X asix labels not lining up properly

[Captell]

I'm not quite cleare here. Are you saying that my original post is not a bug but rather a design feature. If that is the case why for all versions prior to at least v3.5.3146 does this behaviour not occur?

I think your conculsion is correct if the chart was a line chart showing continuous data however bar charts are used to show discrete data and there for the labels should line up with the bars.

[Yeray]

Hi Captell,

Several changes (fixes and new features) have been included in the Axes since v3.5.3146. I'm not sure which may have affected this. Anyway, we think it is working as expected: If you don't use point labels, we think the axes should be set automatically following the increment set, as they do.

However, we've added a new property IncrementOffset so you can displace all the labels to the right or to the left. This would be helpful if you have all your points displaced. It will be available in the next maintenance release.
But, if you have your points in irregular XValues and you want the bottom axis labels aligned to them (also irregular) you still have to use series labels.

[Captell]

I see your point , especially if the series points are irregular, but the data I am using is weekly data datetime data exactly 1 week apart. I would have expected that if I was plotting 5 bars one week apart that the labels would align with the bars (as they used to do). I really don't think it is currently working correctly but I'll wait to see what changes in the ext release.

[Captell]

Thinking about this problem further I think the issue may be around how you are now setting the start date of the series, i.e. the axis label for the first bar. The following shows my data and the resultant chart.

weekdates.png (47.22 KiB) Viewed 85969 times

As can be seen the first date in my data is 26/Dec1999 which was a Sunday. When plotted the first date on the axis is 23/Dec/1999 which is a Thursday. I think the problem would be resolved if you went back to setting the first axis label to the first value in the data,then applying the standard increment, especially when the axis definition is using a standard datetime interval. My axis definition has the start and end of the axis set to automatic and the interval stet to one week.

Consider also that this problem doesn't exist if monthly data is used. See the following examples

monthly.png (18.96 KiB) Viewed 85966 times

the following shows the monthly chart resized so that less axis labels are shown, they still stay resolutely aligned with the bars. The weekly chart is almost impossible to get the axis labels to align with the bars.

monthly2.png (4.24 KiB) Viewed 85958 times

I'm sorry about going on about this problem but its a real issue for me, I need the labels to align correctly with the bars when using datetime data with standard intervals as they have done so in the past.

[Yeray]

Hi Captell,

We appreciate your suggestions but I think we could brake other situations, for example when scrolling the chart so that the first bar is out of the axis range (or all them).

While IncrementOffset isn't avaiable, that will allow you to do the following:

Code: Select all

        private void InitializeChart()
        {
            tChart1.Aspect.View3D = false;

            Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar bar1 = new Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(tChart1.Chart);

            bar1.Marks.Style = Steema.TeeChart.Styles.MarksStyles.XValue;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "MMM dd";
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Steema.TeeChart.Utils.GetDateTimeStep(Steema.TeeChart.DateTimeSteps.OneDay);

            Random rnd = new Random();
            DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
            for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
                bar1.Add(date.AddDays(i), rnd.Next(100));

            bar1.XValues.DateTime = true;

            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.IncrementOffset = 1 - ((DateTime.Now - DateTime.Today).TotalDays); 
        }

I think you could use axis labels style Text and capture the GetAxisLabel event to show the XValues so you won't need to add you values with label:

Code: Select all

        private void InitializeChart()
        {
            tChart1.Aspect.View3D = false;

            Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar bar1 = new Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(tChart1.Chart);

            bar1.Marks.Style = Steema.TeeChart.Styles.MarksStyles.XValue;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "MMM dd";
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Steema.TeeChart.Utils.GetDateTimeStep(Steema.TeeChart.DateTimeSteps.OneDay);

            Random rnd = new Random();
            DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
            for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
                bar1.Add(date.AddDays(i), rnd.Next(100));

            bar1.XValues.DateTime = true;

            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Style = Steema.TeeChart.AxisLabelStyle.Text;
            tChart1.Panel.MarginBottom = 15;
            tChart1.GetAxisLabel += new Steema.TeeChart.GetAxisLabelEventHandler(tChart1_GetAxisLabel);
        }

        void tChart1_GetAxisLabel(object sender, Steema.TeeChart.GetAxisLabelEventArgs e)
        {
            if (sender == tChart1.Axes.Bottom)
            {
                if ((e.Series != null) && (e.ValueIndex > -1))
                    e.LabelText = DateTime.FromOADate(e.Series.XValues[e.ValueIndex]).ToString("MMM dd");
            }
        }

The two examples above give the same result in a first view:

Chart1.png (25.89 KiB) Viewed 85907 times

But when you scroll the chart, you can see how the IncrementOffset solution still produces labels where there aren't points:

Chart_IncrOff.png (25.16 KiB) Viewed 85911 times

While the GetLAbels event solution doesn't continue drawing labels where there aren't points:

Chart_TextLabels.png (23.79 KiB) Viewed 85913 times

[Captell]

I think you must be missing my point.

I don't think it's a problem to show asix labels where there isn't a bar. What I have a problem with is not having the axis labels correctly aligned with the bars. You mentioned my suggestion could break other situations, this should rightly be of concern BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT OCCURED THAT BROKE ALL MY CLIENTS CHARTS.

