How to Create a Dot Matrix Chart

What is a Dot Matrix Chart

Dot Matrix charts represent a single series of numbers as proportional areas from a set of dots. Filling starts from the top-right corner to the left, and goes down one row after we complete a row of dots.

Imagine the wall as a rectangular area of 10 x 5 dots. The numbers 2, 7 and 1 will then be represented by sequences of 10, 35 and 5 dots each. For our example, 2 will use the whole top row of 10 dots, 7 the next 3 and a half rows, 1 half of the remaining bottom row of dots.

As these proportions are integer-based approximations, it may happen to have no dot for a non-zero number, but which is too small.

When the query result returns one single value, we automatically show a Dot Matrix Gauge instead: we represent it as a 0..100% percent value on a 100% set, with a gray color for the dots left empty.

Steps to Create a Dot Matrix Chart

Start Visual Xtractor or Data Xtractor. Connect to a database. Create or design a SQL query. Run the query and check the results.

1. Display and enable the Chart query builder.
2. Select a numeric data column as Matrix Charts – Dot Matrix chart.
3. Or return one 0..100 value, or choose Gauge Charts – Dot Matrix Gauge instead.
4. Select another textual column as Label, for legend labels.

Dot Matrix Chart Demo Query

Look for the ready-to-use Dot Matrix Charts generated query under the Queries > Demo Queries > Charts > Cartesian Charts folder. Click on the “add demo queries” command link, if not there.

Generated demo queries must work for any database, with no restriction. They use constant values generated on-the-fly and your database SQL engine, but do not depend on data from your tables, and never alter your database in any way.

Dot Matrix Gauge Demo Query

It would make no sense to display the full set of dots with the same shape and color. Or this may happen when the query result returns one single value.

We take this value instead, treat it as a 0..100% percent value and represent the dot matrix chart as a gauge on the 100% for the whole set. The dots left get a gray neutral color.

You may also set the chart type directly as Dot Matrix Gauge, and we skip anything but the first result value.

Look for the ready-to-use Dot Matrix Gauge generated query under the Queries > Demo Queries > Charts > Cartesian Charts folder. Click on the “add demo queries” command link, if not there.

Customize your Dot Matrix Chart

1. Change the total number of dots on each dimension (default is 10 x 10).
2. Switch between 2D and 3D.
3. Change the marker shape symbol.
4. Click on legend items to hide some items with their subset of dots.

Conclusion

• Creating a Dot Matrix Chart in Data Xtractor or Visual Xtractor is fast and trivial: set any numeric data column as Dot Matrix, and an optional column as Label.
• Set the chart as a Dot Matrix Gauge instead, or return one single value, and we treat is as a percentage on a 100% set.
• All builtin powerful features of these chart type are common to most other charts: filtering series through the legend items, interactivity, monochrome or grayscale colors, rich axis and data label selections etc.
• Switch to another builtin chart theme, or customize your own, for any possible color or other styles.