).

Indicators Palette Name

Specifies a built-in palette which is used to draw the indicators on the chart.

Legend

Provides access to customize the chart legend, by defining various properties. For example, text alignment and antialiasing, font style, background color or image, border options, marker size and visibility, shadow options.

Legends

Displays the Legend Collection Editor window, which provides access to the legends collection.

Location

Specifies the location of the control in report measurement units.

Padding

Specifies indent values used to render the contents of the controls.

Palette Name

Specifies a built-in palette which is used to draw the chart series.

Palette's Base Color Number

Specifies a color number which determines the base color for the palette defined by the Palette Name property.

Series

Displays the Series Collection Editor, used to manage and customize the chart series.

Series which are bound to data at the level of a chart control (in particular, using the Data Source, Series Data Member and both the Argument Data Member and Value Data Members properties) are created dynamically, based upon the data obtained from the specified data source, and they are not presented within the Series collection. To perform a centralized customization of such series, use the settings available from the Series Template property.

Size

Specifies the size of the control in report measurement units.

Style Priority

Defines the priority of various styles (for example, background colour or border colour).

Titles

Displays the Chart Title Collection Editor, used to manage and customize chart titles.

Behavior

Anchor Horizontally

Specifies the horizontal anchoring style of the control, so that after page rendering it stays attached to the left control, right control, or both. The property setting is useful for data-bound controls located between controls, which are able to resize depending on their contents.

Anchor Vertically

Specifies the vertical anchoring style of the control, so that after page rendering it stays attached to the top control, bottom control, or both. The property setting is useful for data-bound controls located between upper and lower controls, which are able to resize depending on their contents.

Can Publish

Specifies whether or not the control can be printed or exported.

Empty Chart Text

Provides access to set the display of chart text that contains no data.

Scripts

Contains events which can be handled with scripts.

Small Chart Text

Provides access to set the display of chart text that is too small to fit the diagram.

Visible

Specifies whether the control is visible when using the print preview.

Data

(Data Bindings)

If the current report is bound to data, the property is used to bind control properties (Bookmark, Navigation URL, and Tag) to a data field obtained from the report data source, and to apply a format string.

Data Adapter

Specifies the data adapter that populates the chart data source assigned using the Data Source property. It is automatically set to the appropriate value when the Data Member property is defined.

Data Member

Specifies the specific list (database table) in a report data source, from which Reporting objects display data.

Note: It is not usually necessary to specify the Data Member property when binding a report to data. This property should only be set if the Data Source dataset contains more than one table.

Data Source

Determines the chart data source.

Pivot Grid Data Source Options

Provides access to layout settings for a chart that is linked to a pivot grid.

Series Data Member

Determines the name of the data field values which are used to automatically generate and populate the chart series.

When chart binding is used to automatically generate series within a chart control based upon the data obtained from the selected data source (defined by the Data Source property), a rule must be defined to enable the chart to recognize the data record values which are used to construct individual series objects. The Series Data Member property can be used, which specifies the data field values that are taken into account when series objects are automatically created and populated.

Each automatically generated series derives its name from the data field specified by the Series Data Member property. For example, a name is used to identify a series within the chart legend. The names of all automatically generated series can be supplemented with the same prefix and suffix defined by settings which are accessible from the Series Name Template property.

The template settings for the dynamically created series are defined by the specific properties which are available from the Series Template property of a chart. In particular, the Argument Data Member and Value Data Members properties specify the data fields from which the arguments and data values of the series data points are obtained.

If the Series Data Member property is not set for a chart, the chart control cannot automatically generate series even if the Argument Data Member and Value Data Members properties are defined.

Series Name Template

Determines the settings used to name data bound series defining the prefix and suffix text for the names of series which are dynamically created as a result of binding a chart to data (using the Data Source, Series Data Member, Argument Data Member and Value Data Members properties). The series names, to which these prefixes and suffixes are added, are derived by each series from the data field defined by the Series Data Member property.

The settings available from the Series Name Template property are not applied to the data bound series which are contained within the Series collection of a chart.

Series Sorting

Defines the chart series sort mode: None (default), Descending or Ascending).

Series Template

Used to customize a template for series which are created dynamically as a result of binding a chart to data (via the Data Source and Series Data Member properties). The settings which are available via the Series Template property are common to all such data bound series. These settings are used to provide centralized customization of all dynamically created data bound series.

The settings which are customized using the Series Template property do not apply to the series contained within the Series collection of a chart.

Tag

Adds additional information to a control; for example, the Id, by which the control can then be accessed via scripts.

If the current report has a data source, the Tag property can be bound to a data field obtained from the data source. To do this, expand the (Data Bindings) property and from the Tag > Binding drop-down list, select the required data field.

Miscellaneous

(Name)

Determines the name of the control, by which it can be accessed in the Report Explorer, Properties window or via scripts.

Bookmark and Parent Bookmark

These properties are used to create a hierarchical structure within a report called a document map.

If the current report has a data source, the Bookmark property can be bound to a data field, obtained from the data source. To do this, expand the Data > Data Bindings drop-down list and select the required data field.

Navigation URL and Navigation Target

Use the Navigation URL property to specify a URL for web browser navigation when the control is clicked. The web browser displays a page in a window or a frame as specified in the Navigation Target property.

Note: A URL must have an appropriate prefix for example, 'http://'). Cross-references can be created within the report by assigning the name of the target control to the Navigation URL property, and setting the Navigation Target property to ‘_self'.

If the current report has a data source, the Navigation URL property can be bound to a data field obtained from the data source. To do this, expand the Data > Data Bindings drop-down list and select the required data field.

Snap Line Margins

Specifies the margins for the control, which are maintained when the control is aligned using snap lines.

Favorites

Right-click on the Favorites tab and select Edit Favorite Property List to display the Favorite Properties Editor, which is used to customise the available properties on the Favorites tab.

Refer to Chart with Static Series, Chart with Dynamic Series, Conditionally Modify Control Display, Styles Concepts, Handle Events via Scripts

Display Values from a Database (Bind Report Controls to Data), Add Bookmarks and Create Hyperlinks for information.