Inserting a Data Constellation

The chart displays an interconnection of nodes and links to show relationships (links) between items (nodes). For example, what were actual sales as a percent of forecast at the company, subsidiary, division and department levels.

Inserting a New Data Constellation

In the Author Ribbon, click on the "Add New Chart" button (under Pick Charts) and click Data Constellation.
Click the configuration button to display the Data Constellation Wizard.
The Welcome wizard page displays. Click Next.
The Specify Data Condition wizard page displays. If two tables, representing a nodes table and links table respectively, have been loaded, select Yes. Otherwise, select No. Click Next.
The Specify Relationship Type wizard page displays. If the data to be displayed represents a hierarchical (parent/child) relationship, select Parent/Child (hierarchy). If the data is not hierarchical, select Affinity between two fields.
In the Define Relationship Between Fields wizard page, you can optionally show links between nodes. A link is a relationship between the data of two fields in a table. If you do not want to show links, clear the Display links between nodes checkbox. If you select this option, select the applicable table from the pulldown list and indicate From and To fields (if you selected Affinity Between Two Fields or Parent and Child fields (if you selected Parent/Child (hierarchy)). Click Next.
If you specified No in step 4 AND Display links between nodes is checked, skip to Step 8. Otherwise go to the next step.
The Specify Nodes Field wizard page is displayed. Select the table to use in the Data Constellation chart and specify the field to show in the nodes of the Data Constellation. Click Next to go to step 9.
In the Specify Aggregated Fields wizard page, an aggregate field is defined by default for each field from the table specified in step 6. For fields with numeric data types, operation choices include Copy, Count, Sum, Max, Min, and Avg. For categorical fields, operation choices are Copy and Count. The default operation for numeric fields is set to Sum, while categorical fields are set to use the Copy operation.
You can delete any aggregate fields from the list by highlighting the entire row and clicking on the box to the left of the first column. Shift and Control keys can be used to highlight multiple rows as once. Use the right mouse button to select the Delete Selected Rows context menu option.
To add a new aggregate field, click on the Add Field button. A new empty row will be added to the bottom of the list. Click on the Origin Field cell in the new row and select the field you want to aggregate. Click on the Operation Type cell in the new row and select the operation type you wish to apply to the field. A default destination field name is placed in the last cell of the new row. If you wish to change this name, click in the Destination Name cell and type in the new name.
You can edit any of the existing aggregate fields by clicking on the cell and either selecting a different value from the dropdown list for Origin Field and Operation Type columns, or by typing in a new name for the Destination Name column.
Click Next.
The Select Rendering Style wizard page displays. Data Constellations can be drawn in 2D or 3D styles (the default is 3D). Select a style. Select a node height field from the pulldown list if you are using 3D mode. Click Next.
The Select Placement Option wizard page displays. Select a placement option by clicking on an icon from those displayed on this page and click Next.
The Preview Data Constellation Appearance wizard page displays. If you like the appearance of the Data Constellation displayed, click Next to apply the properties. Otherwise, click Back and make the appropriate changes.
Click Finish to close the wizard.

Last updated 4 years ago

Inserting a New Data Constellation

In the Author Ribbon, click on the "Add New Chart" button (under Pick Charts) and click Data Constellation.

Click the configuration button to display the Data Constellation Wizard.

The Welcome wizard page displays. Click Next.

The Specify Data Condition wizard page displays. If two tables, representing a nodes table and links table respectively, have been loaded, select Yes. Otherwise, select No. Click Next.

The Specify Relationship Type wizard page displays. If the data to be displayed represents a hierarchical (parent/child) relationship, select Parent/Child (hierarchy). If the data is not hierarchical, select Affinity between two fields.

In the Define Relationship Between Fields wizard page, you can optionally show links between nodes. A link is a relationship between the data of two fields in a table. If you do not want to show links, clear the Display links between nodes checkbox. If you select this option, select the applicable table from the pulldown list and indicate From and To fields (if you selected Affinity Between Two Fields or Parent and Child fields (if you selected Parent/Child (hierarchy)). Click Next.

If you specified No in step 4 AND Display links between nodes is checked, skip to Step 8. Otherwise go to the next step.

The Specify Nodes Field wizard page is displayed. Select the table to use in the Data Constellation chart and specify the field to show in the nodes of the Data Constellation. Click Next to go to step 9.

In the Specify Aggregated Fields wizard page, an aggregate field is defined by default for each field from the table specified in step 6. For fields with numeric data types, operation choices include Copy, Count, Sum, Max, Min, and Avg. For categorical fields, operation choices are Copy and Count. The default operation for numeric fields is set to Sum, while categorical fields are set to use the Copy operation.

You can delete any aggregate fields from the list by highlighting the entire row and clicking on the box to the left of the first column. Shift and Control keys can be used to highlight multiple rows as once. Use the right mouse button to select the Delete Selected Rows context menu option.

To add a new aggregate field, click on the Add Field button. A new empty row will be added to the bottom of the list. Click on the Origin Field cell in the new row and select the field you want to aggregate. Click on the Operation Type cell in the new row and select the operation type you wish to apply to the field. A default destination field name is placed in the last cell of the new row. If you wish to change this name, click in the Destination Name cell and type in the new name.

You can edit any of the existing aggregate fields by clicking on the cell and either selecting a different value from the dropdown list for Origin Field and Operation Type columns, or by typing in a new name for the Destination Name column.

Click Next.

The Select Rendering Style wizard page displays. Data Constellations can be drawn in 2D or 3D styles (the default is 3D). Select a style. Select a node height field from the pulldown list if you are using 3D mode. Click Next.

The Select Placement Option wizard page displays. Select a placement option by clicking on an icon from those displayed on this page and click Next.

The Preview Data Constellation Appearance wizard page displays. If you like the appearance of the Data Constellation displayed, click Next to apply the properties. Otherwise, click Back and make the appropriate changes.

Click Finish to close the wizard.

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