FusionCharts v3 introduces the concept of number scaling. Number scaling lets you shorten the numbers on charts using commonly used scales (like K,M etc.). You can define your own scales for numbers and then apply it to all numbers on the chart.

Let's start with the most basic example which is already defined in FusionCharts - thousands (K) and millions (M) scale.

By default, if your numbers on the chart are greater than 1000, FusionCharts scales them to K (Thousands) or M (Millions). For example, if you plot a chart with data as 12500, 13400 and 13300, you'll see the following chart:

As you can see above, FusionCharts has scaled the numbers down to K. By default, FusionCharts has the K,M (1000,1000) scaling defined for each chart. If you do not want this scaling to be applied by default, you can set:

<chart formatNumberScale='0' ...>  

"chart":{
    "formatnumberscale":"0"
      ...
  }

You can, however, change it to anything you wish. Let's see it in the next example.

FusionCharts, by default, has 1000,1000 (K,M) scaling defined for all charts. It doesn't have the scaling for billions defined. Let's modify the number scaling to add billion so that the final scale looks like 1000,1000,1000 (K,M,B).

This scale, in human terms, would look something as under:

1000 = 1 K
1000 K = 1 M
1000 M = 1 B

Now, to convert this scale into FusionCharts XML/JSON format, you'll have to do the following:

1. Define your own scale for the chart as under:
   
   
   • XML
   • JSON

   <chart numberScaleValue='1000,1000,1000' numberScaleUnit='K,M,B' >

    "chart":{
       "numberscalevalue":"1000,1000,1000",
       "numberscaleunit":"K,M,B"
     }

   If you carefully see this and match it with previous table, you'll find that whatever numeric figure was present on the left hand side of the table is put in numberScaleValue and whatever unit was present on the right side of the scale table has been put under numberScaleUnit - all separated by commas.

2. Set the chart formatting flags to on as under:
   
   
   • XML
   • JSON

   <chart formatNumber='1' formatNumberScale='1' ...>

    "chart":{
       "formatnumber":"1",
       "formatnumberscale":"1"
         ...
     }

When you now view a chart containing data in billions, you'll see as under. Note that the chart now contains figure both in millions and billions.

The XML/JSON for this chart can be listed as under:

<chart numberScaleValue='1000,1000,1000' numberScaleUnit='K,M,B' numberPrefix='$'>
  <set label='John' value='986000000' />
  <set label='Mary' value='3134000000' />
  <set label='Andy' value='3245000000' />
</chart>

{
  "chart":{
    "numberscalevalue":"1000,1000,1000",
    "numberscaleunit":"K,M,B",
    "numberprefix":"$"
  },
  "data":[{
      "label":"John",
      "value":"986000000"
    },
    {
      "label":"Mary",
      "value":"3134000000"
    },
    {
      "label":"Andy",
      "value":"3245000000"
    }
  ]
}

In case of dual y-axis charts, to apply this scaling to the secondary axis, you would write the following XML/JSON (note the s prefix before each attribute indicating secondary axis).

Let's consider another example where we intend to plot time related figures on the chart. Say we're plotting a chart which indicates the time taken by a list of automated processes. Each process in the list can take time ranging from a few seconds to few days. And we've the data for each process in seconds itself. Now, if we were to show all the data on the chart in seconds only, it won't appear too legible. What we can do is build a scale indicating time and then specify it to the chart. This scale, in human terms, would look something as under:

60 seconds = 1 minute
60 minute = 1 hr
24 hrs = 1 day
7 days = 1 week

Now, to convert this scale into FusionCharts XML/JSON format, you'll have to do it as under:

1. First you would need to define the unit of the data which you're providing. Like, in this example, you're providing all data in seconds. So, default number scale would be represented in seconds. We can represent it as under:
   
   
   • XML
   • JSON

   <chart defaultNumberScale='s' ...> 

   "chart":{
       "defaultnumberscale":"s"
         ...
     }

   
   
2. Next, we define our own scale for the chart as under:
   
   
   • XML
   • JSON

   <chart numberScaleValue='60,60,24,7' numberScaleUnit='min,hr,day,wk' >

   "chart":{
       "numberscalevalue":"60,60,24,7",
       "numberscaleunit":"min,hr,day,wk"
     }

   Again, if you carefully see this and match it with our range, you'll find that whatever numeric figures are present on the left hand side of the range is put in numberScaleValue and whatever units are present on the right side of the scale has been put under numberScaleUnit - all separated by commas.

