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Learning Highcharts 4
Learning Highcharts 4

Learning Highcharts 4: Design eye-catching and interactive JavaScript charts for your web page with Highcharts, one of the leading tools in web charting , Second Edition

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Learning Highcharts 4

Chapter 2. Highcharts Configurations

All Highcharts graphs share the same configuration structure and it is crucial for us to become familiar with the core components. However, it is not possible to go through all the configurations within the book. In this chapter, we will explore the functional properties that are most used and demonstrate them with examples. We will learn how Highcharts manages layout, and then explore how to configure axes, specify single series and multiple series data, followed by looking at formatting and styling tool tips in both JavaScript and HTML. After that, we will get to know how to polish our charts with various types of animations and apply color gradients. Finally, we will explore the drilldown interactive feature. In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • Understanding Highcharts layout
  • Framing the chart with axes
  • Revisiting the series config
  • Styling the tool tips
  • Animating charts
  • Expanding colors with gradients
  • Constructing a chart with...

Configuration structure

In the Highcharts configuration object, the components at the top level represent the skeleton structure of a chart. The following is a list of the major components that are covered in this chapter:

  • chart: This has configurations for the top-level chart properties such as layouts, dimensions, events, animations, and user interactions
  • series: This is an array of series objects (consisting of data and specific options) for single and multiple series, where the series data can be specified in a number of ways
  • xAxis/yAxis/zAxis: This has configurations for all the axis properties such as labels, styles, range, intervals, plotlines, plot bands, and backgrounds
  • tooltip: This has the layout and format style configurations for the series data tool tips
  • drilldown: This has configurations for drilldown series and the ID field associated with the main series
  • title/subtitle: This has the layout and style configurations for the chart title and subtitle
  • legend: This has the layout and...

Understanding Highcharts' layout

Before we start to learn how Highcharts layout works, it is imperative that we understand some basic concepts first. To do that, let's first recall the chart example used in Chapter 1, Web Charts, and set a couple of borders to be visible. First, set a border around the plot area. To do that we can set the options of plotBorderWidth and plotBorderColor in the chart section, as follows:

        chart: {
                renderTo: 'container',
                type: 'spline',
                plotBorderWidth: 1,
                plotBorderColor: '#3F4044'
        },

The second border is set around the Highcharts container. Next, we extend the preceding chart section with additional settings:

        chart: {
                renderTo: 'container',
                ....
                borderColor: '#a1a1a1',
                borderWidth: 2,
                borderRadius: 3
        },

This sets the container border...

Framing the chart with axes

In this section, we are going to look into the configuration of axes in Highcharts in terms of their functional area. We will start off with a plain line graph and gradually apply more options to the chart to demonstrate the effects.

Accessing the axis data type

There are two ways to specify data for a chart: categories and series data. For displaying intervals with specific names, we should use the categories field that expects an array of strings. Each entry in the categories array is then associated with the series data array. Alternatively, the axis interval values are embedded inside the series data array. Then, Highcharts extracts the series data for both axes, interprets the data type, and formats and labels the values appropriately.

The following is a straightforward example showing the use of categories:

    chart: {
        renderTo: 'container',
        height: 250,
        spacingRight: 20 
    },
    title: {
        text: 'Market Data...

Revisiting the series config

By now, we should have an idea of what the series property does. In this section, we are going to examine it in more detail.

The series property is an array of series configuration objects that contain data- and series-specific options. It allows us to specify single-series data and multiple-series data. The purpose of series objects is to inform Highcharts of the format of the data and how the data is presented in the chart.

All data values in the chart are specified through the data field. The data field is highly flexible and can take an array in a number of forms, as follows:

  • Numerical values
  • An array with x and y values
  • A point object with properties describing the data point

The first two options have already been examined in the Accessing the axis data type section. In this section, we will explore the third option. Let's use the single-series Nasdaq example and we will specify the series data through a mixture of numerical values and objects:

        ...

Exploring PlotOptions

The plotOptions object is a wrapper object for config objects for each series type supported in Highcharts. These configurations have properties such as plotOptions.line.lineWidth, common to other series types, as well as other configurations such as plotOptions.pie.center that is only specific to the pie series type. Among the specific series, there is plotOptions.series, which is used for common plotting options shared by the whole series.

The preceding plotOptions object can form a chain of precedence between plotOptions.series, plotOptions.{series-type}, and the series configuration. For example, series[x].shadow (where series[x].type is 'pie') has a higher precedence than plotOptions.pie.shadow, which in turn has a higher precedence than plotOptions.series.shadow.

The purpose of this is that the chart is composed of multiple different series types. For example, in a chart with multiple series of columns and a single line series, the common properties between...

