The final stage in chart generation process is to encode the resulting visualization into some standard format so that receiving applications can conveniently use the result. Davisor Chart supports a wide range of different standard output formats which should satisfy all possible modern use cases.
Chart output formats may be classified into the following main categories:
Chart output format is controlled with a contentType parameter that accepts standard MIME type values. Depending on the selected MIME type, the visualization result may be a complete standalone image, or a content fragment that needs to be embedded into an appropriate template document before it can be properly viewed. The following text introduces the available alternatives.
Raster bitmap image formats are the largest format group, and traditionally the most widely used, too. The use of any raster bitmap output format implies that the chart itself is to be rendered on an array of discrete pixels. The most distinct feature of raster rendering is that the raster size and resolution limit how small details can be represented with it. Another and often unwanted feature is that lines and edges running in non-horizontal or -vertical directions may appear jagged. A process called anti-aliasing may often help to reduce these unwanted effects. Anti-aliasing is controlled with antialiasMode attribute.
To learn more about raster bitmap image output, please see the separate Bitmap Output sub-chapter.
Vector graphics image formats solve all the resolution problems that infest bitmap formats. Unfortunately, they are still not too well supported by many important applications like Web browsers. Vector graphics images are however gaining popularity all the time, in particular with printing applications where high image quality is important.
Davisor Chart vector graphics support is built around W3C Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) image format. However, Davisor Chart SVG support is not enabled by default, but requires the purchase of a separate Davisor Chart SVG Extension. However, SVG support, when enabled, makes also PDF Documents output possible.
To learn more about vector graphics image output, please see the separate SVG Output sub-chapter.
Davisor table charts output their results as non-image markup text fragments. The distinct feature of this output method is that the output is textual instead of graphics, and that the results are not intended to be used alone, but as fragments of some larger markup documents. Despite these differences, table charts are still charts like any image chart, they just visualize the input data in a bit differently that most other chart types, and the output must typically be embedded within some other document before it can used.
To learn more about markup output, please see the separate Markup Output sub-chapter.
Davisor Chart does not directly support PDF, but with the help of a few external software libraries and a standard XSL-FO and SVG content, Davisor Chart images and table markup fragments can be easily transformed to PDF. The process requires Davisor SVG Extension and some setup and initial configuration, but besides that, the basic principle of PDF document production is simple: create a XSL-FO document, embed desired chart images and other content into it, and then convert the result to a PDF document.
To learn more about PDF output, please see the separate PDF Output sub-chapter.