Introduction
FlexiTable™ provides innovative ways to present your data using MicroStation's display technology.
Furthermore, you can take advantage of MicroStation's printing abilities to generate full colour prints in a variety
of formats including Adobe Corporation's Page Description Format (PDF).
You can bring visual appeal to data by creating a pie chart, bar chart, or line graph.
These types of graphic are suited to differing dimensions of data.
Each type of chart draws its data from a one or more columns on your data grid. A pie chart uses data from just one column; a bar chart compares similar data drawn from one or more columns on your data grid. A line chart similarly draws data from multiple columns on your grid.
- A Pie Chart is useful when you want to compare a small number of values from one column of data
- A Bar Chart is useful when you want to compare a small number of values from one or more columns of data
- A Line Graph is useful when you want to compare values from multiple columns of data
You can create charts in 2D or 3D. If you have a MicroStation 3D model open, then you can enable 3D charts. FlexiTable constructs the chart and projects it by an amount you specify in the Z direction to create a MicroStation solid. You can use MicroStation's 3D rendering tools to finish the job.
Chart Settings
You control those sections of your data grid that are used to create charts, using the Charts & Graphs tab in the settings dialog. Only numeric (integer, real, date, or currency) data columns may be used to create slices of pie, or columns in a bar chart.
The contents of the Charts & Graphs tab depends on the type of chart you select. On FlexiTable's Charts & Graphs settings tab, choose the type of chart you want to create. Currently, you can choose …
Pie Charts
A pie chart is useful for comparing a small number of similar values, from a single column on the data grid. Here's an example PDF pie chart created by FlexiTable and printed to PDF by MicroStation. FlexiTable provides options to set the pie radius, its Z-depth, the colour of each slice, and whether a slice is broken-out (or exploded) like the green slice shown here.
FlexiTable provides the caption on each slice of the pie and, optionally, lets you show the actual numeric value of that slice. The pie chart caption is the same as the caption used in your schedule table.
To specify which data FlexiTable will use to create your pie chart, see the settings for a pie chart.
Bar Charts
For a single set of variables, meaning a single column of data in your grid, a 2D chart is sufficient.
A bar chart is used to compare one or more sets of similar values from one or more columns on the data grid. FlexiTable extracts one or more columns of data and draws blocks that indicate the value of each row in that column. You can choose more than one column to compare multiple sets of values.
When comparing multiple columns of data, it may be visually more appealing to generate 3D columns to illustrate data magnitude. Here's an example PDF bar chart created by FlexiTable in 3D and printed to PDF by MicroStation.
To specify which data FlexiTable will use to create your bar chart, see the settings for a bar chart.
Line Graphs
A line graph is used to compare multiple data sets from many columns on the data grid.
FlexiTable does not currently implement line graphs.
Pie Chart Settings
Pie chart settings are displayed when you choose Chart Type option Pie.
The Caption Column option displays a list of columns from your data grid, where the columns contain text data. Those text data will be used as captions on the slices of your pie chart.
A pie chart presents a visual comparison of the value of each row in a single column of data. The Data Column option displays a list of columns from your data grid, where the columns contain numeric data. Choose the column that FlexiTable will use when generating a pie chart.
The list box labelled Pie Chart Data shows the captions and values of the columns you choose. It also has columns labelled Colour and Breakout. The meaning of each of these columns is …
- Caption: the text from the column you have chosen for captions on your pie chart
- Value: the data from the column you have chosen for numeric data
- Colour: the colour used to create pie segments for a particular row
- Breakout: the pie segment for this row should appear exploded or broken out
Bar Chart Settings
Bar chart settings are displayed when you choose Chart Type option Bar.
The Caption Column option displays a list columns from your data grid, where the columns contain text data. Those text data will be used as captions for the bars of your bar chart.
A bar chart presents a visual comparison of the value of each row in a one or more columns of data. The Data Column list box displays a list of columns from your data grid, where the columns contain numeric data. Choose one or more columns that FlexiTable will use when generating a bar chart by checking the Required box. Choose the colour to be used when creating bars of a particular row in the Colour column.
