NetCharts® Server v4.6 Release Notes and New Features
NetCharts Server 4.6 introduces a new chart type, a variety of new chart component controls, and a number of platform enhancements - including support for running in headless mode.
See the appropriate API documentation for each enhancement.
Platform Enhancements
- New JVM
NetCharts Server v4.6 comes bundled with JVM 1.4.2
- Support for headless operation on Unix platforms
NetCharts Servers deployed on Unix platforms no longer require access to an XServer.
- Improved .NET Support
NetCharts Server's Microsoft .NET support has been enhanced. A new API toolkit consisting of .NET classes can now be utilized within C# and VB.NET applications. In addition, a set of Visual Studio .NET form controls for integrating NetCharts Server charts and tables into .NET applications is also available. The NetCharts Server Developers Console contains complete documentation and examples of the new .NET-related features.
- Automated Migration Facility for v4.5 projects
Upgrading from v4.5 to v4.6 still requires a new install; however, the migration of your projects and files from a previous installation is automated during the installation process: the last step of a v4.6 installation allows for content to be migrated from a previous installation. The v4.6 installation will try to auto-detect previous installations, but will allow user to specify the location of an existing v4.5 installation.
- Embedded Mode installation improvements
The process of embedding NetCharts Server v4.6 into other J2EE application servers has been simplified through a JSR 168-compliant portal toolkit.
NetCharts Server can now be deployed as an EAR file into application servers, such as BEA Weblogic and IBM Websphere. The NetCharts Server Administrators Console contains a new form that can be used to assemble and configure a NetCharts Server EAR file. See the NetCharts Server Administrator's Guide and the J2EE Integration page in the Administrator's Console for a description of the new process.
- New Administrative functions
A new function in the Administration Console simplifies the removal of external JAR files, such as database drivers. Another new function can disable file browsing of the NetCharts Server v4.6 project directories.
- Process Module improvements
The default process module library now supports the COUNT function. A new process module supports color-coding data points based on their values.
Chart Type Enhancements
- Polar Charts - New Chart Type!
A Polar chart has been added to NetCharts Server in version 4.6. Polar charts specify points as an angle and a distance from the origin.
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- Bar Chart enhancements
NetCharts Server v4.6 supports stacked grouped bar charts. This release also allows control over the ordering of the items in the legend of stacked bar charts.
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- Box Chart enhancements
Boxchart supports a new PlotType called PERCENTN. PERCENTN behaves like TENNINETY mode except the box uses a user specified number N and 100-N as its 2 percentile borders.
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- Dial Chart enhancements
A new CDL parameter allows specification of Hand labels in Dial Charts. Three new needle hand styles are available:
- Needle Line
- Needle Fill
- Needle Button
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- Radar Chart enhancements
Radar chart supports new axis controls. See the API documentation for netcharts.pro.charts.radar.NFRadialAxis.setColor(),netcharts.pro.charts.radar.NFRadialAxis.setScale() and netcharts.pro.charts.radar.NFRadialAxis.setTitleLabel().
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New Chart Features
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- Text rendering enhancements
New label parameters allow control over text ascent, descent and leading, and support text underscoring, overscoring and strike-through.
- Data point symbol rendering enhancements
NetCharts Server v4.6 introduces a new data point symbol called TARGET that draws a small circle within a larger circle.
All Data Point symbols now allow control of symbol shadow width. The default width of the shadow is relative to the size of the symbol. Set the shadow width to 0 to produce flat, two-dimensional symbols.
- Individual data point color control
Most chart types now allow control over the color of individual data points within a series.
- Autoscaling axis enhancements
NetCharts Server v4.6 introduces a new axis parameter called AutoscalePad that allows control over the minimum and maximum axis values NetCharts Server v4.6 chooses when auto-scaling an axis. This pad value adds margins to the axis range, so that the minimum and maximum points on an auto-scaled axis are not drawn at the extreme edge of the plot area.
- Improved AntiAlias controls
In NetCharts Server v4.6, text drawing and line drawing can have independent AntiAlias settings. It is possible to AntiAlias the drawing of just text, just lines or both text and lines.
Report Layout Enhancements
- Tabbed Reports
NetCharts Server v4.6 can create tabbed reports. A report page can now contain a series of style-able tabs, each of which can contain another report or HTML page.
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New Input Form Controls
In addition to drop down menus, NetCharts Server v4.6 now also supports the automatic creation of:
- check boxes,
- select boxes,
- radio buttons,
- text fields,
- hidden fields,
- multiple item select fields,
- and buttons.
Additional Feature Enhancements
- Improved Table Drilldown
Table drilldown now supports passing additional values that are not necessarily displayed in the table. Hidden fields or "foreign key" data can now be passed from tables during drilldown.
- Changes to Dwell Label precedence
Dwell label precedence has changed. Dwell Labels are used to create the MAP tags that implement popup labels on chart images. The precedence of Dwell Labels now matches the order in which data points are drawn instead of the order in which they are specified in CDL parameters. Dwell Label precedence now also respects the DrawOrder parameter.
- MySQL Database Support
The data source wizard now supports MySQL database connectivity.
- Image encoder changes
NetCharts Server v4.6 now provides access to WBMP and JPEG image encoders from the Java Advanced Imaging Library.