Configuration structure


In the Highcharts configuration object, the components at the top level represent the skeleton structure of a chart. The following is a list of the major components that are covered in this chapter:

  • chart: This has configurations for the top-level chart properties such as layouts, dimensions, events, animations, and user interactions

  • series: This is an array of series objects (consisting of data and specific options) for single and multiple series, where the series data can be specified in a number of ways

  • xAxis/yAxis/zAxis: This has configurations for all the axis properties such as labels, styles, range, intervals, plotlines, plot bands, and backgrounds

  • tooltip: This has the layout and format style configurations for the series data tool tips

  • drilldown: This has configurations for drilldown series and the ID field associated with the main series

  • title/subtitle: This has the layout and style configurations for the chart title and subtitle

  • legend: This has the layout and...

Understanding Highcharts' layout


Before we start to learn how Highcharts layout works, it is imperative that we understand some basic concepts first. To do that, let's first recall the chart example used in Chapter 1, Web Charts, and set a couple of borders to be visible. First, set a border around the plot area. To do that we can set the options of plotBorderWidth and plotBorderColor in the chart section, as follows:

        chart: {
                renderTo: 'container',
                type: 'spline',
                plotBorderWidth: 1,
                plotBorderColor: '#3F4044'
        },

The second border is set around the Highcharts container. Next, we extend the preceding chart section with additional settings:

        chart: {
                renderTo: 'container',
                ....
                borderColor: '#a1a1a1',
                borderWidth: 2,
                borderRadius: 3
        },

This sets the container border color with a width of 2 pixels and corner radius of 3 pixels...

Framing the chart with axes


In this section, we are going to look into the configuration of axes in Highcharts in terms of their functional area. We will start off with a plain line graph and gradually apply more options to the chart to demonstrate the effects.

Accessing the axis data type

There are two ways to specify data for a chart: categories and series data. For displaying intervals with specific names, we should use the categories field that expects an array of strings. Each entry in the categories array is then associated with the series data array. Alternatively, the axis interval values are embedded inside the series data array. Then, Highcharts extracts the series data for both axes, interprets the data type, and formats and labels the values appropriately.

The following is a straightforward example showing the use of categories:

    chart: {
        renderTo: 'container',
        height: 250,
        spacingRight: 20 
    },
    title: {
        text: 'Market Data: Nasdaq 100'
 ...

Revisiting the series config


By now, we should have an idea of what the series property does. In this section, we are going to examine it in more detail.

The series property is an array of series configuration objects that contain data- and series-specific options. It allows us to specify single-series data and multiple-series data. The purpose of series objects is to inform Highcharts of the format of the data and how the data is presented in the chart.

All data values in the chart are specified through the data field. The data field is highly flexible and can take an array in a number of forms, as follows:

  • Numerical values

  • An array with x and y values

  • A point object with properties describing the data point

The first two options have already been examined in the Accessing the axis data type section. In this section, we will explore the third option. Let's use the single-series Nasdaq example and we will specify the series data through a mixture of numerical values and objects:

         series...

Exploring PlotOptions


The plotOptions object is a wrapper object for config objects for each series type supported in Highcharts. These configurations have properties such as plotOptions.line.lineWidth, common to other series types, as well as other configurations such as plotOptions.pie.center that is only specific to the pie series type. Among the specific series, there is plotOptions.series, which is used for common plotting options shared by the whole series.

The preceding plotOptions object can form a chain of precedence between plotOptions.series, plotOptions.{series-type}, and the series configuration. For example, series[x].shadow (where series[x].type is 'pie') has a higher precedence than plotOptions.pie.shadow, which in turn has a higher precedence than plotOptions.series.shadow.

The purpose of this is that the chart is composed of multiple different series types. For example, in a chart with multiple series of columns and a single line series, the common properties between column...

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Description

The book is aimed at all levels of readers. Beginners can learn the basic configurations and step-by-step approaches in creating charts or Highcharts cloud. For intermediate and advanced readers, the book explores the APIs, events, server-side operations and plugins.
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jan 23, 2015
Length: 478 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781783287451
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Tools :

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Table of Contents

16 Chapters
1. Web Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Highcharts Configurations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Line, Area, and Scatter Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Bar and Column Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Pie Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Gauge, Polar, and Range Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Bubble, Box Plot, and Error Bar Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Waterfall, Funnel, Pyramid, and Heatmap Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. 3D Charts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Highcharts APIs Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Highcharts Events Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
12. Highcharts and jQuery Mobile Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
13. Highcharts and Ext JS Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
14. Server-side Highcharts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
15. Highcharts Online Services and Plugins Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.5
(2 Ratings)
5 star 50%
4 star 50%
3 star 0%
2 star 0%
1 star 0%
Robert Blomdalen Mar 17, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a very comprehensive guide to the Highcharts charting library. Learn and explore from basic examples with well written descriptions on why and how to make the changes to the implementations.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Vinay Mar 27, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
If you want to learn and you've seemed confused looking at just about anything, this is a great introduction to HighCharts for someone.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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