Add serial charts

A serial chart visualizes one or more series of data points along a category (x) axis and a value (y) axis and is especially useful when plotting temporal data such as metrics or comparing the relationship of two fields. Serial charts can be configured to visualize data as a line, bar, or scatter chart. You can also invert the axis to display the data in a horizontal or vertical format.

1. Access edit mode for the analysis view to which you want to add a serial chart.
2. Click Add element > Serial chart.

   The Select data expression dialog box appears with a list of the analysis view's data expressions.

3. Click New data expression or proceed to step 8 to use an existing expression.

   The Edit data expression dialog box appears.

4. Provide a name for the expression in the Name text box.
5. Use the expression builder to choose the type of data to display in the chart.

   For example, to build an expression that contains CPU utilization metrics for all components, do the following:

   1. Click Resource and choose Components.
   2. Click Join next to Components and choose Metrics.

      The join appears under Components.

   3. Click Where next to Metrics.

      The where clause appears under Metrics.

   4. Click the Select a field drop-down arrow under Metrics and choose Identifier.
   5. Leave the operator set to is.
   6. Click the Select drop-down arrow and choose cpu_utilized.

      Tip:

      To provide a custom value, click Source type: Choose value and click Enter value.

   7. Click Join next to Metrics and choose Metrics data.

      The join appears under Metrics.

6. Optionally, click Test to test the expression.

   Data that matches the expression appears on the tabs next to the expression.

7. Click Done.

   The expression appears in the Data expressions list.

   Tip:

   You can duplicate an expression and use it as a base for similar types of data by clicking Duplicate , edit an expression by clicking Edit , and delete an expression by clicking Delete .

8. Choose an expression in the list and click Select.

   The Serial chart dialog box appears.

9. Click the Category field drop-down arrow and choose the field to use for the category.

   For example, to group CPU utilization values by the time at which they were observed, choose Observed at.

   Tip:

   Click the tabs under the chart's preview to view the data returned by the expression.

10. Click the Statistic type drop-down arrow and choose the type of statistic to show in the chart.

    For example, to show an average of the CPU utilization values over the course of the view's time range, choose Average.

11. Click the Statistic field drop-down arrow and choose the field that contains the data to evaluate.

    For example, to show the value of the CPU utilized metric, choose Value.

12. Optionally, click Split and configure the data series.
    1. Click the Split by field drop-down arrow and choose the field to use to split the data.

       For example, to split the data by component name, choose Name.

    2. Click the Order by field drop-down arrow and choose the field to use to sort the series.
    3. Click the sort order drop-down arrow under Order by field and choose the method to use to sort the field values.

       The order is inherited from the aggregation defined in the chart's value axis.

    4. Provide a value in the Series limit text box to limit the number of data series that appear in the chart.

       The maximum number of data series is 10.

    Tip:

    To turn off Split by field, click Disable split by.

13. Optionally, click Add date filter and choose a date field from the Date filter field drop-down menu to allow the chart to be filtered by the analysis view's time range options.

    If the field you chose for Category field is a datetime field, date filtering is automatically enabled.

    Tip:

    To turn off date filtering, click Disable date filter .

14. Click Chart on the side of the dialog box.

    The Chart tab appears.

15. Choose a chart type next to Type.

    The chart preview is updated to match the chosen chart options.

16. If you chose Bar as the Type setting, optionally, turn on the Stacked toggle button to create a stacked bar chart.
17. If you chose Line as the Type setting, optionally, turn off Show vertices to remove vertices from the chart.
18. Choose the chart's orientation next to Orientation.
19. Optionally, provide a title for the chart's category axis in the Category axis title text box.
20. Optionally, provide a title for the chart's statistic axis in the Statistic axis title text box.
21. Optionally, provide a value for the series name in the Format series name text box.

    You can manually type a value in the text box and add dynamic text by clicking Add field and choosing fields from the pop-up menu.

22. Optionally, turn on the Legend toggle button to add a legend to the chart, and choose a Position setting.

    Tip:

    The legend can also be used to hide a data series in the chart or to show a data series that was hidden.

23. Optionally, turn on the Show related alerts toggle button to show alert thresholds and the alert windows in the chart.
24. Optionally, turn on the Show alert ranges toggle button to show alert ranges and the duration of alerts for a data series when you hover over a data point in the chart or an item in the chart's legend.
25. Click General on the side of the dialog box.

    The General tab appears.

26. Optionally, provide a title for the chart in the Title text box.
27. Optionally, provide a description for the chart in the Description text box.
28. Click Done.

    The chart appears in the analysis view.

29. Optionally, hover over the chart and use the buttons to perform the following actions:
    • Drag Move to move the chart to a new location in the analysis view.
    • Click Configure to edit the chart.
    • Click Duplicate to duplicate the chart.
    • Click Delete to delete the chart.
    • Drag Resize to change the size of the chart.
30. When you finish adding elements to the analysis view, click Save.

    Tip:

    You can also click the Save drop-down arrow and click Save as to save the analysis view with a new name and description.