Applying Custom Styling to a Graph

In this section:

Using Graph Assistant, you may customize your graph using the subtabs (Options, Settings, X-axis, Y-axis, Pie) on the Properties tab. The customizations you can apply to your graph include customizing fonts, output destination, graph on server, label locations for all graph types, legend location, and much more.

You can also select the orientation of the X-axis and Y- axis and 3D effects as well as choose a predefined template using the Graph types tab.


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Selecting Graph Orientation and 3D Effects

You can select either vertical or horizontal orientation for your graph on the Graph types tab. The default selection is vertical. If horizontal is selected, the X-axis appears along the side of the graph while the Y-axis appears along the bottom. You can choose vertical or horizontal orientation for Bar, Line, and Area graphs.

You can apply 3D effects to your graph, also on the Graph types tab. This option is not supported for histograms, spectral, stock, or radar graphs. To display bubble help when using 3D Effects, markers must be checked under Settings in the Properties tab.

Some graph types and graph styles require vertical and horizontal orientations, with and without 3D effects. In such cases, the relevant option buttons are selected and grayed out. You will only be able to make changes to orientation and 3D effects by changing the Graph Type and Graph Style. For example, if you select the 3D Graph Type and Bar Graph Style, the vertical option button is selected and grayed out.


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Using Predefined Templates

When using predefined templates, you can choose one of the color and texture templates from the drop-down list: Pastels, Beveled on Tan, Color to White, Cylinder on Grey, Fade to Grey, Bumps, Greys, Plum On White, Red Accent, Speckled, and True colors.

In the Developer Studio environment, check the Use a predefined template check box on the Graph types tab to access the predefined templates.

In the Managed Reporting environment, click the Apply template drop-down list on the Graph types tab to access the predefined templates.


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Customizing Fonts in a Graph

How to:

You can change the font for the X-axis and Y-axis data and labels, legend text, headings, footings, subheadings, and footnotes. From the text properties dialog box you can customize the:



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Procedure: How to Arrange X-Axis Property Data Styles
  1. Click the Properties tab and then the X axis tab.
  2. Click the Style Labels button to open the X-axis properties dialog box.
  3. To enable the text rotation features, select the check box at the top of the X-axis properties dialog box.

    The following image shows the Graph Assistant in the Managed Reporting environment.

    The following image shows the Automatic Arrangement check box is selected which enables the list of text rotation features.

    Graph Assistant MR

    Note: If the Automatic Arrangement option is de-selected on the Graph Types tab, the text rotation option is grayed out.

    The following image shows the Graph Assistant in the Developer Studio environment. Note that this option is grayed out if the Automatic Positioning option is de-selected on the Graph Types tab.

    Graph Assistant DevStudio

  4. Under Text rotation, choose one of the following:
    • Horizontal
    • Vertical - Bottom to top
    • Vertical - Top to bottom
    • 45-degree bottom to top

      In this case, 45-degree bottom to top is highlighted. Accordingly, the Data Style label is positioned at a 45-degree angle.

As you make changes to the text properties, sample text appears to the right and reflects all selections. If you leave the Autofit check box checked for a particular object, the font size will be automatically adjusted to fit your graph. You can also wrap the text by checking the Wrap check box. Note that when you select the Wrap option, text only wraps to the next line if there is not enough room to display the entire text in the chart.

The text properties dialog box can be opened from many places in the Graph Assistant. Depending on where it is invoked from, different options are available.

Note: You can choose Background and Frame colors in the Options tab in the Properties tab.



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Procedure: How to Change X-Axis Label Fonts
  1. Click the Properties tab of the Graph Assistant.
  2. Click the X axis subtab.
  3. Click the Style Labels button. The X Axis Properties dialog box opens.
  4. Select the font properties. You can change the fonts for the data text and for the X-axis title text by selecting either the Data or Title option button.
  5. Click OK.


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Procedure: How to Change Y-Axis Label Fonts
  1. Click the Properties tab of the Graph Assistant.
  2. Click the Y-Axis subtab.
  3. Click the Style Labels button. The Y1 Axis Label Properties dialog box opens. If you are selecting fonts for the Y2 axis, the Y2 Axis Label Properties dialog box opens. It contains the same style options.
  4. Select the font properties. You can change the fonts for the data text and for the Y-axis title text by selecting either the Data or Title option button.
  5. Click OK.


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Procedure: How to Change Graph Legend Fonts
  1. Click the Properties tab of the Graph Assistant.
  2. Click the Settings subtab.
  3. Click the Style legend text button.

    The Legend Properties dialog box opens.

  4. Select the font properties.
  5. Click OK.


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Procedure: How to Change Graph Title Fonts
  1. Click the Headings tab of the Graph Assistant.
  2. Click the Graph subtabin the Managed Reporting environment.

    or

    Graph Titles subtab in the Developer Studio environment.

  3. Click Style Title, Style Subtitle, or Style Footnote for Chart title, Chart subtitle, or Chart footnote.

    Depending on the option you select, the Heading Properties, Subheading Properties, or Footnote Properties dialog box opens.

  4. Select the font properties.
  5. Click OK.

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Setting the Graph Height and Width

How to:

The width (or horizontal axis) of each graph, which includes any surrounding text, is automatically set to 770 pixels. When setting the graph width, you should allow for the inclusion of any text required for the vertical axis and its labels along the left margin.

The height (or vertical axis) of your graph is automatically set to 405 pixels.

The vertical axis is automatically set to cover the total range of plotted values. The height of the axis is set as high as possible (taking into consideration the presence of any headings or footings and the need to provide suitably rounded vertical class markers). The range is divided into intervals called "classes." The scale is normalized to provide class values rounded to the appropriate multiples and powers of 10 for the intervals plotted on the axis.



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Procedure: How to Set the Graph Height and Width
  1. Click the Properties tab of the Graph Assistant.
  2. Click the Options subtab.
  3. In the Graph Size field, select the Custom size option button.
  4. Enter the horizontal (width) value and the vertical (height) value, both in pixels.

    The horizontal value can be any number between 20 and 985.

    The vertical value can be any number between 20 and 518.


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Customizing Graphs With the Graph Editor in the Developer Studio Environment

The Graph Editor is an interactive graphical tool that enables you to modify a graph, created in the Developer Studio environment, without having to edit the code manually. The Graph Editor applies and displays the changes you make to the graph.

When invoked from the Graph Assistant, the Graph Editor will edit the graph code when you save changes.

For details on using the Graph Editor, see Customizing Graphs With the Graph Editor.

Caution: It is recommended not to use this feature as you may get unpredictable results. However, if you are using GRAPHENGINE=OLD, the Graph Editor can be used.

Note: GRAPHENGINE=NEW and GRAPHEDIT=ON are mutually exclusive. If you specify GRAPHEDIT=ON and GRAPHENGINE=NEW, you get an error message stating that GRAPHEDIT=ON is not supported with GRAPHENGINE=NEW.


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