Chart Format

As a server-side component, Chart FX for Java allows developers to generate charts in a myriad of formats. Which one to choose depends not only on performance and scalability, but also on other important issues such as browser compatibility, interactivity, accessibility and security.

The Chart FX server control can dynamically generate and render Png, Jpeg, .NET, Flash and SVG chart files. Other formats may also be supported in the future. Please see OutputWriter for more information.

In general, chart formats that require a viewer (i.e. Flash and SVG) enhance server performance since chart files are very small and each client will carry much of the chart painting processing load. These viewers also provide a better analytical experience by allowing browser interaction without additional intervention from the developer or trips back to the server. However, they do not provide universal access plus some organizations do not allow the use of viewers because of security and accessibility reasons.

In general, viewers are acceptable under a controlled environment like an intranet. However, if you must reach a wide audience, you may be forced to generate universally accepted images like Png and Jpeg.

These raster images decrease performance since each chart needs to be painted and even stored on the server. Also, these charts will provide limited or no analytical capabilities on the browser since they are rendered as static images, except for PNG images which supports hot spots or URL links on most chart elements. The major advantage of using chart images is that they provide universal access to charts from any browser, platform or operating system.