NAME

CGI::Graph - Create interactive CGI-based graphs

DESCRIPTION

This module creates CGI graphs which allow the user to visualize spreadsheet data using scatter plots, bar plots, histograms, etc. It provides features for easy interactions such as panning, zooming, element selection, and axis selection.

An input file in CSV format is used. Any column names should be preceded by a character identifying the type of that column and an underscore. For example, a set of integers called "age" should be in a column named "i_age". Currently, the only prefixes that are used are "i_" for integers and "r_" for real numbers. If the column is prefixed by another character, it is assumed to be a non-numerical data set.

An output file is used for storing selection values. This file contains a binary string, with each position in the string corresponding to a row from the input file. 0 is used for unselected elements, 1 for selected elements.

Within the package, there are 2 different types of modules: Plot and Layout. The Layout module only provides functions relating to the placement of form elements and icons. Classes derived from the Plot module are used to create the various point and bar graphs.

For Plot modules, the only required values are the name of the input and output files. Other values such as the zoom factor or axes values are obtained from the form elements of the CGI. See the field summary section for more details. To create a new Plot object, a reference to a hash containing certain values is needed. The Vars() function (for CGI objects) can be used to easily obtain a hash containing all of these values.

Once an object is created, a string of parameters can be generated that can be passed to a CGI in order to output an image. The string is in the form key1=value1&key2=value2... and can easily be appended to the URL in an <img src> tag. Separate images can be generated for a main view and a global (grid) view. The main image can be augmented with an image map that allows selection of elements. The global view is divided into a grid, which shows the main view in relation to a default view displaying all elements. A user can click on a section of the grid to move the center of the main view.

Form elements provided by the Layout module allow the user to zoom in and out, change axes, change graph types, and more.

The CGI::Graph::Plot module acts as a parent class for all graph types. From this, the points and bars modules are derived. Finally, from each of those modules, numerical and string modules are derived. CGI::Graph::Layout provides functions relating to the placement of form elements and icons.

                 Plot                          Layout
               /      \                           |
         points         bars                      |
        / \             / \                       |
numerical string numerical string                 |
        |      \ /          |                     |
        +-------+-----------+                     |
                |                                 |
             CGI::Graph ----------> Driver.cgi <--+
                |
                +-> Draw.cgi
                +-> selectTable.cgi

                                 
                                   Driver.cgi
                                /       |      \
        [graph & grid parameters] [image maps] [selection info]
         |                                            |
         +-> Draw.cgi                                 +-> selectTable.cgi
              |                                            |
              +-> graph image                              +-> selected elements
              +-> grid image                                   in html table

CGI::Graph::Plot::points::numerical: a point graph using a numerical X axis.
CGI::Graph::Plot::points::string: a point graph using a non-numerical X axis.
CGI::Graph::Plot::bars::numerical: a bar graph using a numerical X axis.
CGI::Graph::Plot::points::string: a bar graph using a non-numerical X axis.

SYNOPSIS

Sample Driver.cgi:

        use CGI::Graph;
        use CGI;

        $q = new CGI;
        $q->param('source','table.csv');   # assign specific parameters
        $q->param('myFile','select.dat');
        %hash = $q->Vars();                # get hash from CGI object

        $plot = new CGI::Graph(\%hash);     # create new CGI::Graph object

        # specify dimensions for images and maps
        $graph_x_size = 500;
        $graph_y_size = 400;
        $grid_x_size = 250;
        $grid_y_size = 200;

        # obtain parameters to pass to cgi in order to generate graph image
        $graphParams = $plot->graphParams($graph_x_size,$graph_y_size);

        # print image source tag, appending graph parameters to URL
        print "<img src = Draw.cgi?$graphParams usemap=#imagemap width=$graph_x_size height=$graph_y_size border=0>\n";

        # output graph image map
        print $plot->graphMap($graph_x_size,$graph_y_size,$CGI_name);

        # obtain parameters to pass to cgi in order to generate grid image
        $gridParams = $plot->gridParams($grid_x_size,$grid_y_size);

        # print image source tag, appending grid parameters to URL
        print "<img src = Draw.cgi?$gridParams usemap=#gridmap width=$grid_x_size height=$grid_y_size border=1>\n";

        # output grid image map
        print $plot->gridMap($grid_x_size,$grid_y_size,$CGI_name);

Sample Draw.cgi

        use CGI::Graph;
        use CGI;
        use GD;

        $q = new CGI;

        %hash = $q->Vars;                       # get hash from CGI object 
        my $plot = new CGI::Graph(\%hash);      # create new CGI::Graph object

        if ($q->param('grid')) {
                $gd = $plot->drawGrid();        # create a gd object that represents the grid image
        }

        else {
                $gd = $plot->drawGraph();       # create a gd object that represents the graph image
        }

        print $q->header('image/png');          # output image header
        binmode STDOUT;                         # make sure that STDOUT is in binary mode
        print STDOUT $gd->png;                  # output gd object in png format

