Advanced Formatting
DataEngine
When the data engine generates elements to be used in conjunction with category x axes* the element x values, despite being numeric or time based, are placed in the element.Name property as strings. To specify a format used in this process DataEngine.FormatString and DataEngine.CultureName are used.
* As opposed to a true numeric or time axis scales, category axes show elements by their name.
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Note: To bypass using element names and use the actual x values you can specify "XValue=__" in the dataEngine's DataFields property instead of "XAxis=___"; |
Embedded in Tokens
This section demonstrates how to use different formatting in labels so they dont use the axis format.
All values shown in a chart are based on a label template string which uses tokens that specify which element value to show. For example a regular combo chart shows y values for each element and this can be specified using the following code:
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Elements show values when Chart.DefaultSeries.DefaultElement.ShowValue = true |
[C#]
Chart.DefaultSeries.DefaultElement.SmartLabel.Text = "%YValue";
[Visual Basic]
Chart.DefaultSeries.DefaultElement.SmartLabel.Text = "%YValue"
To imbed format strings within the element's label template, the following syntax is used:
<Token,Format>
Example element templates:
| Template Text | Result |
| <%YValue,Currency> | $500.00 |
| (<%YValue,Currency>, <%XValue,d>) | ($500.00, 11/18/2004) |
Example: The following code will specify a currency format for the default element label template.
[C#] Chart.DefaultSeries.DefaultElement.SmartLabel.Text = "<%YValue,Currency>";
[Visual Basic] Chart.DefaultSeries.DefaultElement.SmartLabel.Text = "<%YValue,Currency>"
This will format the labels on the chartArea as currency but not in other places like the legend box.
For a complete list of possible tokens see: Tokens
For a reference of how to access different label on a chart see Using Labels
Advanced Axis Formatting
The axis also provides some additional settings that influence the axis format.
Percent
Setting Axis.Percent = true will format axis tick labels as percentages (in addition to snapping the scales maximum value to 100%)
A shortcut for setting the number of decimals for axis formats is to specify it with the Axis.NumberPrecision property.
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Format strings that specify decimal spaces override this setting. |
[C#]
Chart.YAxis.NumberPrecision = 2;
[Visual Basic]
Chart.YAxis.NumberPrecision = 2