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Chapter 16 Laying out and formatting a chart

Charts include many different visual elements. For example, a chart can use a legend to identify series elements, such the lines in a line chart. Tick marks and labels can mark the divisions on an x or a y axis. In a three-dimensional chart, the chart walls mark the boundaries of the chart area.

To modify the chart layout, you can rearrange the chart. For example, you can change where the chart title appears, or add padding between a series of bars and the axis on which they are arranged.

You can also change the color and style of the chart parts. You can outline or add a background color to most chart parts, such as the plot, legend, or labels. You can also change the color and shape of the series elements, such as the pies in a pie chart or the candlesticks in a stock chart.

The following illustration identifies some parts of a basic bar chart. A chart using default settings similar to this sample bar chart includes the following features.

In addition to the chart parts shown in the previous example, BIRT supports the parts described in the following table.

Part of chart
Description
Data point label
Identifies the value of a y series item, such as a bar, a point in a line chart, or a needle in a meter chart.
Floor
In a chart with depth or a three-dimensional chart, the lower boundary of the plot area. The floor extends behind the x axis.
Gridline
A horizontal or vertical line that extends an axis tick across a chart's plot area.
Marker
In an area, line, or scatter chart, a shape, such as a triangle or square, that identifies a data point.
Plot
The area of a chart that displays chart data. In a chart without depth, the plot is the area between the x axis and the y axis. In a chart with depth or a three-dimensional chart, the plot is the area between the chart walls and the chart floor.
Tick
A mark that identifies a regular segment on an axis.
Wall
In a chart with depth or a three-dimensional chart, the vertical boundaries that surround the plot area.

This section describes how to customize the appearance of a chart in the following ways:

You can also add interactive features, such as hyperlinks or highlighting, to a chart. Interactive features can make your report more useful to report readers.


(c) Copyright Actuate Corporation 2006

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