3. Set the chart formatting flags to on as under:
   
   
   • XML
   • JSON

   <chart formatNumber='1' formatNumberScale='1' ...>

   "chart":{
       "formatnumber":"1",
       "formatnumberscale":"1"
         ...
     }

The entire data looks as under:

<chart defaultNumberScale='s' numberScaleValue='60,60,24,7' numberScaleUnit='min,hr,day,wk'>
   <set label='A' value='38' />
   <set label='B' value='150' />
   <set label='C' value='11050' />
   <set label='D' value='334345' />
   <set label='E' value='1334345' />
</chart>

{
  "chart":{
    "defaultnumberscale":"s",
    "numberscalevalue":"60,60,24,7",
    "numberscaleunit":"min,hr,day,wk"
  },
  "data":[{
      "label":"A",
      "value":"38"
    },
    {
      "label":"B",
      "value":"150"
    },
    {
      "label":"C",
      "value":"11050"
    },
    {
      "label":"D",
      "value":"334345"
    },
    {
      "label":"E",
      "value":"1334345"
    }
  ]
}

When you now view the chart, you'll see that all the data has been automatically scaled to the best value. Like:

38 was converted to 38s
150 was converted to 2.50min
11050 was converted to 3.07hr
334345 was converted to 3.87 day
1334345 was converted to 2.21wk

In case of dual y-axis charts, to apply this scaling to the secondary axis, you would write the following XML/JSON (note the s prefix before each attribute indicating secondary axis).

Take another example, where you're plotting a chart indicating memory usage of a network server. The usage can be from few bits to a few gigabytes. Again, you've all your data in bits - so we can render the range as under:

8 bits = 1 Byte
1024 bytes = 1 KB
1024 KB = 1 MB
1024 MB = 1 GB
1024 GB = 1 TB

And the XML/JSON can be written as under:

 <chart defaultNumberScale='bits' numberScaleValue='8,1024,1024,1024,1024' numberScaleUnit='bytes,KB,MB,GB,TB' >

 "chart":{
    "defaultnumberscale":"bits",
    "numberscalevalue":"8,1024,1024,1024,1024",
    "numberscaleunit":"bytes,KB,MB,GB,TB"
  }

Similarly, for dual y-axis chart, it would be:

<chart sFormatNumberScale='1' sDefaultNumberScale='bits' sNumberScaleValue='8,1024,1024,1024,1024' sNumberScaleUnit='bytes,KB,MB,GB,TB'>

"chart":{
    "sformatnumberscale":"1",
    "sdefaultnumberscale":"bits",
    "snumberscalevalue":"8,1024,1024,1024,1024",
    "snumberscaleunit":"bytes,KB,MB,GB,TB"
  }

Let's consider another length/distance example. The standard length/distance range can be rendered as under (with inches being the default unit):

12 inches = 1 feet
3 feet = 1 yard
1760 yards = 1 mile

So, we can write the XML/JSON as under:

<chart defaultNumberScale='inches' numberScaleValue='12,3,1760' numberScaleUnit='feet,yards,miles' >

 "chart":{
    "defaultnumberscale":"inches",
    "numberscalevalue":"12,3,1760",
    "numberscaleunit":"feet,yards,miles"
  }

Similarly, for dual y-axis chart, it would be:

<chart sFormatNumberScale='1' sDefaultNumberScale='inches' sNumberScaleValue='12,3,1760' sNumberScaleUnit='feet,yards,miles' >

"chart":{
    "sformatnumberscale":"1",
    "sdefaultnumberscale":"inches",
    "snumberscalevalue":"12,3,1760",
    "snumberscaleunit":"feet,yards,miles"
  }