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Data String Method

In this method, the entire chart data (XML or JSON) is provided as a string and embedded into the same page as the chart. When a chart renders or gets updated in a page, it reads the chart data from the string and then renders the chart. The following diagram (along  with the steps described below) would help you understand better:

  1. Unlike the Data URL method, here, the entire XML or JSON data is embedded as string in the Web page containing the chart. The data can be embedded in various ways like:
    • The data can be generated from dynamic data-sources like database, etc. using Server-side scripts and embedded into the web page (while creating the page)
    • The data can be generated in the page itself using JavaScript without external dependencies (for example, when creating a chart from HTML Form)
    • The data can be acquired using various Web API's, AJAX responses and stored as string in the page itself
  2. Once the chart is loaded on the end user's machine or a chart's data needs to be updated, it reads the XML/JSON string or JSON object embedded into the page using JavaScript functions
  3. And finally, the desired chart is rendered!

Effectively, in this process you need the following to build a chart:

  1. Chart Container Page - The page which contains the HTML code to embed the chart. It also contains the XML data to be used by the chart.
  2. Chart SWF File - for the chart that you wish to render. Each chart in PowerCharts XT is an SWF file that creates a specific type of chart. For example, if you want to create Spline chart, you will need the SWF file called Spline.swf.
  3. FusionCharts Javascript Class Files - These files help in embedding the chart SWF file in your HTML page and rendering JavaScript (HTML5) fallback charts. The required files are - FusionCharts.js, FusionCharts.HC.js, FusionCharts.HC.PowerCharts.js and jquery.min.js.
 
Sample Usage of Data String method using FusionCharts JavaScript Class
 
<div id="chart1div">
   This text is replaced by the chart.
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
   var chart1 = new FusionCharts("Waterfall2D.swf", "ChId1", "600", "400", "0");
   chart1.setXMLData("<chart><set label='Data1' value='1' /></chart>");
   chart1.render("chart1div");
</script>

FusionCharts JavaScript Class provides other functions to achieve the same: setJSONData, setChartData, setDataXML (deprecated)

Using various Server-side scripts

To ease embedding of charts in your web pages, PowerCharts XT provides wrapper classes ready for various server-side scripts like ASP, ASP.NET C#, ASP.NET VB.NET, PHP, J2EE, Ruby on Rails and ColdFusion. Moreover, in ASP and PHP, the APIs allow you to connect to arrays and databases and even dynamically build XML data which can directly be provided to chart.

FusionCharts wrapper classes are present in FusionCharts XT pack. If you do not have the licensed pack of FusionCharts XT, you can directly download the trial version of FusionCharts XT and get the fully functional wrapper classes from the pack. The wrapper classes are present in the FusionCharts XT Download Pack's Code folder.

Here, we provide highlights of code snippets that are used in each technology to embed PowerCharts XT using Data String method.

Using Classic ASP

Call renderChart("../../Charts/Spline.swf", "", chartDataAsString, "myFirst", 600, 300, false, false)

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Using ASP.NET C# 

FusionCharts.RenderChart("../Charts/Spline.swf", "", chartDataAsString, "myFirst", "600", "300", false, false);

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Using ASP.NET VB

FusionCharts.RenderChart("../Charts/Spline.swf", "", chartDataAsString, "myFirst", "600", "300", False, False)

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Using PHP

renderChart("../../Charts/Spline.swf", "", $chartDataAsString, "myFirst", 600, 300, false, false);

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Using J2EE

<jsp:include page="../Includes/FusionChartsRenderer.jsp" flush="true">
	<jsp:param name="chartSWF" value="../../Charts/Spline.swf" />
	<jsp:param name="strURL" value="" />
	<jsp:param name="strXML" value=chartDataAsString />
	<jsp:param name="chartId" value="myFirst" />
	<jsp:param name="chartWidth" value="600" />
	<jsp:param name="chartHeight" value="300" />
	<jsp:param name="debugMode" value="false" />
	<jsp:param name="registerWithJS" value="false" />
</jsp:include>

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Using ColdFusion

<cfoutput>#renderChart("../../Charts/Spline.swf", "", chartDataAsString, "myFirst", 600, 300, false, false)#</cfoutput>

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Using Ruby on Rails

render_chart '/Charts/Spline.swf', '', chartDataAsString, 'configuredChart', 600, 300, false, false

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