Column charts include standard column charts and bar charts. They offer powerful visualization features, such as merging the results of multiple queries into a single chart and applying custom settings to specific fields. This topic describes how to configure basic column chart settings.
Overview
A column chart uses vertical columns to compare numerical values across categories. It describes categorical data and counts the number of items in each category. A bar chart is a variation of a column chart with horizontal bars, typically used for top-N analysis scenarios.
To add a column or bar chart, see Add a chart to a dashboard.
Examples
Chart type | Example | Related topics |
Basic column chart |
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Grouped and stacked column charts |
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Configuration example
Basic column chart
Log on to the Simple Log Service console. In the Projects section, click the project you want.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose . In the Dashboard list, click the dashboard you want. In the upper-right corner of the dashboard page, click Edit. In edit mode, choose .
On the General Configurations > Chart Type >
. On the Query and Analysis tab, select Logstore (SQL) and the destination Logstore. Enter a query statement. In the upper-right corner, select a time range, such as Last 15 Minutes. Click .Example query for Analysis A:
* | select request_url, COUNT(*) as pv GROUP BY request_url
General configurations
Configure global settings for the column chart on the General Configurations tab.
Basic configurations
Parameter
Description
Title
The title of the column chart.
Display Title
Turn on the Display Title switch to show the chart title.
Display Border
Turn on the Display Border switch to show a border around the chart.
Display Background
Turn on the Display Background switch to display the background color of the chart.
Display Time
Turn on the Display Time switch to display the query time range on the chart.
Fixed Time
Turn on the Fixed Time switch to use a fixed time range for the chart query. This setting overrides the dashboard's global time range.
Standard configurations
Parameter
Description
Format
The display format for numeric values.
Unit
The unit for numeric values.
Number of Digits after Decimal Point
The number of decimal places for numeric values.
Display Name
The name of the series.
This name is applied to all series in the legend. To change the name of a specific series, use the settings in the Field Configuration section.
Color Scheme
The color scheme for the chart background and legend.
Built-in: Use the built-in colors.
Solid color: Select a color.
Column settings
Parameter
Description
Direction
The orientation of the bars, which determines the chart type.
Vertical: Column chart.
Horizontal: Bar chart.
Group Width
The width of the groups.
Column Width
The width of the columns.
Rotation angle
The rotation angle of the x-axis labels.
This parameter applies only when Direction is set to Vertical.
Display Value
Specifies whether to display the data values on the chart.
Value Font Size
The font size for the displayed values.
Line Width
The width of the border lines.
Transparency
The transparency of the column chart.
Gradient Mode
The gradient mode for the column chart.
Transparency: A gradient based on the column color. The effect is controlled by the Transparency setting.
No Gradient: No gradient. The columns are filled with a solid color.
Search & Analysis configuration
Parameter
Description
Axis X Field
Select the field to use for the x-axis.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically selects a suitable field for the x-axis.
Axis Y Field
Select the field to use for the y-axis. You can set multiple y-axis fields to generate a grouped column chart.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically selects a suitable field for the y-axis.
Legend configurations
Parameter
Description
Display Legend
Turning on the Display Legend switch displays the legend in the column chart.
Legend Position
Specifies the position of the legend.
Actions
Specifies the action behavior of the legend.
Single: Clicking a legend item shows only the data for that item in the column chart.
Switch: Clicking a legend item hides the data for that item in the column chart. Click the item again to show the data.
Max width (height) %
Specifies the maximum width and height of the legend.
Tooltip configuration
Parameter
Description
Sorting Method
Set the sort order for the data.
When you hover over a bar, the data appears in the order you set.
Display Mode
Set the display mode for the data.
When you hover over a bar, the data appears in the mode you set.
X-axis
Parameter
Description
Display Axis X
Turn on the Display Axis X switch to display the x-axis in the column chart.
Axis X Title
Set the title for the x-axis.
Axis X Height
Set the height for the x-axis.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the x-axis height.
Y-axis
Parameter
Description
Display Axis Y
Turn on the Display Axis Y switch to display the y-axis in the column chart.
Axis Y Title
Sets the title for the y-axis.
Axis Y Position
Sets the position of the y-axis.
Axis Y Width
Sets the width of the y-axis.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the y-axis width.
Maximum Value
Sets the maximum value for the y-axis.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the maximum value for the y-axis.
Minimum Value
Sets the minimum value for the y-axis.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the minimum value for the y-axis.
Elastic Maximum Value
Sets the elastic maximum value for the y-axis. This value takes effect only when all values are less than the specified elastic maximum.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the elastic maximum value for the y-axis.
Elastic Minimum Value
Sets the elastic minimum value for the y-axis. This value takes effect only when all values are greater than the specified elastic minimum.
By default, Simple Log Service automatically sets the elastic minimum value for the y-axis.
Axis Y ID
Sets the ID for the y-axis. This field is typically not used in General Configurations. To define multiple y-axes, configure this setting in Field Configuration. The y-axis ID can be any string. y-axes with different IDs appear as separate axes on the column chart.
The y-axis ID has a higher priority than the unit setting in Standard Configurations. For example, if two y-axes have the same unit, they are merged into a single y-axis. If the two y-axes have the same unit but different IDs, they are displayed as two separate y-axes.
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Variable substitution
Parameter
Description
Variable substitution
Variable substitution adds a variable-type filter to the chart. After configuration in General configurations, a filter appears in the upper-left corner of the chart. When you select a value, Simple Log Service replaces the variable in the query statement and reruns the analysis. Example 2: Set variable substitution.
Document link
Parameter
Description
Add Documentation Link
Lets you set a custom document link or description. The link or description is displayed in the upper-right corner of the column chart.
Field configuration
Use Field Configuration to customize visualization settings for the results of a single search and analysis, or for a single column of data within the results. For a description of the configuration items, see General Configurations.
For example, A > uv configures the uv field in Search & Analysis A. Add another y-axis so that uv and avg do not share the same y-axis. The left y-axis applies to the avg values, and the right y-axis applies to the uv values.
Interaction events
Interaction events let you perform drill-down analysis on a single field or a Search & Analysis result for deeper data analysis. Interaction events include Open Logstore, Open Saved Search, Open Dashboard, Open Trace Analysis, Open Trace Details, and Custom HTTP URL. For more information, see Add interaction events to a dashboard for drill-down analysis.
For example, if you set the interaction event for the results of Search & Analysis A to Open Logstore, clicking a point on the related column chart and then clicking Open Logstore takes you to the specified Logstore.
Grouped column chart example
* | select host, COUNT(*) as pv, approx_distinct(remote_addr) as uv GROUP BY host ORDER BY uv desc LIMIT 5