ChartIt - About

Displays Data
Multi Dimensionally
in Charts and Grids


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ChartIt/MDAccess Example Charts
Description

ChartIt is a Multi Dimensional Database Reporting Application. It is the Web version of MDAccess. ChartIt displays data from Sql Server databases accessible over the internet in a Multi Dimensional form thru Charts and Grid Reports. It provides easy access and manipulation of selected subsets of that data in a flexible, easy to use manner.

ChartIt reports directly from Sql Server Tables or Views.

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How to Use ChartIt


  1. Create a (Free) account on the ChartIt Purchase Page.
  2. Login to ChartIt.
  3. Define a Database Connection String on the 'Database Connection' Page.
  4. Create Charts and Reports on the 'ChartIt' Page.
ChartIt Appearance

ChartIt Appearance is separated into the following Sections.

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PreSet Data Selection and Display

PreSets allow the user to save and restore current parameter selections for future display.

PreSets Contains the following Selected Information

  1. Database (Data Source)
  2. Table (or View) in Database
  3. Fields in Table (or View) (to select from)
  4. Values in Fields to select
  5. Fields that are Measures
  6. Chart Parameters
  7. Cross Tab Report Parameters
  8. Columnar Report Parameters

When this is done, a Chart and Grid will display. This set of selections can then be saved in a database in what is called a 'PreSet'. The 'PreSet' has a Title, and can be selected by its Title for redisplay at any time after it has been created. Doing this saves the user the time of reselecting and respecifying all the parameters that were needed in order to originally display this PreSet.
Data Selection

Data Selection specifies what data is to be reported from in the Report Types in the Data Display Sections.

Data Selection Specifies

  1. Database (Data Source)
  2. Table (or View)
  3. Fields to select from
  4. Values to select
  5. Measures Fields
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Select Data Source

The Data Source(s) are defined under the Database Connections menu item.

To connect to a Database the User must specify

  • Server (name or IP Address)
  • Database Name
  • Username
  • Password

Once the Data Source connection to a Database has occurred, the user can select the Database Table or View to report from.
Select Database Table or View
Database Table or View provides the data that is the basis of the report. (A View can be constructed by linking several Tables.) This Database Table or View contains the columns that become: Selection Fields, Measure Fields, and Database Dimensions in the Chart or Grid.
Selection Fields

Selection Fields allow the user to select fields that can be used to constrain the data to a subset of the database data to report from.

Select Selection Fields

  • Select Dropdown Fields
  • Select Textbox Fields
Selection Values

After the Selection Fields have been selected, the user can select the data values used to constrain the data. When a Selection Field Value has been selected, the Active Reports then report from the subset of data selected. The other Selection Fields (if any) have their available Values reduced to what is available in the new subset of data also. Up to twenty Selection Fields may be selected.

Multi-Select allows the user to select multiple values in a particular Selection Field. Those values constrain the data to a subset of data that contains one of those values in that Selection Field.

Select/Enter Selection Values

  • Select Dropdown Field Value (or select Multiple Values with Multi-Select)
  • Enter Textbox Field Value (or Value Range)
Select Data Measure Fields
When a Chart or Grid is constructed, a numeric field has to be used to display the data quantity. The available Binary fields (numeric data fields) in the Data Source Table or View are used for this. A new Data Source field is made available for each existing Binary field in the Data Source by taking the name of the original Binary field and appending a 'Sum_' to the Binary field name. If these 'Sum_' Binary fields are selected, they are added to a new Dimension called 'Measures'. If no 'Sum_' fields are selected, the first 'Sum_' field is automatically selected when a Chart or Grid is constructed. If no 'Sum_' fields are available, a Chart or Grid cannot be made.

When a Chart or Cross Tab Grid is constructed and the 'Measures' Dimension is associated with a Chart or Grid Axis, the selected Measure Field Element Titles are displayed on that Chart or Grid Axis, and data values for those 'Sum_' fields are correspondingly displayed.

If the 'Measures' Dimension is not associated with a Chart or Grid Axis, then the first 'Sum_' selected is used to display the data values.

Data Display
The Selected Data is displayed in three different Report Types.

Report Types

  • Chart
  • Cross Tab Report
  • Columnar Report
The Report Types display the data quantities for the data selected in the way requested by the parameter sections. Each Report Type can be updated separately or they can all be updated at once depending upon whether they are 'Active' or not. This flexiblity allows the User to display the same or different data subset selections in each Report Type.

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View Selected Data as 'Chart'
Chart Parameters
The Chart Parameters contains specifications for the following:
  • Chart Type
  • Chart Axis Associations - Database Column to associate with Rows and Columns.
  • Chart Page Axis Association (optional) - Database Column to associate with Pages.

  • Appearance
    • Page Title Location (optional)
    • Chart Group Titles Direction
    • Tabular Number Display option
    • Color Palette
    • Chart Size
    • Margin
    • 3D
    • Fill Type
    • Tabular in Chart Piece Color
  • Legend
    • Legend Location
    • Legend Formating...
  • Backgrounds
    • Select Chart Part
    • Select Colors or Image

  • Fonts
    • Select Text Group
    • Select Font Size and Colors
  • Annotations and Images
    • Edit, Add, and Delete Annotations and Images
    • Select Position and Size
    • Select Display Text and/or Image

  • BiScale
    • Display Second Scale
    • Optionally associate last item to second Scale
  • Sort and Data
    • Sort by: Title or Value
    • Sort Direction
    • Calculation - 'Data Value', or '% of Chart Part'
    • Trend Line option
  • Multi Page Chart - Display multipe Pages of a Single Chart Defintion
    • Page Grid Layout
    • Same Scale - create common scale over all Chart Pages in this Chart Defintion
  • Multi Chart
    • Add or Delete additional Chart Definitons (for the Same DataSet)
    • Edit all above Parameters for each Chart Defintion

The 'Multi Chart' option allows the user to create Multiple Charts within the Chart space. 'Multi Chart' differs from 'Multi Page Chart' in that 'Multi Chart' has one set of parameter specifications for each Chart. Each Chart (in a 'Multi Chart') displays one Chart, each in its own section of the Chart space.

A 'Multi Page Chart' is one Chart Definition that displays multiple pages of that Chart Definition. Each page in a 'Multi Page Chart' is a different selection value on the 'Page Dimension'.
Chart
Creates or Prints Chart for the current selection of parameters.
View Selected Data as 'Cross Tab Report'
Cross Tab Report Parameters
The Cross Tab Grid Report has the following parameters:
  • Calculation - Data Value, or % of Grid Part
  • Grid Axis Associations - displays existing values in the data subset on the associated Axis.
  • Sort Parameters - by Title or Data Value
Cross Tab Report
Allows the following options:
  • Creates Grid for the current selection of parameters
  • Displays Grid in separate window for Printing
  • Download Grid to Excel

The Cross Tab Grid uses all Measures selected if the 'Measures' Dimension is associated with a Report Axis, otherwise it uses the first Measure selected.
View Selected Data as 'Columnar Report'
Columnar Report Parameters
- Select the SubTotal Break Fields that sums should be created for.
- The Columnar Grid Report sums the Selected Measure Fields for every unique combination of values in the selected SubTotal Break Fields.
- The available SubTotal Break Fields are the fields in the DataTable or View.
Columnar Report
Allows the following options:
  • Creates Grid for the current selection of parameters
  • Displays Grid in separate window for Printing
  • Download Grid to Excel