Automating your mekko graphics charts

Automating Your Mekko Graphics Charts

March 12, 2013

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Copyright 2013 © Mekko Graphics. All rights reserved.

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Automating Your Mekko Graphics ChartsUsing the Mekko Graphics API

Darryl RobinsonAPI Solutions Manager

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Topics


• Part 1– What the API is– How to obtain it– What its capabilities and benefits are– How the Mekko Graphics team can help you leverage

the API in your organization• Part 2– How to install it– How to plan and build an application using the API

• Q&A

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The Mekko Graphics API


• A programming interface used to build applications that generate Mekko Graphics charts and PowerPoint presentations

• Can be called from applications written in a variety of programming languages

• Sample applications supplied in C# and Visual Basic

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Obtaining the Mekko Graphics API


• Downloaded and installed separately from Mekko Graphics

• Available free of charge to our preferred customers

• Contact us to find out whether your organization qualifies

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API Capabilities and Benefits


• Use the API to create interactive Mekko Graphics charts

• Use the API to create charts from Excel workbooks, databases, Web services, or BI platforms

• Resulting charts may be refined in PowerPoint if necessary

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The API in Action


• Desktop application that generates a Market Map of Revenue by Region and Vertical

• Data sourced from a SQL Server database• API enables real-time interaction with chart:– View different years– Select different subsets of regions or verticals– Highlight underperforming regions– Save chart to PowerPoint presentation

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Getting Started


• Use internal technical resources to develop your application

• Have our consultants develop your application• Have your team perform the development

with advice from our consultants

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Part 2


• How to install the API• How to plan and build an application• Q&A

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Installing the Mekko Graphics API


• Double-clicking the installation file launches a standard setup program that installs the API

• Installation directory includes:– Libraries (DLLs) to be referenced by your projects– Sample applications with source code– Help files, which are also available online

• Sample applications, help, and source code are available from your Start menu

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Planning Your Application


• Select the chart(s) to automate• Use our Chart Decomposition Checklist to

describe the chart(s) in detail• Identify the data source(s) for the chart(s) and

determine whether transformation is required• Describe any additional functionality

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Planning: Chart Selection


• Use the API to automate charts based on:– Programmatically available data (e.g. a database

or Web service)– Data with rule-based, repeatable transformation

logic

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Planning: Chart Selection


• A good automation candidate:

– Based on transactional data that is probably already summarized for management reporting

– Transforming the raw data is straight forward

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2012 Revenue by Region and Vertical

USA & Canada

Financial Services 40%

Communications 12%

Retail 14%

Services 16%

Other 19%

$706M

Europe

Financial Services 44%

Communications 10%

Retail 15%

Services 13%

Other 19%

$616M

Asia Pacific

Financial Services25%

Communications19%

Retail 15%

Services 8%

Other 33%

$480M

Rest ofWorld

FinancialServices

25%

Retail18%

Services 7%

Other24%

$237M Total = $2,039M

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Planning: Chart Decomposition


• Use our chart decomposition checklist to describe each selected chart:

• Use the checklist to capture the rule, not the exceptions

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Planning: Data Decomposition


• Use the Data Editor to determine the structure of your chart’s data

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• First column stores series names• Subsequent columns store chart data• Derive subsequent column names from bar

labels

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• Identify the source of the data

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• Determine how to massage the source data

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Planning: Additional Functionality


• Should your application allow ad-hoc analysis, and, if so, along what dimension(s)?

• Should your application allow chart customization (e.g. changing series colors)?

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Building Your Application


• API application design pattern– Retrieve and massage data– Link massaged data to the chart– Format chart using properties from your Chart

Decomposition Checklists– Add the chart to a PowerPoint presentation– Implement additional interactivity (e.g. ability to

change years, industries, or regions)

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Application Walkthrough


• The user interface

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• The source code

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• BindChartData method– Retrieves raw data– Displays raw data in a read-only grid– Creates a DataTable to store massaged data– Massages raw data and adds it to the DataTable

and a read-only grid– Links the massaged data to the chart by setting

_oChart.DataSource

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• FormatChart method controls the chart’s appearance– Sets chart-wide properties (e.g. whether legend is

displayed, or unplaced labels are “smart placed”)– Formats bar totals and grand total– Formats axes, including labels and titles– Formats segment values and series labels– Formats series colors and positioning– Adjusts margins and “smart places” labels

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• CreateDeck method adds chart to PowerPoint presentation– Creates a new presentation, or opens an existing

presentation– Adds slide containing current chart to the

presentation– Saves presentation– Quits PowerPoint

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Q&A / Resources


• Contact Darryl Robinson at 781-250-2007 or [email protected] if you’re interested in obtaining the API or learning more.

• More information about the API can be found at http://www.mekkographics.com/product/mekko-graphics-api/

• This presentation will be available via slideshare at http://www.slideshare.net

• Webinar audio/video available on the Mekko Graphics YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/MekkoGraphics.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.mekkographics.com/product/mekko-graphics-api/

http://www.mekkographics.com/product/mekko-graphics-api/

http://www.slideshare.net/

http://www.slideshare.net/

http://www.youtube.com/user/MekkoGraphics



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Automating your mekko graphics charts