Introduction

The JetChart Library is a Java class library that encompasses a wide range of functionalities aimed at data visualization and analysis, in the form of different types of charts. Data can be represented in many ways, like a sequence of connected points, bars, columns, filled areas, scattered points, and more.

This tutorial is focused on the development of chart applications, and introduces user to the JetChart Library API through a series of examples.

The topics outlined on the left frame cover basic functionalities of JetChart. Each topic description is followed by a complete example. To run the example, mouse-select the code, paste it into your Java environment and compile it.

To successfully compile JetChart applications, one of the following set of jar files has to be added to your system classpath:

  • Applications developed with heavyweight components:
    1. GraphChart.jar - This jar file contains JetChart core classes used to plot any chart other than scatter charts and pie charts. The following types of series require GraphChart.jar:

      • Line series
      • Area series
      • Bar series
      • Stacked bars series
      • Point series
      • Image series
      • OHLC/HLC series

      An unlimited number of the above listed series can be combined in a single chart.

    2. ScatterChart.jar - This jar file contains JetChart core classes used to plot scatter charts, which are characterized by data points being plotted against a horizontal and a vertical scale. The following types of series require ScatterChart.jar:

      • XY series
      • XY line series
      • XY image series
      • Bubble series

      An unlimited number of the above listed series can be combined in a single scatter chart.

    3. PieChart.jar - This jar file contains JetChart core classes used to plot pie charts.

    4. Encoders.jar - This jar file contains the classes used to encode charts into GIF, JPEG, PNG and SVG images.

  • Applications developed with Swing components:
    1. sGraphChart.jar - Contains the same classes available in GraphChart.jar, but adapted to run with Swing applications.

    2. sScatterChart.jar - Contains the same classes available in ScatterChart.jar, but adapted to run with Swing applications.

    3. sPieChart.jar - Contains the same classes available in PieChart.jar, but adapted to run with Swing applications.

    4. sEncoders.jar - Contains the same classes available in Encoders.jar, but adapted to run with Swing applications.

    Do not mix heavyweight and Swing jar files when developing applications, otherwise unexpected results may arise.

    The required files can be found at the JetChart/lib directory after decompression of the JetChart.zip file. With a few exceptions, all the examples presented through the tutorial are Swing based applications.

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