Line, bar and pie charts

Basic types of chart, single or in a grid

Updated 6 years ago by Template retirement home

How to use this template

The Swiss Army Knife of templates. Choose from line, bar, grouped bar, stacked bar, area or pie charts – and animate between them all.

Data requirements

You need one column of “Labels” (categories, times, numbers, etc) and one or more columns of “Values” (which must contain numbers). Each “Values” column creates a line on a line chart, a series of bars in a bar chart, or a pie chart.

Making a grid of charts

You can use the “Grid of charts” option to display each series in your data on its own mini chart – a visualisation technique called “small multiples”. Data can also be divided into mini charts by specifying a “Charts grid” column. In this case, there will be one chart for each unique value in the selected column. This is useful if your data is arranged in this way, or if you want to create a grid with multiple series on each chart.

Tips

  • You can use custom colours by typing them as a comma-separated list in to the “Colour scheme or custom colours” menu. You can use any named CSS colour or hexcode.
  • With a grid of line or bar charts, you can choose whether to have the same y axis for all the charts (good for comparing absolute numbers) or to have each chart set its own y-axis based on the data it contains (best for comparing the shape of each series).
  • If you make different views of your data and save them as separate visualisations, you can animate between the charts in the Flourish story editor.

This section documents API usage specific to this template, so for an introduction we suggest you refer to the generic API documentation instead.

template: _287

version: _1

Template data

There are three different formats in which you can supply data to this template. The most convenient for you to use likely depends on the source of your data, as described below.

1. Array of arrays, and a bindings object

You can supply arrays of arrays to opts.data, which might look like:

{
    data: {
        data: [
            [ "DataColumn1Value1", "DataColumn2Value1",
            [ "DataColumn1Value2", "DataColumn2Value2",
            [ "DataColumn1Value3", "DataColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

where each array of arrays represents the rows in a data sheet.

To tell the API how the values from each column should be associated with the keys that the template is expecting, you must also supply an object attached to opts.bindings. (The meanings of the keys in the bindings object are documented below.) The minimal bindings you can supply for this template are as shown in this example:

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    bindings: {
        data: {
            x: 0, // index of a column in your data
        }
    },
    data: {
        data: [
            [ "DataColumn1Value1", "DataColumn2Value1",
            [ "DataColumn1Value2", "DataColumn2Value2",
            [ "DataColumn1Value3", "DataColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

All possible bindings that you can supply are shown in this example:

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    bindings: {
        data: {
            x: 0, // index of a column in your data
            y: [1, 2, ...], // index(es) of column(s) in your data
            facet: 3, // index of a column in your data
        }
    },
    data: {
        data: [
            [ "DataColumn1Value1", "DataColumn2Value1",
            [ "DataColumn1Value2", "DataColumn2Value2",
            [ "DataColumn1Value3", "DataColumn2Value3",
            ...
        ]
    }
}

2. Array of objects with arbitrary keys, and a bindings object

This format is most likely useful when you have data from an external source, such as CSV data loaded from d3-dsv. You should supply this attached to the opts.data, which might look like:

{
        data: [
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }

... but with the keys being the column headers from your source data instead. You must also supply an object attached to opts.bindings. The minimal bindings you can supply for this template are as shown in this example:

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    bindings: {
        data: {
            x: "DataHeader1",
        }
    },
    data: {
        data: [
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }
}

All possible bindings that you can supply are shown in this example:

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    bindings: {
        data: {
            x: "DataHeader1",
            y: ["DataHeader2", "DataHeader3", ...],
            facet: "DataHeader4",
        }
    },
    data: {
        data: [
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            { "DataHeader1": ..., "DataHeader2": ..., ... },
            ...
        ]
    }
}

(As before, the keys containing "Header" would be replaced by column names from your data source.)

3. Array of objects with template-defined keys

There is an alternative format you can use, which is likely to be easier to use if your data is not from a spreadsheet source. With this alternative format you supply your data to the template as an array of objects, attached to opts.data, where the keys must be those used by the template, as documented below. In this case there is no need to supply a bindings object, since the key names are already those expected by the template. The required properties in the data object are as follows (scroll down for a description of what each property is):

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    data: {
    data: [
        {
            x: ...,
            y: [...]
        },
        ...
    ]
},
    ...
}

And the full list of all possible properties is as follows:

{
    template: "_287",
    version: "_1",
    data: {
    data: [
        {
            x: ...,
            y: [...],
            facet: ...
        },
        ...
    ]
},
    ...
}

Meanings of the template data keys:

  • data.x: A column of names or times
  • data.y: One or more columns of numbers
  • data.facet: If specified and “Grid of charts” view is on, creates a separate mini chart for each value found in the column.

