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)

Preparing data


In general, it can be reasonably assumed that most collections of data are not as pristine as one would like them to be. Inconsistencies, poorly designed structures, and even mysterious extra whitespaces can be a nightmare for an average developer attempting to mine even the smallest amount of useful information. While not required, a best practice for data visualization is to first verify that the data to be visualized is formatted as expected.

Tip

Best practice

Before visualizing data, be sure it is arranged as expected and is free from inconsistencies.

The Google answer to the prevailing issue of dirty data is the free software tool, Google Refine. At the time of publication, Google Refine was in the process of transitioning from a Google Code hosted project to a GitHub hosted project called Open Refine. In either case, the capabilities and intentions of the tool remain the same. The application is a downloadable installation for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems...