Line Chart Component

Line chart graphs are used to measure and compare data from one or more sources. Use the line chart properties to change or add a series, create labels for the chart, or change the positioning in the sim.

Access the line chart component properties by clicking on the line chart component after it has been placed on the canvas. The Line Chart Settings tab will appear in the component panel displaying a stack of horizontal tabs that are labeled and categorized as follows:

Series – Contains the property options used for creating and modifying one or more series.
Title and Axes – Contains the property options used for naming the chart, customizing the labels, setting the numbering format, and adjusting the margin placement.
Styles – Contains the property options used to control the color of the line chart, change the font styles of the labels on the chart, and to choose the colors for compared runs.
Size, Position, and ToolTip – Contains the property options used to adjust the size and position of the line chart and provide tooltip information to the user.

Scroll down to view descriptions of all the line chart property options. Note that the property descriptions below are divided into the same categories found in the Line Chart Settings tab.

Example: Line Chart

Line Chart Settings: Series

Click the 'Series' tab in the component panel to access the properties used for creating and modifying a series. Note that a series in the line chart component is a variable represented as a colored line. More than one series can be added to create comparisons on a single chart.

Variable Name – Click the 'Variable Name' drop-down menu arrow, and then click 'Browse' to find a variable to create a series.
Series Name – Type a series name in the 'Series Name' text entry box to be displayed in the line chart legend.
Color – Click the 'Color' box to choose a color for the series.
Anchor – Click the 'Anchor' color box to choose a color for the series anchor.
Thickness – Enter a number in the 'Thickness' text entry box to adjust the thickness of the series line.
Stacked – Place a check in the ‘Stacked’ checkbox to stack the series rather than display them as overlapped lines.
Make a Compare Runs Graph – Place a check in the 'Make a Compare Runs Graph' to make a line chart for comparing runs. Note that this will require that any variable that is displayed be marked as a SaveResult.
Add Series – Click the 'Add Series' button to add a new series to the chart.

FAQs
How do I make a compare runs simulation?
How do I add a series to my line chart?
How do I add an additional series to my line chart?
How do I remove a series from my line chart?

Line Chart Settings: Series Tab

Line Chart Settings: Title and Axes

Click the 'Title and Axes' tab in the component panel to access the properties used for naming the chart, customizing the labels, setting the number format, and adjusting the margin placement.

Chart Title – Enter a chart title in the 'Chart Title' text entry box.
(X-Axis) Title – Enter a title in the 'Title' text entry box to label the X-axis.
(X-Axis) Start Step – Enter a number in the 'Start Step' text entry box to determine the first data point to be graphed on the line chart. This field is used to hide historical data. .
(X-Axis) Num Labels – Enter a number in the 'Num Labels' text entry box to determine the number of labels for the line chart's X-axis. Note that to enter a number in the 'Num Labels' text entry box, the 'Use Custom X Axis Labels' checkbox must be unchecked.
(X-Axis) Grid Color – Click the 'Grid Color' box to choose a color for the vertical lines of the line chart grid.
(Y-Axis) Title – Enter a title in the 'Title' text entry box to label the Y-axis.
(Y-Axis) Minimum – Enter a number in the 'Minimum' text entry box to determine the bottom label of the Y-axis. If the data has a value is lower than this number, the minimum will be automatically recalculated.
(Y-Axis) Maximum – To manually enter a maximum in the ‘Maximum’ text entry box, uncheck the ‘Auto Calculate Max’ checkbox (located below the 'Remove Label' button). If the data has a value higher than this number, the minimum will be automatically recalculated.
(Y-Axis) Num Labels – Enter a number in the 'Num Labels' text entry box to determine the number of labels for the line chart Y-axis.
(Y-Axis) Grid Color – Click the 'Grid Color' box to choose a color for the horizontal lines of the line chart grid.
Use Custom X-Axis Labels – Place a check in the ‘Use Custom X-Axis’ checkbox to use custom X-axis labels. The custom X-axis labels are located in the 'Custom X-Axis Labels' list box. The custom X-axis labels are added using the 'Add Label' button located below the list box.
Add Label – Add a label to the ‘Custom X-Axis Labels’ list box by entering a label name in the text entry box on the right of the ‘Add Label’ button, and then clicking the ‘Add Label’ button.
Remove Label – Remove a label by selecting a label in the list box above the 'Add Label' button, and then clicking 'Remove Label'.
Use Variable for Y-Axis Max – Place a check in the 'Use Variable for Y-Axis Max' checkbox to use a variable to represent the maximum value of the Y-axis. To choose a variable, click the drop-down menu arrow, and then click 'Browse'. The 'Browse' window will display available variables. If the data has a value higher than this number, the minimum will be automatically recalculated
Auto Calculate Max – Place a check in the 'Auto Calculate Max' checkbox for the Y-axis to automatically generate the chart’s highest point, which is equal to the highest point of the series.
Auto Calculate Min – Place a check in the 'Auto Calculate Min' checkbox for the Y-axis to automatically generate the lowest point in the chart, which is equal to the lowest point of the series.
Show Zero Plane – Place a check in the 'Show Zero Plane' checkbox to display the line representing the zero point of the graph.
Zero Plane Color – Click the 'Zero Plane Color' box to choose a color for the zero plane.
X-Axis Color – Click the 'X-Axis Color' box to choose a color for the X-axis of the line chart.
Y-Axis Color – Click the 'Y-Axis Color' box to choose a color for the Y-axis of the line chart.
Y-Axis Rounding Increment – Enter the increment progression of the Y-axis in the 'Y-Axis Rounding Increment' text entry box (for example, entering a '1' will make the Y-axis increment progression be 1, 2, 3, 4 ...; entering a '2' will make the Y-axis increment progression be 2, 4, 6, 8...). This field used is to keep graph axes orderly.
Y-Axis Number Format – Use the 'Y-Axis Number Format' text entry box to change the number format. For example, to change the default format to dollars, enter: $#,##0. Note that the 'Use First Variable Number Format' checkbox must be unchecked.
Use First Variable Number Format – Place a check in the 'Use First Variable Number Format' checkbox to use the number format from the variable in the first series. To change the format, uncheck the 'First Variable Number Format' box, and then enter a format in the 'Y-Axis Number Format' text entry box.
Chart DataTip Number Format – Enter a number format in the 'Chart DataTip Number Format' text entry box to change the number format of the values displayed in chart tooltips.
Left Margin – Enter a number in the 'Left Margin' text entry box to control the margin distance between the left side of the line chart and the left side of the line chart border.
Right Margin – Enter a number in the 'Right Margin' text entry box to control the margin distance between the right side of the line chart and the right side of the line chart border.
Top Margin – Enter a number in the 'Top Margin' text entry box to control the margin distance of the top of the line chart from the top of the line chart border.
Bottom Margin – Enter a number in the 'Bottom Margin' text entry box to control the margin distance of the bottom of the line chart and the bottom of the line chart border.

