ScatterMatrix

Summary

The ScatterMatrix class creates scatter plot matrices. A scatter plot matrix is a grid (or matrix) of scatter plots used to visualize bivariate relationships between combinations of variables. Each scatter plot in the matrix visualizes the relationship between a pair of variables, allowing many relationships to be explored in one chart.

Learn more about scatter plot matrices in ArcGIS AllSource

Discussion

When creating a chart object, optional arguments for the class constructor must be specified using the argument name; they cannot be specified by argument position. See the Code Samples section for an example of how to specify arguments using keywords.

Syntax

ScatterMatrix (fields, {showTrendLine}, {lowerLeft}, {upperRight}, {diagonal}, {sort}, {sortBy}, {title}, {description}, {dataSource}, {displaySize})
ParameterExplanationData Type
fields
[fields,...]

A list of field names to display in the matrix. A minimum of three fields is required.

List
showTrendLine

Indicates whether trend lines are visible in the scatter plots.

  • TrueDisplay trend lines.
  • FalseHide trend lines.
Boolean
lowerLeft

Sets the display of the lower left half of the matrix.

  • R_SQUAREDDisplay r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RDisplay Pearson's r values.
  • SCATTERPLOTSDisplay scatter plots.
String
upperRight

Sets the display of the upper right half of the matrix.

  • R_SQUAREDDisplay r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RDisplay Pearson's r values.
  • SCATTERPLOTSDisplay scatter plots.
  • PREVIEW_PLOTDisplay preview plot.
  • NONEDisplay nothing.
String
diagonal

Sets the display of the diagonal view.

  • FIELD_NAMESDisplay the field names.
  • HISTOGRAMSDisplay histograms.
  • NONEDisplay nothing.
String
sort

The sorting method that is applied to the matrix.

  • ASCSort in ascending order when sortBy is set to R_SQUARED or PEARSONS_R.
  • DESCSort in descending order when sortBy is set to R_SQUARED or PEARSONS_R.
  • NONESorted by the order of the fields list.
String
sortBy

The method that is used to sort the matrix when you want to sort the rows according to the metric scores for a target field.

  • R_SQUAREDSort by r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RSort by Pearson's r values.
String
title

The title of the chart. The title text appears at the top of the chart view and is used as the label for the chart in the Contents pane.

String
description

The description of the chart. The description text appears at the bottom of the chart view.

String
dataSource

The data source of the chart. When a chart is exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS Notebook, the data source will be read and rendered on the chart. Valid data sources include the following:

  • Paths to datasets, including local datasets, UNC paths, and service URLs
  • Arrow table objects
  • Layer or Table objects

Object
displaySize
[displaySize,...]

The size of the chart when exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS Notebook. The value must be specified as a two-item list in which the first item is the width of the chart and the second item is the height of the chart.

List

Properties

PropertyExplanationData Type
dataSource
(Read and Write)

The data source of the chart. When a chart is exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS notebook, the data source will be read and rendered on the chart. Valid data sources include the following:

  • Paths to datasets, including local datasets, UNC paths, and service URLs
  • Arrow table objects
  • Layer or Table objects

Object
description
(Read and Write)

The description of the chart. The description text appears at the bottom of the chart view.

String
diagonal
(Read and Write)

Sets the display of the diagonal view.

  • FIELD_NAMESDisplay the field names.
  • HISTOGRAMSDisplay histograms.
  • NONEDisplay nothing.
String
displaySize
(Read and Write)

The size of the chart when exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS notebook. The value must be specified as a two-item list in which the first item is the width of the chart and the second item is the height of the chart.

List
fields
(Read and Write)

A list of field names to display in the matrix. A minimum of three fields is required.

List
lowerLeft
(Read and Write)

Sets the display of the lower left half of the matrix.

  • R_SQUAREDDisplay r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RDisplay Pearson's r values.
  • SCATTERPLOTSDisplay scatter plots.
String
showTrendLine
(Read and Write)

Indicates whether trend lines are visible in the scatter plots.

  • TrueDisplay trend lines.
  • FalseHide trend lines.
Boolean
sort
(Read and Write)

The sorting method that is applied to the matrix.