Template settings

Options for opts.state.

Chart type

chart_type string

Allowed values:

  • line (Line chart)
  • area (Area chart)
  • area_prop (Area chart (stacked %))
  • column_grouped (Bar chart (grouped))
  • column_stacked (Bar chart (stacked))
  • column_stacked_prop (Bar chart (stacked %))
  • donut (Pie chart)

layout string

Grid mode. “Grid of charts” creates a mini chart for each series (or each value in your ”Charts grid” column, if specified)

Allowed values:

  • single (Single chart)
  • facets (Grid of charts)

Layout

facet_aspect number

Chart height, % of width.

facet_fixed_cols boolean

Fixed number of columns in grid.

facet_min_w number

Min chart width. Determines how many columns of charts there should be in the grid. Ignored if you specify a fixed number of columns.

facet_cols number

Number of columns in grid. Leave blank for automatic layout

Min: 1

facet_gutter_w number

Horizontal.

facet_gutter_h number

Vertical.

margin_top number

Top.

margin_right number

Right.

margin_bottom number

Bottom.

margin_left number

Left.

Chart styles

bg_color_style string

Background colour.

Allowed values:

  • none (None)
  • chart (Chart)
  • all (All)

bg_color color

Colour.

palette string

Colour scheme or custom colours. Choose from the list or enter a custom palette as a comma-separated list of colour codes or names (e.g. red, #343434)

Predefined values:

  • flourish_default_1 (Flourish categories A)
  • flourish_default_2 (Flourish categories B)
  • carto_pastel (Pastel light)
  • carto_antique (Pastel dark)
  • carto_rainbow (Rainbow)
  • schemeCategory20 (20 colours (paired))
  • schemeBrBG (Brown-BlueGreen)
  • schemePRGn (PurpleRed-Green)
  • schemePiYG (Pink-YellowGreen)
  • schemePuOr (Purple-Orange)
  • schemeRdBu (Red-Blue)
  • schemeRdGy (Red-Grey)
  • schemeRdYlBu (Red-Yellow-Blue)
  • schemeRdYlGn (Red-Yellow-Green)
  • schemeSpectral (Spectral)
  • schemeBlues (Blues)
  • schemeGreens (Greens)
  • schemeGreys (Greys)
  • schemePurples (Purples)
  • schemeReds (Reds)
  • schemeOranges (Orange)
  • schemeBuGn (Blue-Green)
  • schemeBuPu (Blue-Purple)
  • schemeGnBu (Green-Blue)
  • schemeOrRd (Orange-Red)
  • schemePuBuGn (PurpleBlueGreen)
  • schemePuBu (Purple-Blue)
  • schemePuRd (Purple-Red)
  • schemeRdPu (Red-Purple)
  • schemeYlGnBu (Yellow-GreenBu)
  • schemeYlGn (Yellow-Green)
  • schemeYlOrBr (Yellow-Orange-Brown)
  • schemeYlOrRd (Yellow-Orange-Red)

line_width number

Width.

line_opacity number

Opacity.

Max: 1

line_curve string

Line curve.

Allowed values:

  • curveLinear (Straight)
  • curveMonotoneX (Curve (X))
  • curveNatural (Curve (Natural))
  • curveStep (Step)
  • curveStepBefore (Step Before)
  • curveStepAfter (Step After)

line_end_labels boolean

Line labels.

line_end_labels_width number

Line label width. The margin added to the right of each chart for the line labels

area_opacity number

Opacity.

Max: 1

dot_opacity number

Opacity.

Max: 1

dot_radius number

Radius.

Max: 25

dot_radius_last number

Final radius. Scales the final dot in the series. Useful for highlighting the final point on a line chart. Leave blank to have the last dot the same size as the others.

column_padding_inner number

Space between bars. As a % of the width of a whole bar (or bar group)

Max: 100

column_padding_outer number

Space at edges. As a % of the width of a whole bar (or bar group)

Max: 100

column_opacity number

Bar opacity.

Min: 0.1

Max: 1

donut_inner_radius number

Doughnut hole (%).

