Specifying general settings for gauges

When using the Specify Gauge Settings dialog box to create and configure gauges, these settings are all made on the General tab. This tab includes these groups for different types of data settings:

  • Basic settings
  • Major Tick Marks
  • Minor Tick Marks
  • Gauge Data
    Note: In some earlier versions of Mongoose, the Gauge Data group is labeled as Chart Data.

When modifying a gauge by script, use the GaugeSetProperty method or the GaugeGetProperty method to make these settings. Use the GaugeProperty enumeration.

Basic settings

This table lists the basic settings you can make on the General tab. GaugeSetProperty and GaugeGetProperty property names are also listed.

General tab Fields / Options Property name Description / Comments
Gauge Type Not applicable From the drop-down list, specify the type of gauge to create.

For a list and sample views of gauge types, see Gauge samples.

Caption Caption Specify the caption (title) for the gauge.

If the Data Source for the gauge is a critical number, and the Caption Format field in the Gauge Data group box is set to anything other than None, this field is disabled.

Sub-Caption SubCaption Specify the subtitle, if any, for the gauge.

If the Data Source for the gauge is a critical number, and the Sub-Caption Format in the Chart Data group box is set to anything other than None, this field is disabled.

Lower Limit

Upper Limit

LowerLimit

UpperLimit

Specify the minimum and maximum values to be plotted on the gauge scale.
Lower Limit Display

Upper Limit Display

LowerLimitDisplay

UpperLimitDisplay

Specify the text that describes the minimum and maximum values. For example, you could use "Bad" for the minimum and "Good" for the maximum.
Number Prefix NumberPrefix Specify a value to add it as a prefix to all numbers plotted on the primary axis.

For example, to display all numbers as dollars, specify $ as the prefix.

Number Suffix NumberSuffix Specify a value to add it as a suffix to all numbers plotted on the primary axis.

For example, to display all numbers as per year, you could specify /yr as the suffix.

Decimal Places Decimals Specify the number of decimal places to round to. This controls the decimal precision of all numbers on the chart. For example, if your data includes 0.12352, 0.134 and 0.13, and you set this value to 3, the data is displayed as 0.124, 0.134 and 0.130, respectively.
Animated Animation When selected (default), animates the gauge so that data displays with motion, rather than all at once.
Note: When using the chart in a form designed for report output as a background task, we recommend that you NOT use this setting. This is because it can slow the rendering of the gauge and cause a blank area in the output.
Show Value ShowValue When selected, this option displays the value on the gauge.
Show Shadow ShowShadow When selected, adds a drop shadow effect to the gauge.
Show Tick Marks ShowTickMarks When selected (default), this option displays tick marks on the gauge.
Show Tick Values ShowTickValues When selected (default), this option displays the tick values.
Place Ticks Inside PlaceTicksInside When selected, this option displays the tick marks on the inside of the gauge.

By default, the tick marks are on the outside of the gauge.

Place Values Inside PlaceValuesInside When selected, this option displays the tick values on the inside of the gauge.

By default, the values are on the outside of the gauge.

Ticks Below Gauge TicksBelowGauge When selected (default), this option displays the tick marks below the gauge.
Show Gauge Border ShowGaugeBorder When selected (default), displays a border around the gauge.
Load Just in Time LoadJustinTime When selected, this control is displayed when it becomes visible in the form.
Theme Color PaletteThemeColor Specify the RGB value for the base theme color as a hexadecimal value (000000-FFFFFF).

You can double-click this field to display the Color dialog box, where you can select a color or define a custom color for base theme. The hexadecimal code displays after you click OK to exit the Color dialog box.

Gauge Border Color GaugeBorderColor Specify the RGB value for the gauge border color as a hexadecimal value (000000-FFFFFF).

You can double-click this field to display the Color dialog box, where you can select a color or define a custom color for the gauge border. The hexadecimal code displays after you click OK to exit the Color dialog box.

Gauge Border Thickness GaugeBorderThickness Specify the thickness of the border, in pixels.
Gauge Border Alpha GaugeBorderAlpha Specify the degree of transparency for the border, from 0 (transparent) to 100 (opaque).

Major Tick Marks group

This table lists the settings you can make for the Major Tick Marks group on the General tab. GaugeSetProperty and GaugeGetProperty property names are also listed.

General tab Fields / Options Property name Description / Comments
Count MajorTMNumber Specify the number of major tick marks are to be rendered on the gauge.

The number of tick marks, by default, is set automatically. You can use this setting to override the system default setting.

Color MajorTMColor Specify the RGB value for the color of the major tick marks, as a hexadecimal value (000000-FFFFFF).

You can double-click this field to display the Color dialog box, where you can select a color or define a custom color for the major tick marks. The hexadecimal code displays after you click OK to exit the Color dialog box.

