for IBM Cognos Series 7 Impromptu

Chart Enhancement & Operational Macros for IBM Cognos Series 7 Impromptu

Charts Unlimited

for

IBM Cognos Series 7 Impromptu

from

Three D Graphics


Charts Unlimited

Preface

Operations: Assisted by more than 100 new macros, achieve superior Ease of Use, Usefulness and Usability

Performance: Receive an additional complement of chart types responsive to every need and application

Aesthetics: New expert pie labeling, perfect anti-aliasing, great multi-dimensional gauges, transparencies and more

About five years ago, Cognos elected to freeze the chart expressions in Series 7, Impromptu and PowerPlay - technology licensed from Three D Graphics. In the ensuing period there has been a significant advance in every aspect of chart technology, led by Three D Graphics - the leader in the field. The result is Charts Unlimited for IBM Cognos Series 7 Impromptu (to be followed later by PowerPlay). For Users of Series 7 Impromptu that have not yet chosen the superb attributes of IBM Cognos 8 BI, Charts Unlimited is a powerful, single click electable, exchange replacement chart library, fully and totally supported by Three D Graphics.


Charts Unlimited

Features & Benefits

Immediate upgrade to a panoply of new features throughout the entire spectrum of chart usage.

Guarantee of “aesthetic evergreen” through quarterly additions.

Immediate access to more than 100 new tools (“macros”) that facilitate the process of building chart-centric reports.

Guarantee of “technology evergreen” through quarterly reports.

Timely response to special chart requirements.

Timely response to technical problems and special technology issues.

Timely access to the Three D Graphics development staff for resolution of chart support issues of every nature.

Charts Unlimited subscribers receive all of the current chart capability in Series 7 as well as:


Charts Unlimited

State of the art anti-aliasing together with enhanced bevel, soft shadow, and transparency effects. Adds both sizzle and sophistication.

New chart types include: Pareto, bubble, waterfall, box & whisker and most particularly, a variety of multi-faceted gauges.

Full support for P-charts, X-bar charts, range charts and all other Six Sigma graphs in conjunction with the current Series 7 step-line, error-bar, range-line and SPC chart capability.

Single- and Multiple-Pie engine with multi-faceted labeling capability that eliminates the interferences that plagued its predecessors.

Immediate New Chart Provision


Charts Unlimited

Significant (and continuing) upgrade and expansion of Gantt charts and stock charts.

Resolution of common Series 7 charting issues:

Immediate Chart Upgrade

Programmatic control over dozens of chart properties like min/max scale range, hi-light colors, reference lines, etc.

Set chart parameters at run-time instead of design-time

Complete and easy methods to pivot and swap data in the chart

Control over null-to-zero and zero-to-null conversions, numeric formatting and more

Improved automatic layout routines that guarantee professional looking charts with well formatted labels, no matter how complex the dataset


Charts Unlimited

Charts UnlimitedCharts Unlimited is composed of three elements:

Aesthetic. In comparison to the technology of five years ago, Charts Unlimited boasts two new rendering engines. Multi-slice single and multiple unit Pie Charts with expert labeling; perfect anti-aliasing; great multi-dimensional gauges; transparencies and more

Performance: A full complement of chart types responsive to every need and application

Operations: Most important! Three D Graphics has generated more than one hundred macros specifically targeted to enable superior Ease of Use, Usefulness and Usability


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Aesthetic ElementsA closer look at some of the more interesting Aesthetic Elements:

Label placement on single and multiple pie charts are both interesting and intelligible

Advanced Bezier technology enables perfectly smooth lines

Transparency tools are the secret to awesome looking gauges

Bevel effects can be applied to any and all chart objects


Charts Unlimited

Pie Label Layout

Series 7 Charts Unlimited


Charts Unlimited

Multi-Pie Label Layout

Series 7

Charts Unlimited


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Anti-Aliased Drawing

Without Anti-Aliasing With Anti-Aliasing

Without Anti-Aliasing, curves along the outer edge of the gauge and the gauge band are bumpy and jagged

With Anti-Aliasing, curves along the outer edge of the gauge and the gauge band are perfectly smooth


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Anti-Aliased Drawing

Gauges are automatically rendered with anti-aliased drawing for perfectly smooth lines

Multiple gauge border styles and gauge needle styles are available


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: True Bezier Curve Drawing

B-Spline based Curved Line Chart

Drawn with Charts Unlimited true Bezier curve drawing technology


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: True Bezier Curve Drawing

2.5D Curved Stacked Area Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Variable Transparency

True Alpha-Channel Transparency can be applied to any chart object

Great for designing charts with ‘hidden’ data areas


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Variable Transparency

2.5D Absolute Area Chart with Variable transparency


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Bevel Effects

Charts Unlimited includes several “bevel overlays” that can be drawn above a standard chart object.