Max: 99

donut_corner_radius number

Corner curve (pixels).

donut_pad_angle number

Segment padding (degrees).

Max: 10

donut_auto_scale boolean

Scale pies based on data. Scale each pie chart in the grid so that the area of each segment reflect its value

legend_show boolean

Show legend. Ignored in grid mode if colouring by chart

Title and subtitle

title string

Title.

subtitle string

Subtitle.

title_padding number

Margin (pixels).

title_color color

Colour.

X axis

x_axis_label string

X label.

x_axis_label_y number

Position.

x_axis_tick_h number

Height. Horizontal size of the axis in pixels (excludes label)

x_axis_min number

X min. Ignored if axis is showing categories rather than numbers

x_axis_max number

X max. Ignored if axis is showing categories rather than numbers

x_axis_last_row_only boolean

Only show X axis on last grid row.

x_axis_tick_style string

Allowed values:

  • ticks (Ticks)
  • gridlines (Gridlines)
  • none (None)

x_axis_num_ticks number

Number. Approximate number of tick marks or gridlines. The actual number will depend on the range of values, chart size, etc.

x_axis_tick_dashed number

Dashes. Zero for a solid line, bigger numbers for bigger dashes

x_axis_tick_color color

Lines.

x_axis_color color

Labels.

x_axis_tick_angle number

Text angle.

Max: 90

x_axis_tick_font_size number

Text size.

x_axis_ticks_inline boolean

Labels on gridlines.

Y axis

y_axis_label string

Y label.

y_axis_tick_w number

Width. Horizontal size of the axis in pixels (excludes label)

y_axis_min number

Y min.

y_axis_max number

Y max.

y_axis_log boolean

Log scale.

y_axis_matching boolean

Matching y axis across grid of charts.

y_axis_first_col_only boolean

Only show Y axis on first column of grid.

y_axis_tick_style string

Allowed values:

  • ticks (Ticks)
  • gridlines (Gridlines)
  • none (None)

y_axis_num_ticks number

Number. Approximate number of tick marks or gridlines. The actual number will depend on the range of values, chart size, etc.

y_axis_tick_dashed number

Dashes. Zero for a solid line, bigger numbers for bigger dashes

y_axis_tick_color color

Lines.

y_axis_color color

Labels.

y_axis_tick_font_size number

Text size.

y_axis_ticks_inline boolean

Labels above lines.

Popups

show_popups boolean

Show popups.

Font size.

Annotations

anno_x_enabled boolean

Show highlights on the x axis.

anno_x_lines text

One per line, in format “Thing :: 2012”.

anno_x_line_color color

Color.

anno_x_line_width number

Width.

anno_x_line_dash number

Dash.

anno_x_areas text

One per line, in format “Thing :: 2013 >> 2015”.

anno_x_fill_color color

Area.

anno_x_label_color color

Text.

anno_x_fill_opacity number

Area opacity.

anno_x_label_align string

Labels.

Allowed values:

  • left (fa-align-left)
  • middle (fa-align-center)
  • right (fa-align-right)

anno_x_stack string

Above or below data.

Allowed values:

  • above (Above)
  • below (Behind)

anno_y_enabled boolean

Show highlights on the y axis.

anno_y_lines text

One per line, in format “Thing :: 5000”.

anno_y_line_color color

Color.

anno_y_line_width number

Width.

anno_y_line_dash number

Dash.

anno_y_areas text

One per line, in format “Thing :: 2000 >> 8000”.

anno_y_fill_color color

Area.

anno_y_label_color color

Text.

anno_y_fill_opacity number

Area opacity.

anno_y_label_align string

Labels.

Allowed values:

  • left (fa-align-left)
  • middle (fa-align-center)
  • right (fa-align-right)

anno_y_stack string

Above or below data.

Allowed values:

  • above (Above)
  • below (Behind)

Number formatting

decimal_separator_in_data string

Decimal separator in data sheet. Used for interpretting your data. Only change if data is not displaying on the chart as expected.

Allowed values:

  • . (.)
  • , (,)

decimal_separator string

Number format to display. How the numbers should appear in the chart – e.g. on the axes and popups

Allowed values:

  • . (12,235.67)
  • , (12.345,67)

number_prefix string

Number prefix.

decimals number

Decimal places. The maximum number of decimal places to show

number_suffix string

Number suffix.

Animations

data_trans_duration number

Animation duration. The duration, in milliseconds, of transitions – for example between two slides in a story