Plots

The bubbles in bubble plots are used to represent a third data component with the size of the bubble representing the value of the third component.

Figure 10-26 The configurable properties of a bubble plot.

The first choice in the bubble plot properties allows the user to represent the bubble value based on the area or the diameter of the bubble. The representation of a bubble using the surface is similar to using a log scale since the area is a squared quantity.

The Show negative values property, if the check box is checked, will cause negatives values to be shown with the size of the bubble based on the absolute value of the value and the style of the bubble having a white fill.

The Vary colors by bubble, if the check box is checked, will cause each value in a series to be displayed with a different fill color instead of coloring all the values in a single series with the same color.

The bubbles in a series are scaled relative to each other with the maximum value having a default, fixed size and the other values being scaled to this maximum bubble. Using this spin button, the default size of the maximum bubble can be altered.

Pie plots represent the data values as slices of a circular area, with the central angle of each slice, or wedge, proportional to the size of the value compared to the sum of all the values in the series.

Figure 10-27 The configurable properties of a pie plot.

The slices by default are plotted clockwise starting from the vertical which is considered 0 degrees. The first option allows the user to set a different starting point for the pie series by changing the value in the spin box. The value will increase to 360 degrees and then reset to zero.

Pie plots can be displayed with the slices separated from each other which in certain situations may improve the visual clarity of a pie plot. The second spin button allows the slices to be separated.

The colors of each slice, by default, are all different to allow the easy visual distinction between each slice. Since pie plots only allow a single series to be plotted, there is no need to use color to associate the values from different series. By unchecking this box, all of the slices in a pie chart can be made to follow the color scheme defined in the plot series Style tab. However, if this box is unchecked, the outlines of the slices must be styled with a different color for the slices to be distinguishable.

Bar and column plots can be displayed with different sized gaps between categories and different overlaps between the values of different series in each category.

Figure 10-28 The configurable properties of bar and column plots.

The Gap describes the separation between the values plotted in each category. By default, the gap between categories is one and half times the width of a bar or a column. This spin button can be used to decrease the gap to zero, so there is no gap between categories, or increase the gap to 500% so the gap is five times the size of a bar or a column.

The Overlap describes the separation between values of the different series in each category. By default these values will be plotted immediately adjacent to each other. This spin button can be lowered to minus 100% which leaves a gap the size of a bar or column between the values of each series. Alternatively, the values can be made to overlap up to 100%, a complete overlap. When values completely overlap, the latter series are plotted on top of the first series and a value may be completely obscured. In this case it may be possible to use partially transparent colors for the different series to allow both values to be visible.

Radar plots have as many axes as there are categories in each series.

Figure 10-29 The configurable properties of a radar plot.

By default the axis for the first category is vertical leaving the center point in the upward direction. The first spin box in the radar plot properties allows a user to change this orientation. The spin button can increase from zero degrees to 359 degrees when it will reset to 0.

Ring plots are similar to pie plots but may have an empty center and can be made with multiple series.

Figure 10-30 The configurable properties of a ring plot.

Like pie plots, ring plots assign values to the slices of a circular area by representing the magnitude of the value by the central angle of the slice, although for ring plots the center of the circular area is empty. Like pie plots, the first slice is plotted starting clockwise from the vertical and this first option can change the beginning point of the first slice's angle.

The slices of a ring plot can also be separated. The Slice Separation option allows a user to determine the proportional size of the gap between slices.

The Center size option determines the size of the hole in the middle of the rings as a fraction of the total radius. The center size can be altered in 5 percent increments.

The Vary colors by slice check box allows the user to assign colors either by slices, which is the default, or by series. To use color to distinguish series rather than categories, this button should not be checked.