Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 15-15. The Lawnmower museum's attendance figures are presented as a summary report
(above) and a chart (below). It's instantly obvious which exhibit isn't drawing the crowds when the
information is visualized as a chart.
Pie
Pie charts always display one thing—the relative portions that make up a whole. Throw a set
of data at it, and FileMaker helpfully calculates each item's percentage contribution and
slices the pie for you. The usual flat/3-D solid/shaded formatting choices apply here as well.
By their very design, Pie charts can visualize only a single series of data. See the Stacked op-
tions if you need to illustrate portions for multiple series.
Line
Line charts are a classic tool for showing change over time. Trending information like histor-
ical stock market performance, or annual snowfall is particularly apt for Line charts.
FileMaker can draw your lines in smooth curves or sharp angles, but that's about all you can
customize.
Area
A close cousin of the Line is the Area chart. In fact, it's just an angular Line chart with color
filled in beneath the line. Like the Bar charts, Area charts can be flat or 3-D. If the data
you're plotting ever crosses (say you're showing digital music sales rising and CD sales fall-
ing), you'll want to take advantage of the “Semi-transparent” option to ensure all series re-
main visible.
Scatter
The Scatter chart is useful for plotting many points of data. By seeing where points cluster
on the chart, you can quickly infer trends from large sets of information. Scatter charts are
useful when a line chart gets hard to read.
Bubble
Akin to the Scatter chart, the Bubble chart illustrates the magnitude of each data point by
drawing a corresponding radius. So while a Scatter chart could show you, say, the number of
eggs your ostriches are laying each hour of the day, a Bubble chart can also show how large
those eggs are by sizing those dots accordingly.
