A Time Series Slider widget is an area graph that allows a document analyst to choose which section of the graph to view at a time. The widget consists of two related graphs, one positioned above the other. The top graph is the controller, and contains a slider. The bottom graph is the primary graph. You use the slider on the controller to select some portion of the controller, which determines the range of data visible in the primary graph.
Time series datasets are often long and require analysis from both a macro and micro view. Therefore, the time series slider widget requires only one attribute, preferably one with many values. This attribute is normally time-based, but it does not have to be. The widget also requires only one metric. In the graph:
The X-axis represents the attribute. In the image below, this is the Month attribute.
The Y-axis represents the
metric. In the image below, this is the Revenue metric.
Insert a Time Series Slider widget into the document. For steps, see Inserting a widget into a document
Add objects to the widget template. To do this, from the Dataset Objects panel on the left, select attributes and metrics and drag them on top of the widget, using the following requirements:
Place at least one attribute on the rows. This attribute is typically time-based, such a Day or Quarter attribute, but it does necessarily have to be. Its elements are displayed on the X-axis.
Place one metric on the columns. The metric values are displayed on the graph report's Y-axis. If you include two metrics, a line graph and an area graph are displayed together.
Insert a selector next to the Time Series Slider widget. This selector allows users to choose different attribute elements. Assign an attribute as the selector's source. For steps to insert a selector and choose a source for it, see Inserting a selector into a document.
Set the Time Series Slider widget template as the target of the selector. For steps to select an object as target of a selector, see Choosing targets for a selector.
It is recommended you also drag the dataset report from the Dataset Objects panel and place it beneath the selector. This allows you to see the report's values as you select different attribute elements from the selector and see how they change the appearance of the Time Series Slider widget.
View and test your results by selecting Flash Mode from the View menu.
If Flash Mode is not available in the View menu, you must make Flash Mode available in the document. For steps, see Defining which display modes are available to users.
In Flash Mode, right-click the widget and select Properties. The Time Series Slider dialog box opens. These are the options:
Inherit graph formatting: This option allows you to select whether the widget values -- the percentage or currency, for example -- display in the same format as they do in the grid or graph from which they were added to the widget.
Display legend outside of graph: Determines where you want to place the graph legend. If the legend is displayed inside the graph, it may overlap with the data on the axes. Select this option for a more streamlined-looking graph.
Enable fixed y-axis: Determines whether the Y-axis of the primary graph remains fixed regardless of the data or any changes to the data.
Enable data sampling: Determines whether to view only a subset of the dataset on the graph. This data sampling displays an equally dispersed set of X-axis values on the graph, to provide an overall impression about the graph’s value.
Data sampling maximum window size: This option lets you type a value to determine the display of tick marks across the X-axis. You can type a value between 3 and 1000.
All series as line graphs: Determines whether to display all the data on the report as line graphs. For example, you create a widget displaying region, revenue, and last year's revenue. If you select the All series as line graphs check box, revenue and last year's revenue will display their results as lines on the graph; however, if you leave the check box unselected, then one of the revenue values will display as a line and the other will display as a vertical area where the entire section below the line is colored in.
Selectable Area: Select this option to determine what to use as the selectable area. You must also enable the widget as a selector, as described in To use the widget as a selector below. For more information about using a Time Series Slider widget as a selector, see About using a Time Series Slider widget as a selector. The options are:
Slider: Determines whether you want to use the slider to select a range of elements.
Primary Graph: Determines whether you want to use the primary graph to select an individual element.
Change Selection on Mouse Over: Select this option enable changing the display of selectable area by hovering the mouse over the area you want to see.
Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
In Design or Editable Mode, do one of the following:
Right-click the attribute, custom group, or consolidation in the Grid/Graph to use as the selector, and choose Edit Selector. The Configure Selector dialog box opens.
Right-click the Metrics column in the Grid/Graph, and choose Edit Selector. The Configure Selector dialog box opens.
Select the target Grid/Graph or panel stack in the list of available targets on the left. Click > to add it to the list of selected targets on the right. You can select multiple targets.
The attribute, custom group, or consolidation you selected in the Grid/Graph is the source, and the selected Grid/Graph is the target. The Action Type of the selector is set the Select Element.
To ensure that the user can select more than one element in the widget, select the Show option for All check box.
To ensure that the element displayed in the selector changes if an element is chosen in another selector, select Allow selection to be updated by other selectors.
Click OK to apply the changes and return to the document.
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