Formatting a map
Like the standard chart builders the map builder provides a separate page for formatting tasks. Figure 18‑6 shows an example of the Format Map page displaying the general properties for a map.
Figure 18‑6 A map and its general formatting properties
Format Map lists formatting properties for each visual part of a map.
General properties
The general properties of a map control overall appearance, such as location colors, hover style, background and border style. General properties can also define the connector line, the number format, and the map legend. For example, Figure 18‑7 shows custom background, outline, connector line, and hover effect color.
Figure 18‑7 Sample formatting of a map’s general properties
Table 18‑1 shows all the general properties.
Table 18‑1 General properties
Property
Usage
Background Color
Sets the background color of the map.
Canvas Border Color
Specifies the color of the border around the entire map.
Caption
Adds a caption to the map.
Connector Line Color
Specifies the color of the line between the entity name and the entity location.
Drop Shadow
Enables or disables the appearance of a shadow below the map.
Entities Border Color
Specifies the color of the border around the location entities.
Entities Fill Color
Specifies the color within the border of an entity location.
Font Color
Specifies the color of the text.
Font Faces
Specifies the name of the font.
Font Size
Specifies the font size in points.
Format Number
Enables or disables number formatting.
Format Number Scale
Abbreviates a number to an appropriate number factor. For example, 10,000 becomes 10K.
Fraction Digits
Specifies the number of digits displayed after the decimal point.
Hover Effect Color
Specifies the color of the location entity under the mouse pointer.
Include Name in Labels
Enables or disables the display of location entity names.
Include Value in Labels
Enables or disables the display of the location entity’s value.
Legend Caption
Specifies the name displayed above the map legend.
Legend Position
Specifies the position of legend in relation to the map.
Number Prefix
Specifies a text value to display before a number.
Number Suffix
Specifies a text value to display after a number.
Short Name in Tool Tip
Enables or disables the display of the short name of a location entity in a tooltip. For example, NA is the short name of North America.
Show Border
Enables or disables the border around the map.
Show Entity Tool Tip
Enables or disables the display of a tooltips when a mouse pointer is placed over the entity.
Show Labels
Enables or disables the display of labels.
Show Legend
Enables or disables the display of a legend when highlight ranges exist.
Use Hover Effect
Enables or disables the highlighting of a location entity when the mouse pointer moves over the entity.
Highlights properties
Use highlights to change the color of map entities based on defined ranges of values. For example, sales values in a certain range can display as yellow for low sales and green for expected sales. When ranges are defined for highlights, the color assigned to a range can display in a legend with the range description or value range. The legend name and its position are defined in the general properties of the map.
Figure 18‑8 shows highlights properties set for a map.
Figure 18‑8 A map and its highlights formatting properties
When ranges are defined, you can display an interactive gradient legend that enables users to highlight map location entities using a start and an end needle. Location entities with values between the two needles display on the map, other location entities are hidden.
Figure 18‑9 shows a gradient legend with multiple ranges of values.
Figure 18‑9 Using an interactive gradient legend with value ranges
Table 18‑2 shows all the highlight properties and lists the gadgets to which they apply.
Table 18‑2 Highlights properties
Property
Usage
Color
Specifies the color of the region.
Display
Specifies the name of the region to display in the legend.
Enable Gradient Legend
Enable the gradient legend.
End Label
Specifies the name to display at the end of the gradient legend.
Gradient Legend Color
Specifies a starting color for the gradient legend.
Max
Specifies the value where the range ends.
Min
Specifies the value where the range starts.
Start Label
Specifies the name to display at the start of the gradient legend.
Rendering platform
BIRT Designer Professional uses a third-party map library from Fusion Charts, to render maps. This map library is integrated into BIRT Designer Professional’s standard map builder, where you create maps using the familiar user interface.
Fusion Charts also provides a full API, which you can use to programmatically add, remove, or modify map elements after creating the map in the map builder. Access to the Fusion Charts API is through the map builder’s script editor.