Book Image

Google Visualization API Essentials

By : Traci Lynn Ruthkoski
Book Image

Google Visualization API Essentials

By: Traci Lynn Ruthkoski

Overview of this book

There's a lot of data in our world, and visual representations are often the best method of making sense of it all. Yet, it should not take an army of programmers and analysts to create visualizations in order to make data useful. The Google Visualization API is accessible to novice and advanced programmers alike, making data useful to more people."Google Visualization API Essentials" will show you how to create interactive data displays with very little code. The API, combined with Google Spreadsheets and Fusion Tables, is a complete system, from data management to analytical displays. Not only is it simple to learn, but the Google Visualization API can also be viewed as a first step to learning additional Google APIs."Google Visualization API Essentials" uses both methodology overviews and hands-on examples with real data to introduce chart and graph creation on the Google platform. Topics are presented from various aspects, including Google Spreadsheets and Fusion Tables, and Graphic User Interfaces. An overview of the various API development environments available to developers is also covered. Basic and advanced charts, data source connectivity, style formatting, and publishing options are also explored in depth."Google Visualization API Essentials" brings the arsenal of Google Visualizations into the web developer toolkit.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)

Chapter 4. Basic Charts

So far, the visualization examples in this book have relied heavily on the GUI interface of various Google applications. Unfortunately, the customization limitations of using only GUI applications quickly become evident. With the Google applications discussed in the previous chapters, Spreadsheets and Fusion Charts, it is fairly simple to create basic graphs and charts. Unfortunately, the sophistication of viewing controls, data source configuration, and even the style of the visualization itself is ultimately limited to the controls presented by default in the application. Apps Script gives some relief to the issue of customization, although limitations of the Apps Script platform impose their own set of limitations. Thus, what is needed is a customizable, feature-rich option, to build on top of the simplistic charts of Spreadsheets and Fusion Tables. The Google APIs, specifically the Visualization (Chart tools) API, are the required building blocks to accomplish...