FAQs

How do I change the number format?

Line Chart Settings: Title and Axes Tab

Line Chart Settings: Styles

Click the 'Styles' tab in the component panel to access the properties used to control the color of the line chart, change the font styles of the labels on the chart, and to choose the colors for compared runs.

Grid Background Color – Click the 'Grid Background Color' box to choose a color for the line chart grid.
Chart Background Color – Click the 'Chart Background Color' box to choose a color for the line chart background.
Font Family – Click the 'Font Family' drop-down menu arrow to choose a font style for the line chart label.
Series Alpha – Enter a number in the 'Series Alpha' text entry box to adjust the opacity of the series.
Animation Time – Enter a number of milliseconds in the 'Animation Time' text entry box to control the timing of the series line in the line chart.

Label Font Controls

Label Font Size – Enter a number in the 'Label Font Size' text entry box to control the size of the X-axis and Y-axis increment labels.
Label Font Color – Click on the 'Label Font Color' box to choose a color for the X-axis and Y-axis increment labels.

Axis Font Controls

Axis Font Size – Enter a number in the 'Axis Font Size' text entry box to control the size of the X-axis and Y-axis titles.
Axis Font Color – Click on the 'Axis Font Color' box to choose a color for the X-axis and Y-axis titles.

Title Font Controls

Title Font Size – Enter a number in the 'Title Font Size' text entry box to control the size of the line chart title.
Title Font Color – Click on the 'Title Font Color' box to choose a color for the line chart title.
Anchor Size – Enter a number in the 'Anchor Size' text entry box to control the size of the series anchor.
Show Border – Place a check in the 'Show Border' checkbox to make a border around the line chart.
Stroke Anchors – Place a check in the 'Stroke Anchors' checkbox to outline the series anchors.
Fill Anchors – Place a check in the 'Fill Anchors' box to fill the color of the series anchors.
Add Color – Click the 'Add Color' box to select a color, and then click the 'Add Color' button to add the color to the 'Compared Runs Series Colors' list box. Note that a check must first be placed in the 'Make a Compare Runs Graph' checkbox, which is located in the 'Series' tab of the component panel. The colors will then be used by the graph when it is displaying compared run data.
Remove Color – Select the color you want to remove, and then click the 'Remove Color' button to remove the color from the 'Compared Runs Series Colors' list box. Note that a check must first be placed in the 'Make a Compare Runs Graph' checkbox, which is located in the 'Series' tab of the component panel.

Line Chart Settings: Styles Tab

Line Chart Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip

Click the ‘Size, Position, and Tooltip’ tab in the component panel to access the properties used to adjust the size and position of the line chart and provide tooltip information to the user.

X – Enter a number in the ‘X’ text entry box to adjust the left and right positioning of the line chart on the canvas. A higher number moves the line chart to the right, and a lower number moves the line chart to the left.
Y – Enter a number in the ‘Y’ text entry box to adjust the up and down positioning of the line chart on the canvas. A larger number will lower the position, and a smaller number moves the line chart higher.
Width – Enter a number in the ‘Width’ text entry box to adjust the line chart width.
Height – Enter a number in the ‘Height’ text entry box to adjust the line chart height.
Tab Index – Specifies the tab ordering of objects in a SWF file. The tabIe index property is -1 by default, meaning no tab index is set.
Lock – Use the ‘Lock’ checkbox to lock the line chart’s position in place on the canvas. A small lock icon will appear near the line chart. Click on the lock icon or uncheck the lock checkbox to unlock the line chart.
Visible to Facilitator Only – Use the ‘Visible to Facilitator’ checkbox to restrict the line chart‘s visibility to only be seen by facilitators.
Tooltip – Enter in the details of the line chart in the ‘ToolTip’ text entry box. The details entered will appear on the screen when a user places their mouse cursor on or across the line chart.

Line Chart Settings: Size, Position, and ToolTip Tab

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