All of the examples that I have included are based on weekly data with a weekly increment. With this set of conditions the labels are not aligning with the bars when there are bars, any other data and increment such as monthly data and ONE MONTH increment the labels align.

Why is it a feature for the weekly increment to not correctly align labels with the bars when all other increments correctly align?

I really don't understand whats going on here!

[Yeray]

Hi Captell,

Have you tried the example above with GetAxisLabel?

Note that DateTimes are, in fact, doubles. The integer part is the day and the rational part is the hour.
The automatic labels, with a Day Increment, are placed at 0:00. If the points have an XValue in a different hour, they won't appear aligned.

Code: Select all

        private void InitializeChart()
        {
            Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar bar1 = new Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(tChart1.Chart);

            bar1.Marks.Style = Steema.TeeChart.Styles.MarksStyles.XValue;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "MMM dd HH:mm";
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Steema.TeeChart.Utils.GetDateTimeStep(Steema.TeeChart.DateTimeSteps.OneDay);

            Random rnd = new Random();
            //DateTime date = DateTime.Today;  //days at 0:00
            DateTime date = DateTime.Now;        //days not at 0:00 (depending on the time you run the application)
            for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
                bar1.Add(date.AddDays(i), rnd.Next(100));

            bar1.XValues.DateTime = true;
        }

Changing this example to months, the differences are almost inappreciable, but they exist:

Code: Select all

        private void InitializeChart()
        {
            Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar bar1 = new Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(tChart1.Chart);

            bar1.Marks.Style = Steema.TeeChart.Styles.MarksStyles.XValue;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "MMM dd HH:mm";
            tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Steema.TeeChart.Utils.GetDateTimeStep(Steema.TeeChart.DateTimeSteps.OneMonth);

            Random rnd = new Random();
            //DateTime date = DateTime.Today;
            DateTime date = DateTime.Now;
            for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
                bar1.Add(date.AddMonths(i), rnd.Next(100));

            bar1.XValues.DateTime = true;
        }

Chart1.png (30.15 KiB) Viewed 85891 times

[Captell]

Hi there,
There is little point in me trying your example. I know that if I put the date time value in as a LABEL it will align, th eproblem with putting it in as a label is that the datetime functionality available if X is a date time value is lost. Also I'm not is a position to

What doesn't happen is the correct alignment when the datetime is added to the chart as Xvalue with a one week increment when is did align correctly in previous releases. It aligns correctly with monthly data and a one month increament and it aligns correctly with daily data and one day increment. it doesn't however, correctly align with weekly data and one week increment.

I'm getting a bit frustrated with this process, it is clearly a bug that was introduced sometime since version v3.5.3146 and all I can get from Steema support is that it is by design, I ask how it can be by design when labels align correctly with the bars for all other increment values.

Look at the examples I posted several posts ago that show weekly data, the time portion is 00:00:00, look at the image of the resultant chart, the X labels are not directly beneath the bars, look in the same post the monthly sample with the labels directly beneath the bars. Now explain how it is not a bug to have the weekly labels misaligned and the monthly labels aligned.

[Christopher]

I'm getting a bit frustrated with this process, it is clearly a bug that was introduced sometime since version v3.5.3146 and all I can get from Steema support is that it is by design, I ask how it can be by design when labels align correctly with the bars for all other increment values.

Look at the examples I posted several posts ago that show weekly data, the time portion is 00:00:00, look at the image of the resultant chart, the X labels are not directly beneath the bars, look in the same post the monthly sample with the labels directly beneath the bars. Now explain how it is not a bug to have the weekly labels misaligned and the monthly labels aligned.

Hi, I'm the lead dev on TeeChart for .NET. This is the code I'm running:

Code: Select all

   private void InitializeChart()
    {
      tChart1.Clear();

      var bar = new Bar(tChart1.Chart) { Marks = { Style = MarksStyles.XValue } };
      bar.XValues.DateTime = true;

      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "MMM dd";
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneMonth);

      var rnd = new Random();
      var date = DateTime.Now; //code run on 3rd day of month, hence the offset
      for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
        bar.Add(date.AddMonths(i), rnd.Next(100));
    }

This is what I get using TeeChart for .NET v3.5.3146.24804 in VS2008:

Labels_3.5.3146.24804.PNG (40.86 KiB) Viewed 85871 times

And this is what I get using the latest version of TeeChart for .NET v2010 in VS2010:

Labels_Latest2010.PNG (37.75 KiB) Viewed 85869 times

I can see no difference between these two images. Can you please run the above code at your end and confirm for me that both v3.5.3146.24804 and the latest v2010 give virtually identical results?

Many thanks.

[Captell]

Hi Christopher,
The data needs to be weekly data with the interval set to one week. See the example I posted earlier with the red bar charts. Monthly data works fine.

Thanks.

[Christopher]

Hello,

Please note that in the images I sent, the monthly data is NOT working fine. Can you see that the bottom axis ticks and labels are not exactly in the middle of each bar? This is a symptom of the same "problem".