REQUIRES

Perl 5.004 or greater, CGI, GD, GD::Graph, Data::Table

FIELD SUMMARY

source string: name of a CSV file used for input.
myFile string: filename used for storing selection data.
X,Y string: names of X and Y labels, which should correspond to columns of the table.
center int,int: the current center value of the graph, in x,y format.
zoom int: a value indicating the size of the current view window, 1 = full view, 5 = maximum zoom.
divisions int: the grid image is divided into divisions x divisions rectangles.
selected binary string: each digit of the string corresponds to the selection value of the table row at each index.
table Data::Table reference: a reference to the Data::Table object read in from the source field.
width,height int: width and height of main graph image and map
grid_width,grid_height int: width and height of grid image and map
graph_type string: indicates the type of graph. Currently, only "points" and "bar" are available.
zoom_type string: indicates the type of zoom used for bar graphs. The default is "vertical lock", where the vertical bounds are fixed regardless of zoom factor. Both "unlocked" modes allow the user to change the upper bound, but the "unlocked int" mode restricts the upper bound to an integer value.
histogram_type string: indicates the type of histogram zoom, either "fixed" or "variable". Fixed zoom functions similarly to the zoom style of other graph types. Variable zoom will re-calculate the histogram of the smaller set of data which roughly corresponds to the area in the view window.
dataColor,selectColor,lineColor,windowColor [red,green,blue], name, or hexadecimal: indicates the color for data, selected values, grid lines, and the grid window. The value is passed from the object as a hexadecimal value, but can be inputted as an array reference, specific color name(see GD::Graph::colours), or hexadecimal value.
refresh_display on/undef: the refresh_display value is stored so that it can be incoporated into the mapInfo method.
x_min,x_max,y_min,y_max real: minimum and maximum values for the current image or image map. Either indicates a fractional value for elements to include or an actual mimimum or maximum.

METHODS

Public Methods

CGI::Graph::Plot::classname CGI::Graph::Plot::classname::new($vars): creates a new Plot. $vars is a hash reference that should contain the keys source and myFile. The source value is used as an input and should be a CSV file. The myFile value is used to store selection values. Optional keys are the X and Y axes names, divisions, center, and zoom.
CGI::Graph::Plot::classname CGI::Graph::new($vars): creates a new Plot. Similar to the method above, but will automatically choose an appropriate graph type.
void Plot::all_values($filename,$size,$value): $value is written $size number of times to the filename specified. (used to change all selection values to 0 or 1)
string Plot->graphParams(): returns a string of the form key1=value1&key2=value2... used to pass values to the CGI which draws the graph.
string Plot->gridParams(): returns a string of the form key1=value1&key2=value2... used to pass values to the CGI which draws the grid.
string Plot->graphMap(width,height,name,mapname,info): returns an image map which should correspond to the image generated by drawGraph. The dimensions width and height should be the same as those used by drawGraph. The name parameter should be the name of a textbox and will be used to display the attributes of the element which the user moves the mouse over. Mapname is the name of the image map, which should match the "usemap" parameter in the <img src> tag. Info is an optional parameter which will select a data set to pop up over an element (point graphs only).
string Plot->gridMap(): return grid image map. Each area in the map contains the parameters used by the current Plot, except that a different center is specified.
GD::Image Plot->drawGraph(): Return graph image as a GD::Image object.
GD::Image Plot->drawGrid(): Return grid image as a GD::Image object.

Private Methods

string Plot::getValues($vars,@keys): retrieves the values corresponding to @keys from the hash reference $vars. The keys and values are returned in a string of the form key1=value1&key2=value2...
(int,int) Plot::bounds(@numericalData): given an array of numerical data, bounds will return a "nice" upper and lower bound.
string Plot->mapInfo(): mapInfo returns a string which represents the attributes of the Plot object.
void Plot->write_selected(): writes the selection values of the Plot object to the file specified in the Plot object's myFile field.
(int,int,int) Plot->resize(): returns the center and span of the current view, relative to the number of divisions.
GD::Image Plot->gridLines($image): will add vertical and horizontal lines to an image, as well as a center marker and a rectangle which acts as a view window.
varies Plot->count(varies): determines numerical X and Y data to be used in plotting the graph. Parameters and return values differ for each of the different plot types. For example, in a non-numerical bar graph, the occurences of each X value will be counted and used as the Y value.
varies Plot->valuesInRange(varies): determines which X and Y elements should actually be plotted on the graph by using the object's center and zoom values to calculate what should be in range.

Layout Methods

Layout object Layout::new(CGI object): creates a new Layout object. The CGI object must contain two parameters: source and myFile. These two parameters should be the same as the ones contained in the CGI::Graph::Plot object.
string Layout->header_bars(): returns html to create two scrolling lists that contain the x and y column names.
string Layout->zoom_bar(): returns html to create a scrolling list with numbers 1-5.
string Layout->select_bars(): returns html to create scrolling lists for select and unselect options.
string Layout->zoom_type(): returns html for a radio group controlling zoom type for bar graphs.
string Layout->histogram_type(): returns html for a radio group controlling the type of histogram for numerical bar graphs.
string Layout->textbox(): returns html for a textarea for displaying the attributes of elements.
string Layout->icons($bar,$points): returns html for image buttons used to determine graph type or saving data. $bar and $points are optional filenames for alternate images.
string Layout->view_button($windowName,$width,$height): returns html for a javascript button that will open a window displaying selected elements in an html table. $windowName is the name of the window to be opened. $width and $height are its dimensions.
string Layout->refresh_selected(): returns html for a checkbox which determines if the pop-up window displaying selected elements is refreshed after each submission.
string Layout->select_window($ref): returns html containing javascript which opens a window displaying selected elements in an html table. $ref must contain

AUTHORS

Max Chang <chang@gnf.org> and Yingyao Zhou <zhou@gnf.org>

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