These drawing effects add visually appealing glints, highlights and shadows.


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Bevel Effects

Bevel Effect applied to risers and chart frame

Bevel Effect can be applied to any chart object


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Square Bevel Fill

Square bevel effect applied to chart risers and their associated series icons.


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Spherical Bevel Fill

Spherical Bevel fill effect can be applied to any circular fill area


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Performance ElementsA closer look at some of the more interesting Performance Elements:

Gauge Configurations

Box Plots

Gantt Charts

2-Series Absolute Bar Chart

Pareto Chart

Waterfall Charts

Histogram Report

User-Defined Markers & Lines


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Gauge with Clipped Border

Clipped Gauge border style draws the border according to specified start/stop angles of the inner Gauge Range/Band

Bevel effect applied to standard gauge Needles


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Gauge with Thin Needle Style

Configurable Gauge Needle Styles


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Gauge with Dark Metallic Border

Dark Metallic Gauge Border

Steeple Gauge Needle Style

Gauge Label automatically placed inside gauge between start/stop range


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Box Plots

Configurable Box Width

Configurable Marker Shapes & Sizes

Configurable Number of Markers


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Gantt Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: 2-Series Absolute Bar Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Pareto Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Waterfall Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Waterfall Chart with Total Riser


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Histogram Report


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Operations

Charts Unlimited features can be activated by entering macros in chart title fields in the Cognos Administrator Chart Titles dialog.

Even though macros are defined in the chart title fields, they will not appear as text in your chart. If you need to use a particular title field to define a chart title and to enter a macro, append a tilde (~) character and a space to the title and add the macro after the space.


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Operations

Charts Unlimited macros can also be specified at run-time by associating a macro with an unused position in the data set.

Charts Unlimited macros consist of an “@” and a macro name (e.g., @DATATEXT = Data Text Mode or @DLT = Data Line Type).

Most Charts Unlimited macros allow you to specify additional parameters (e.g., @BEVEL ChartObject BevelType) that further define the operation of the macro.

Some Charts Unlimited macros do not require any parameters. For example, @GANTT will create a Gantt Chart – assuming the data set contains the required data.

If there are any problems, the chart footnote will show a message to help you identify any errors.

Charts Unlimited macros cover a broad range of chart elements and functionality: Auto Arrangement, Label Placement, Color & Special Effects, Chart Types, User-Defined Fill Areas, Labels & Lines, and much more.


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Axis

@AXIS - Assign a series to an axis.

@DX, @DY, @DY2 - X, Y, Y2-Axis Divisions

@GX, @GY - X, Y-Axis Grid Style

@HOUR_SCALE - Format the hour scale on a time axis

@PX, @PY, @PY2 - X, Y, Y2-Axis Precision

@SCX, @SCY, @SCY2 - X, Y, Y2-Axis Scale

@Y1 / Y2BASE - Y1, Y2-Axis Base Line

@Y1 / Y2INVERT - Invert Y1/Y2-Axis

@Y1 / Y2_FORCE_PERCENT - Use % format on Y1/Y2-Axis

@Y2SLAVE - Slave a Y2-Axis to the Y1-Axis


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Axis@BEVEL 3 4 (Bevel bubble risers)@GX 3 (Inside Ticks on the X-Axis)@GY 4 (Outside Ticks on the Y-Axis)@PX 2 (2 Decimal Places on X-Axis Values)@PY 4 (4 Decimal Places on Y-Axis Values)@SC 1000 5000 (Y-Axis Scale 1,000...5,000)@SCX 1000000 6000000 (X-Axis Scale 1,000,000...5,000,000)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Series & Groups

@CALC_PERCENT_SERIES - Calculate a percentage series.

@FORCE_ABSOLUTE - Force a series to plot absolute

@FORCE_SERIES_COUNT - Force a # of series in a chart

@FORECAST - Add Blank Groups

@IG / @IS - Ignore Group/Series

@PERCENT_SERIES - Create a Percentage Series

@RG / @RS - Reverse Groups/Series

@SORT - Sort Series/Groups

@STEP_LINE - Draw a step line across a series

@SWAP - Swap Series/Groups

@TOTAL_GROUP - Create a total group


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Series & Groups@STEP_LINE -1 1 (-1=ALL SERIES, 1=ENABLE STEPPED LINE)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Labels

