How to Create Multiple Split Charts

What is a Multiple Split Chart

Like Mixed Charts, Multiple Charts will show more than one single-series chart on the same surface. But Mixed Charts combine together the single-series charts into a multi-series chart, on the same plot area. While Multiple Charts split the Mixed Chart into separate smaller single-series charts.

A Split toolbar button will appear when a split is possible. For multiple charts of the same type, another Small Multiples adjacent button may appear, to synchronize the charts.

We may use Multiple Split Charts in the following different situations:

1. Multi-Series to Single-Series Charts – to separate into single-series charts a multi-series mixed chart, or a mixed chart using different types.
2. Extended Restrictive Multi-Series Charts – to allow multiple series for a chart type, when mixed charts are not possible or allowed.
3. Special Split Charts – to allow just some specific combinations.

Steps to Create a Multiple Split 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. Set one or more data columns to specific chart types.
3. If a Split button becomes visible, use it for an alternative view with separate split charts.
4. If a Small Multiples button is visible, use it to synchronize the separate split charts.

Multi-Series to Single-Series Charts

Unlike the separate split charts, mixed charts combine and render multiple single-series charts on the same chart area. The charts can be of the same type, or of different types. Most such mixed charts will display the Split toolbar button that allows you to split them up into separate single-series charts.

The chart below splits a multi-series Grouped Area chart into three separate single-series Area charts of the same chart type:

Demo queries – under Multiple Charts folder – that split mixed charts into single-series charts:

1. Multiple Area Chart
2. Multiple Doughnut Chart
3. Multiple Horizontal Bars
4. Multiple Overlapping Circles
5. Multiple Polar Chart
6. Multiple Radar Chart
7. Multiple Radial Column Chart
8. Multiple Stream Graph

Extended Restrictive Multi-Series Charts

Some single-series chart types cannot be mixed into one multi-series chart. But they can be displayed as separate split charts.

Kagi charts with different data and/or Reversal Amount cannot be mixed and displayed together on the same plot area. However, you may add more than one Kagi series, and it will be automatically rendered with separate single-series Kagi charts:

Here are some demo queries – under the same Multiple Charts folder – with multi-series chart types made possible by the split charts:

1. 3D Multiple Kagi Chart
2. Multiple Waterfall Chart
3. Multiple Doughnut Gauges
4. Multiple Jump Line Chart

Special Split Charts

One final category of split charts allows some typical combinations of some specialized single-series charts. For instance, a volume chart is usually displayed with a stock chart, or a scatter bar chart with a density plot, or a single box plot.

The following chart shows a Histogram Chart mixed with a Density Plot. But if you also add a Scatter Bar, it will be added on top, as a separate split chart:

Demo queries with these special combinations of specialized charts:

1. Density Plot
2. Histogram Chart
3. Box Plot with Scatter Charts
4. Stock with Volume

Small Multiples

When possible, a Small Multiples button appears with the Split toolbar button. This is usually when you already have multiple split charts of the same chart type.

Small Multiples are similar single-series split charts, which are synchronized to use and display one axis with the same scale. The chart below is evolved from the first Multiple Area Chart, but the vertical Y axis labels are now common to all charts, so they will no longer be repeated and displayed each time:

Split charts can be customized in the same way their original mixed charts are customized: either all together, or selecting one single series from the toolbar. Individual charts can be hidden by a click on the related legend item.

Conclusion

• Creating Multiple Split Charts in Data Xtractor or Visual Xtractor is fast and intuitive: whenever you have a mixed chart or a chart with more than one series that allows the display of separate small charts, a Split toolbar button will appear.
• When a Small Multiples button is available, use it to synchronize multiple split charts and show the same axis labels.
• Click on legend items to hide the related split charts.