  • ASCSort in ascending order when sortBy is set to R_SQUARED or PEARSONS_R.
  • DESCSort in descending order when sortBy is set to R_SQUARED or PEARSONS_R.
  • NONESorted by the order of the fields list.
String
sortBy
(Read and Write)

The method that is used to sort the matrix when you want to sort the rows according to the metric scores for a target field.

  • R_SQUAREDSort by r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RSort by Pearson's r values.
String
theme
(Read and Write)

The name of the theme that will be applied to the chart.

String
title
(Read and Write)

The title of the chart. The title text appears at the top of the chart view and is used as the label in the Contents pane on the List By Drawing Order tab List By Drawing Order.

String
type
(Read Only)

The string value indicating the chart type.

String
upperRight
(Read and Write)

Sets the display of the upper right half of the matrix.

  • R_SQUAREDDisplay r-squared values.
  • PEARSONS_RDisplay Pearson's r values.
  • SCATTERPLOTSDisplay scatter plots.
  • PREVIEW_PLOTDisplay preview plot.
  • NONEDisplay nothing.
String

Method Overview

MethodExplanation
addToLayer (layer_or_layerfile)

The addToLayer method adds the chart object to a layer or table view.

exportToSVG (path, width, height)

The exportToSVG method exports the chart to SVG format.

updateChart ()

The updateChart method updates chart properties to sync changes between the object and the chart previously added to a layer.

Methods

addToLayer (layer_or_layerfile)
ParameterExplanationData Type
layer_or_layerfile

The chart will be added to the target object. This argument can be a Layer or Table object.

Object

Adding the chart object to a layer or table using the addToLayer method is often the final step after defining chart properties.

Add a chart to an existing layer.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("current")
map = aprx.listMaps()[0]
censusLayer = map.listLayers('Census Block Groups')[0]

# Add chart object to a layer
chart.addToLayer(censusLayer)
exportToSVG (path, width, height)
ParameterExplanationData Type
path

The path where the chart will be exported in SVG format.

String
width

The width of the output graphic.

Integer
height

The height of the output graphic.

Integer

In some cases, you may want to save the chart as a graphic that can be shared and viewed outside of ArcGIS AllSource. Exporting to the SVG graphic format is beneficial, as the chart elements and text are stored as vector elements that can be independently modified in vector graphics software. An SVG graphic can also be resized to any scale without pixelation or loss in quality.

Export a chart that has a project layer data source to an .svg file.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('current')
censusLayer = aprx.listMaps()[0].listLayers('Census Block Groups')[0]

# Set data source of chart object to a layer in current project
chart.dataSource = censusLayer

# Save the chart to file with dimensions width=500, height=500
chart.exportToSVG('populationByState.svg', 500, 500)

Export a chart that has a feature service data source to an .svg file.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

featureServiceURL = r'https://services1.arcgis.com/hLJbHVT9ZrDIzK0I/arcgis/rest/services/CrimesChiTheft/FeatureServer/0'

# Set data source of chart object to a feature service URL
chart.dataSource = featureServiceURL

# Save the chart to file with dimensions width=800, height=600
chart.exportToSVG('theftsPerBeat.svg', 800, 600)
updateChart ()

Adding the chart object to a layer using the addToLayer method is often the final step after defining chart properties.

You can also modify the properties of the original chart instead of starting with a new chart. You can then use the updateChart method to synchronize any changes into the chart that was added to the layer. This allows the changes you make to be presented in the Chart properties pane and chart view.

Use the updateChart method to synchronize chart property changes into a layer.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

chart.addToLayer(myLayer)

# Further modification is necessary
chart.description = "Data from the U.S. Census Bureau"
chart.updateChart()

Code sample

Create a scatter plot matrix using a layer name and export it to an .svg file.


import arcpy
chart = arcpy.charts.ScatterMatrix(fields=["copd", "diabetes", "heart_failure", "hypertension", "high_cholesterol"],
                                   lowerLeft="R_SQUARED", upperRight="PREVIEW_PLOT", 
                                   dataSource="health_indicators", displaySize=(800, 500))
chart.exportToSVG("scatter_matrix.svg")