Alpha MajorTMAlpha Specify the degree of transparency to be applied to major tick marks, from 0 (transparent) to 100 (opaque).
Height MajorTMHeight Specify, in pixels, how long the major tick marks are to be.
Thickness MajorTMThickness Specify, in pixels, how thick the major tick marks are to be.

Minor Tick Marks group

This table lists the settings you can make for the Minor Tick Marks group on the General tab. GaugeSetProperty and GaugeGetProperty property names are also listed.

General tab Fields / Options Property name Description / Comments
Count MinorTMNumber Specify the number of minor tick marks are to be rendered on the gauge.

The number of tick marks, by default, is set automatically. You can use this setting to override the system default setting.

Color MinorTMColor Specify the RGB value for the color of the minor tick marks, as a hexadecimal value (000000-FFFFFF).

You can double-click this field to display the Color dialog box, where you can select a color or define a custom color for the minor tick marks. The hexadecimal code displays after you click OK to exit the Color dialog box.

Alpha MinorTMAlpha Specify the degree of transparency to be applied to minor tick marks, from 0 (transparent) to 100 (opaque).
Height MinorTMHeight Specify, in pixels, how long the minor tick marks are to be.
Thickness MinorTMThickness Specify, in pixels, how thick the minor tick marks are to be.

Gauge Data group

GaugeSetProperty and GaugeGetProperty property names are not applicable in this group.

Note: In some earlier versions of Mongoose, the Gauge Data group is labeled as Chart Data.

The options available in this group box depend on which option you select for the Data Source:

  • If you select the Collection option, then these are the settings you can make for the Gauge Data group on the General tab.
    General tab Fields / Options Description / Comments
    Collection From the drop-down list, select the IDO collection to be used for the gauge data.

    Only IDO collections available on the form where the gauge is being set up are available here.

    Available Properties Once the Collection has been specified, select the properties to include in the gauge display.

    Selected properties display in the list to the right.

    Use the Add/Remove buttons and the Up/Down buttons to select, deselect, and reorder the properties to be used.

  • If you select the Critical Number option, then these are the settings you can make for the Gauge Data group on the General tab.
    General tab Fields / Options Description / Comments
    Critical Number From the drop-down list, select the critical number that generates the data for the gauge.
    Canned Critical Number Optionally, select a canned (predefined) critical number to be displayed by the gauge.
    Note: If you select a value from this drop-down list, the Critical Number field is disabled.
    As Of Date To set a date for the earliest records to be returned, specify the beginning date here.
    Group Specify the group by which the data results are to be grouped and displayed. This field is only enabled for critical numbers that are set up to allow grouping.
    Date Range Select a date range for the critical number results.

    This field is only enabled for critical numbers with date ranges specified at setup.

    Drilldown Specify an integer for the drilldown to execute when the user double-clicks on the gauge.

    If this value is not specified, the gauge uses the first drilldown set for the critical number.

    Caption Format Select the format to use for the caption. If this format is set to anything other than None, the Caption field (above) is disabled, because the value is then set based on the critical number settings. To manually set the caption on a critical number-based gauge, specify None here.

    Select the caption format to use for the critical number:

    • Long: This option uses the value of the Description field on the Critical Numbers Setup form.
    • Short: This option uses the value of the Short Desc field on the Critical Numbers Setup form.
    • Default: This option uses the value of either the Description field or the Short Desc field on the Critical Numbers Setup form, depending on which is considered the default type of caption to use for the selected type of gauge.
    • None (static gauge option): This option allows you to manually set the caption, using the Caption field near the top of this tab.
    Sub-Caption Format Select the format to use for the sub-caption. If this format is set to anything other than None, the Sub-Caption field (above) is disabled, because the value is then set based on the critical number settings. To manually set the caption on a critical number-based gauge, specify None here.

    Select the sub-caption format to use for the critical number:

    • All: This option displays the goal value, the alert value, and the actual value.
    • Actual: This option displays only the actual value as the sub-caption.
    • None (static gauge option): This option displays no sub-caption or a manually created sub-caption, using the Sub-Caption field near the top of this tab.
    Goal Value To override the goal value set for the critical number, specify a decimal value to compare to the actual value in its place.
    Alert Value To override the alert value set for the critical number, specify a decimal value to compare to the actual value in its place.
    Automatic Refresh Interval Specify the interval, in minutes, at which to refresh the critical number.
    Filter 1-5 Specify filters to use on the critical number.

    These filter fields depend on setup of the critical number's input parameters. Up to five input parameters display automatically in these fields. If the critical number has more than five input parameters, the Additional Input Parameters button displays, which you can click to open an additional form for the additional input parameters.

    Additional Input Parameters When visible (see previous entry), you can click to enter up to 50 additional filters based on the setup of the critical number. The filters are enabled and labeled dynamically, based on the critical number chosen.

For more information about these and other gauge properties, see the FusionCharts Developer help (www.fusioncharts.com/dev/).

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