php-RGraph Reference

structure of php-RGraph charts

Installation of php-RGraph

Installation is straight forward. Once you have downloaded installation file "php-RGraph-V2.1.6.zip", unzip it and upload all folders and files to your website into an accessible directory (or if you are using XAMPP, copy the folders and files into accessible directory). "Accessible" means that you may access all files via webserver (e.g. Apache) and browser. Please keep directory structure and naming of php-RGraph (do not rename any folders).

Then check if you can access php-RGraph's documentation using url: http://your-host/your-install-directory/RGraph/index.html. If this is OK, you may read RGraph's reference and try out the provided samples.

Structure of php-RGraph chart scripts

To give you an idea how all works, you should check some of the provided samples. (please use url http://your-host/your-install-directory/RGraph/doc/samples.html"). The samples page gives you the option to display a sample and see the php-code for creating the sample. This code illustrates the structur of php-RGraph. A php chart script always has this components:

1. Define environment
2. Define chart layout
3. Define chart's data
4. Define RGraph chart properties
5. Build json object for RGraph
6. Use template for rendering the chart (html creation)

Define environment

Every chart script must know, where resources for charts are located. This is done with embedding (including) script "environment.php". If this script does not work correctly charts cannot be created. See the layout of "environment.php", which shows what information is needed: Note: Nameing of variables is important for using templates.

Since version 2.1.1 of php-RGraph, all classes are integrated in namespaces, so it is necessary to define the namespaced classes in addition to include file "environment.php" with "use" instructions:

Define chart layout

With four lines of code you define major layout of you chart: You define width ("$width") and ("height") of the canvas and what method RGraph should use to draw the chart ("$draw_option"). And you must specify what template is used for rendering the chart.

Define chart's data

You may define chart's data coming from various sources:

• define an array of numerical data direcly within your chart script
• retrieve data from file
• retrieve data from local or remote server
• retrieve data from MySql database
• retrieve data from csv file
• retrieve data from Google sheets
• generate data via math formula

php-class rgraph_chart has various methods to support you in providing data for your chart. For more information see the reference guide or have a look at the samples.

Define RGraph chart properties

First step is to define a rgraph_chart object:

• "$id" is required and will define the canvas id (e.g. "cvs").
• "$data" defines the data to be used for charts
• "$chart_type" sets the desired chart type (e.g. "Pie")
  valid types are:
  • Bar
  • HBar
  • Bipolar
  • Line
  • Pie
  • Fuel
  • Funnel
  • Gauge
  • Gantt
  • Meter
  • Odometer
  • Radar
  • Rose
  • RScatter
  • Scatter
  • Waterfall

Once you have created a rgraph_chart object you may create a rgraph_options object and define chart properties. With optional parameter "$ini_file" you may specify an ini-file with pre-defined properties (e.g. font-sizes, colors, font-families, ...etc).

php-RGraph "knows" about 450 different chart properties for almost all charts RGraph has offered. php-class rgraph_options has various methods to support you in providing chart properties, for more information see the reference guide, have a look at the samples or or visit the home of RGraph.

Build json object for RGraph

Once you have created the chart object and its properties you first define the properties ($options object) to the chart object and then create a json object to be used with RGraph:

Use template for rendering the chart

This is an easy task as the template's directory has been defined with "environment.php" and the template name has been defined already. So your code looks like:

<?php
// check settings
if (! isset($chart))
  die ("Error: rgraph_chart object not defined");
if (! isset($rgraph_json))
      die ("Error: json object is not defined");
$id = $chart->get_id();
$chart_type = $chart->get_chartType();
$script= '<script src="' . $rgraph_libraries . $chart->getScript($chart_type) . '">';
echo $script;

// check for defined values
if (! isset($width))
    $width = 400;
if (! isset($height))
    $height = 250;
if (! isset($draw_option))
    $draw_option = "draw();";
if (! isset($canvas_style))
    $canvas_style = "";
if (! isset($canvas_class))
    $canvas_class = "";
if (! isset($chart_name))
    $chart_name = "chart";
if (! isset($event_script))
    $event_script = "";
if (! isset($chart_script))
    $chart_script = "";

<?php

<?php include_once "default_header.php"; ?>

<canvas id="<?php echo $id; ?>" width="<?php echo $width; ?>" height="<?php echo $height; ?>" 
 style=" <?php echo $canvas_style; ?>" class="<?php echo $canvas_class; ?>">
    [No canvas support]>
</canvas>
<script>
jQuery(document).ready(function() {
 
  <?php echo $event_script; ?>
   
  RGraph.reset('<?php echo $id; ?>');  
   
  var <?php echo $chart_name; ?> = new RGraph.<?php echo $chart_type; ?> (
   <?php echo $rgraph_json; ?>).<?php echo $draw_option; ?>

   <?php echo $chart_script; ?>
});
</script>

<script src="/../js/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript">
<script src="/../libraries/RGraph.common.lib.js" type="text/javascript">

<script type="text/javascript">
jQuery(document).ready(function() { 
     var url = "../samples/logo.php";  
     jQuery("#show-sample").load( url, function() {
    }); 
});
</script>

<div id="show-sample" style="float:right"></div>

 function show_chart() {
    var url = "../samples/meter.php";  
    jQuery("#show-sample" ).load( url, function() {
   });
}

<script src="/../libraries/RGraph.common.libs.js" type="text/javascript">

{jphpx [RGraph/samples_jphpx/bar_simple.php]}