Charts allow you to present information graphically, using such visual cues as color, size, and position to convey relationships between measures (numeric fields to be aggregated) and dimensions (categories) and to identify trends and outliers. WebFOCUS can create a wide variety of charts, generated in your choice of output formats.
One way that WebFOCUS produces charts is by having the Reporting Server generate them, in which case they are delivered to the browser as bitmap images (such as .png, .gif, or .jpg) or in a vector format embedded in a PDF document.
HTML5 charts, in contrast, are created as JavaScript code that runs directly in the browser, producing highly-interactive visualizations. These charts conform to all current web standards and are supported by all modern browsers. For a complete list of browsers and browser releases supported, see the WebFOCUS Release Guide.
Although you can use WebFOCUS tools to create charts by dragging and dropping elements onto a canvas and making selections from a toolbar or ribbon, the basis of this process is the familiar and easily comprehensible WebFOCUS language. In addition to these simple WebFOCUS commands, HTML5 charts support a JSON API that allows you to completely customize the final output. Multiple charts can even be linked.
Also built into the WebFOCUS HTML5 charting product is map support. You can create choropleth maps, in which areas are color-coded, or proportional symbol maps that display bubbles of different sizes over relevant areas of the map.
In order to create an HTML5 chart using the WebFOCUS language, all you have to do is include the PCHOLD FORMAT JSCHART command in your request.
In addition, there is a powerful chart attribute syntax that uses WebFOCUS StyleSheet commands to place chart objects into attribute categories, giving you additional options and chart types for generating meaningful visualizations. For complete information about chart attribute syntax, see WebFOCUS Chart Attribute Syntax.
The data source referenced in a WebFOCUS chart request can be a joined or cross-referenced data source, and can be stored in the Hyperstage cache or in any supported DBMS, across all operating environments. Dialogue Manager variables and commands can be used in the request to make the chart customizable based on user selections at run-time. In addition, WebFOCUS charts support a wide variety of WebFOCUS styling options.
Each data source referenced in a request needs a WebFOCUS description, called a synonym. A synonym consists of a Master File (which describes the data) and, in most cases, an associated Access File (which describes how to access the data). You can use the Synonym Editor to create synonyms automatically for most types of data sources. For information about creating synonyms, see the Describing Data With WebFOCUS Language manual.
JSON objects define values for enhanced chart properties. In addition to complete JSON objects, format JSCHART can accept JSON objects that only include one or a few properties. These property values are used in place of any default or existing settings.
Note: The terms chart and graph are used interchangeably unless otherwise noted.
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