@AGL - Redefine Group Labels

@ASL - Redefine Series Labels

@COND_GROUP_LABEL - Color a riser based on a group label

@GROUP_LABELS_ON_BASELINE - Draw group labels on the chart’s baseline

@XSKIP – Skip a number of group labels

@GROUP_LABELS_ON_BASELINE 1


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Risers & Markers

@BUBBLEMODE - Control appearance of bubble chart risers

@HIDE_ZERO - Hide Risers/Markers for zero data points

@HL - Highlight a Riser/Marker

@MARKER - Marker Shapes

@MCOLOR – Marker Colors

@PAT - Apply Pattern to Risers/Markers

@RISER_BORDER - Enable/Disable Riser Borders

@RISER_OVERLAP - Overlap between risers in side-by-side/clustered bar charts

@RISER_WIDTH - Width of Risers in bar charts

@SZ - Marker Size


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Risers & Markers@RISER_OVERLAP -50

@HL 0 2 255 255 0 (Hi-light Series 1, Group 3, Yellow)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Data & Data Text

@APPEND_DATATEXT - Append a String to Data Text

@DATATEXT - Select a Data Text Mode

@DLT - Data Line Type

@DP - Data Point Override

@DPC - Data Point Clear

@DT - Show/Hide Series-Specific Data Text

@FORCE_DATALINE - Force data line connecting all data points

@FORCE_DATATEXT_CURRENCY - Force data text to currency format

@IR - Insert Row (i.e., create a user-defined series of data)

@OFFSCALE_Y1 - Off-scale Values on a Y1-Axis

@RDT - Rotate Data Text

@RESET - Reset Internal Data Range

@Y_ZERO - Include/Exclude zero to calculate Y1-axis auto-scale


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Data & Data Text@FORCE_DATATEXT_CURRENCY 2 (0=$, 1=£, 2=¥, 3=Euro)

@RDT 2 (Rotate Data Text 90 degrees)@APPEND_DATATEXT ($s) (Append ($s) to Data Text)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Color & Special Effects

@ALPHA - Apply Alpha Channel Transparency to a riser or marker

@ALT_FRAME_FILL - Alternating Frame Fill

@ALT_FRAME_FILL_MODE - Alternating Frame Fill Mode

@AUTO_COLOR - Activate Automatic Color Mode

@BEVEL - Draw a bevel effect on a chart object

@COLOR_MODE - Color Mode (Color by Series or Color by Group)

@COLOR_SCHEME - Activate a pre-defined color scheme

@COND_COLOR - Apply color to risers (bar/line/area) based on conditions

@CURVED_LINES - Apply curved lines to an line or area chart

@DEFINE_SCHEME - Define Color Scheme

@GCOLOR - Color a Chart Object

@SHADOW - Apply a Drop Shadow to a chart object


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Color & Special Effects@ALT_FRAME_FILL_MODE 1(1=Horizontal)@ALT_FRAME_FILL 0 255 255 255(Red,Green,Blue,Transparency)

@COLOR_SCHEME 5


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Lines

@CX - X-Axis Line with Color

@CXY - Line between two X/Y Coordinates with Color

@CY - Y-Axis Line with Color

@INIT_USERLINES - Initialize all user-defined lines

@LS - Line Style

@MEAN - Mean Average Line

@MOVA – Standard/Scientific Moving Average Line

@SMOOTH_LINE - Connect data points with Smooth or Straight Line segments

@TRENDLINE - Trend Line

@TRENDLINE_ALLDATA - Linear Regression Line through all data points

@X - X-Axis Line at Value

@XG - X-Axis Line at Group


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Lines@CY 100 255 255 0@CY 90 0 0 255@USER_MARKER 90 9 4 255 0 0 Old Average@USER_MARKER 100 31 5 255 255 0 Target@USER_MARKER 100 35 2 0 255 0 25%@USER_MARKER 90 38 0 0 0 255 Peer Average


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Lines

@XSZ - X-Axis Line with Label

@XSZL - X-Axis Line with Label on Left

@XSZN - X-Axis Line with Label & Value

@XSZNL - X-Axis Line with Label & Value on Left

@XY - Line between two X/Y Coordinates

@XY_DP2 - Line between two Data Points (Scatter Charts)

@Y - Y1-Axis Line

@YSZ - Y1-Axis Line with Label

@YSZL - Y1-Axis Line with Label on Left

@YSZN - Y1-Axis Line with Label & Value

@YSZNL - Y1-Axis Line with Label & Value on Left


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Lines@SMOOTH_LINE -1 1 (-1=ALL SERIES, 1=ENABLE SMOOTH LINES)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: User-Defined Fill Areas

