Gauges

A gauge is a data display device that graphically represents a single data value against a scale, and uses additional text and graphic elements to describe that data value. While grids and charts display collections of data for comparative or visual analysis, finding or singling out a single data point can be difficult or inefficient. Gauges pinpoint and highlight specific data quickly, effectively, and in a unique form.

Since a gauge can only display a single value, a practical application is to use several gauges in one or more groups. You can define any number of gauges per view, and then display any or all of those gauges.

There are two main gauge types:

• Radial, sometimes called a dial, is a circular or semi-circular display in which a scale of numbers, defining a range of possible values, is situated in an arc around the perimeter of the gauge, and a pointing indicator, anchored in the center of the circle, is rotated to point at the data value on the scale. Some everyday examples of a radial gauge are an analog clock and a car speedometer.
• Linear, a horizontal or vertical straight-line display in which a scale of numbers is situated on one or both sides of a wide line running through the center length of the gauge, and the wide line is colored or "filled" up to the point on the scale which represents the data value. An everyday example of a linear gauge is a thermometer.

A gauge control has three main components: a gauge, a title and a footnote.

The title and footnote are single-line text labels appearing above and/or below the gauge. They are optional. Titles and footnotes are aligned based on their gauge style settings and sized (height only) based on their font size specified in the gauge style. Their width spans the entire width of the gauge control window.