@USER_CIRCLE - Outlined Circle

@USER_CIRCLE_ABOVE - Outlined Circle above Chart Area

@USER_FILL - Color-Filled Rectangle

@USER_FILL_CIRCLE - Color-Filled Circle

@USER_FILL_CIRCLE_ABOVE - Color-Filled Circle above Chart Area

@USER_FILL_CIRCLE2 - Pattern-Filled Circle

@USER_FILL_CIRCLE2_ABOVE - Pattern-Filled Circle Above Chart Area

@USER_FILL2 - Pattern-Filled Rectangle

@USER_MARKER - Marker at X/Y coordinates

@USER_MARKER2 - Marker at X/Y coordinates with Value

@USER_RECT - Outlined Rectangle

@UW - Vertical Band

@WC - Color @UW Vertical Band


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: User-Defined Fill Areas@USER_FONT 14 255 0 0 255 Splash@USER_RECT 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 255 0 0 2 800 Three D Graphics


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Chart Type & Chart Specific

@3DSCAT - 3D Scatter Chart

@COMBO - Combo Chart

@COMPARE2 - 2-Series Absolute Bar Chart

@GANTT - Gantt Chart

@GRAPHTYPE - Select from over 100 Graph Types

@PARETO - Pareto Chart

@POLAR - Polar Chart

@RIVER - 2-Series Floating Area (i.e., river)

@WATERFALL - Waterfall Chart


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Chart Type & Chart Specific@COMBO 0 2 @COMBO 1 0 @COMBO 2 1

@RIVER 1 1


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Box Plots

@BP - Box Plot with a square-style tail

@BP2 - Box Plot with a T-style tail

@BP3 - Box Plot with a I-style tail

@BPH - Box Plot Orientation (Vertical/Horizontal)

@BPW - Use the sixth data value to determine the width of Box Plots

@IN - Move the First Box Plot In/Right by a specified number of virtual units

@MC - Marker Colors in Box Plots

@MK - Number of Markers in Box Plots

@MS - Marker Shapes in Box Plots


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Box Plots@BPH 1 (Horizontal Box Plot)@MK 3 (3 Markers)@MC 1 255 0 0 @MC 2 0 255 0 @MC 3 0 0 255 (Marker Colors)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Gauges

@GAUGE_ANGLE - Start/Stop Angle of Gauge labels/gridlines

@GAUGE_BORDER_STYLE - Gauge border

@GAUGE_BORDER_THICKNESS - Gauge border thickness

@GAUGE_CHART - Create a Gauge Chart

@GAUGE_MULTIPLE_NEEDLES - Gauge multiple needles

@GAUGE_NEEDLE_STYLE - Gauge needle style

@GAUGE_RANGE_COLOR - Gauge band colors

@GAUGE_RANGE_START_STOP - Gauge range start/stop

@GAUGE_RANGE_THICKNESS - Gauge Band Thickness

@GAUGE_RANGE_THRESHOLD - Gauge Band Thresholds


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Gauges@GAUGE_CHART @GAUGE_MULTIPLE_NEEDLES 0 (1 Needle, Multiple Markers)@GAUGE_BORDER_STYLE 5 (Metallic Border) @GAUGE_NEEDLE_STYLE 2 (Triangle with Extended End)


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited Macros: Miscellaneous

@EB - Adds error bars to standard bar/column charts

@FONTANGLE - Change the rotation angle of a text object

@FONTNAME - Map a global font on a text object

@FONTSIZE - Font size of a text object

@FRAME - Frame size/location

@HAT - Size of hats on Error Bars

@LEGEND - Legend size/location

@LEGEND_ORDER - Force Legend Order

@LEGEND_WRAP_WIDTH - Virtual wrap point for all legend text

@ORD_SPACE - Draw line chart to chart frame or inset

@USER_LABEL_FONT - User-Defined Label Font


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Miscellaneous Macros@EB 1 (Turn ON Error Bars)@HAT 50 (Width of Error Bar Hat)@YSZL 60.9 0 0 Old Target: @YSZL 67.0 0 0 Target:


Charts Unlimited

Charts Unlimited: Warranty

Three D Graphics is solely responsible for the development, product testing, system testing, production, marketing and support of the current and future versions of Charts Unlimited for IBM Cognos Series 7/Impromptu. Users can be assured that the IBM Cognos-provided chart component of Series 7/Impromptu can be single-click restored at any time. In such event, Three D Graphics will cheerfully refund the unused portion of any of the selected Charts Unlimited licensing options.

As noted therein, Three D Graphics is the Licensor to IBM Cognos of the current Impromptu Series 7 chart technology, as well as the chart component in IBM Cognos 8 BI. Accordingly, the Company is in the best position to offer the comprehensive benefits of Charts Unlimited to those Users of Series 7/Impromptu that have not yet elected to migrate to the overall substantial attributes of IBM Cognos 8 BI .

Documents

for IBM Cognos Series 7 Impromptu