You didn't post any code for weekly data, but I'm using the following:

Code: Select all

    private void InitializeChart()
    {
      tChart1.Clear();
      tChart1.Aspect.View3D = false;

      var bar = new Bar(tChart1.Chart) { Marks = { Style = MarksStyles.XValue } };
      bar.XValues.DateTime = true;

      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fffffff";
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneWeek);

      var rnd = new Random();
      var date = new DateTime(2000, 01, 30, 0, 0, 0, 0);
      for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      {
        bar.Add(date, rnd.Next(100));
        date = date.AddDays(7);
      }
    }

This code was run with Region and Language Format set to "English (United States)". This is the result using TeeChart for .NET v3.5.3146.24804 in VS2008:

Labels_3.5.3146.24804_week.PNG (32.99 KiB) Viewed 85859 times

And this is the result using the latest version of TeeChart for .NET v2010 in VS2010:

Labels_Latest2010_week.PNG (30.55 KiB) Viewed 85854 times

Again, with respect to the positioning of the bottom axis labels, there is no visible difference. Can you please confirm these results at your end?

[Captell]

Hi Christopher,

The following code

Code: Select all

  Private Sub InitializeChart()
      TChart1.Clear()
      TChart1.Aspect.View3D = False

      Dim bar = New Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(TChart1.Chart)
      bar.XValues.DateTime = True

      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd ddd HH:mm:ss.fffffff"
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneMonth)

      Dim rnd = New Random
      Dim dte = New DateTime(1999, 12, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0)
      For i As Integer = 0 To 9
         bar.Add(dte, rnd.[Next](100))
         dte = dte.AddMonths(1)
      Next

   End Sub

produces the following chart

monthly.png (33.05 KiB) Viewed 85838 times

As can be see the monthly labels line up perfectly. However using the following code

Code: Select all

Private Sub InitializeChart()
      TChart1.Clear()
      TChart1.Aspect.View3D = False

      Dim bar = New Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(TChart1.Chart)
      bar.XValues.DateTime = True

      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd ddd HH:mm:ss.fffffff"
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneWeek)

      Dim rnd = New Random
      Dim dte = New DateTime(1999, 12, 26, 0, 0, 0, 0)
      For i As Integer = 0 To 9
         bar.Add(dte, rnd.[Next](100))
         dte = dte.Adddays(7)
      Next

   End Sub

produces the following chart

weekly.png (36.21 KiB) Viewed 85844 times

on which the labels do not correctly align

Changing the code to be yearly like this

Code: Select all

   Private Sub InitializeChart()
      TChart1.Clear()
      TChart1.Aspect.View3D = False

      Dim bar = New Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(TChart1.Chart)
      bar.XValues.DateTime = True



      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd ddd HH:mm:ss.fffffff"
      TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneYear)

      Dim rnd = New Random
      Dim dte = New DateTime(1999, 12, 30, 0, 0, 0, 0)
      For i As Integer = 0 To 9
         bar.Add(dte, rnd.[Next](100))
         dte = dte.AddYEARS(1)
      Next

   End Sub

produces the following chart

yearly.png (34.41 KiB) Viewed 85846 times

again the labels are aligned perfectly, the problem is definately only present with weekly data

This is using version 3.5.3146.24804,for some unknown reason even in this version I'm now getting this misalignment with the weekly chart even when I try it with my application, which wasn't exhibiting the problem a few weeks ago, as can be seen from earlier posts showing weekly charts

[Captell]

A little more information. If the start date of the data to be plotted is not aligned with the interval the labels do not line up properly. For instance changing the monthly code to

Private Sub InitializeChart()
TChart1.Clear()
TChart1.Aspect.View3D = False

Dim bar = New Steema.TeeChart.Styles.Bar(TChart1.Chart)
bar.XValues.DateTime = True


TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90
TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd ddd HH:mm:ss.fffffff"
TChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneMonth)

Dim rnd = New Random
Dim dte = New DateTime(1999, 12, 25, 0, 0, 0, 0)
For i As Integer = 0 To 9
bar.Add(dte, rnd.[Next](100))
dte = dte.AddMONTHS(1)
Next

End Sub


produces

monthly2.png (33.84 KiB) Viewed 85845 times

where the labels are not aligned.

The examples I've provided Weekly, Monthly or Yearly have each date correcly aligned to the interval, weekly each date is a sunday, monthly each date is the first date of the month and yearly each date is the first date of the year. The missalignment occurs in all intervals when thedate of the first point to be plotted does not line up accordingly except WEEKLY which doesn't align at all.

[Captell]

Some more observations on this one which I think clearly identify the problem.

When plotting monthly data (i.e. increment set to one month and the data points one month apart) the first date shown on the chart is always the 1st day of the month that the first bar date falls in, for instance if the first date in the data is 20th January then the first date shown on the chart will be 1st January with the bar slightly offset (aligning with where the 20th would be).

However for weekly data the first date shown on the chart is always 3 days before the first date in the data, for instance if the first date in the data is the 4th of August then the chart shows 1st of August, if the first date in the data is 20th August then the first date shown on the chart is 17th August, and therefor when plotting weekly data the bars will will NEVER align with the labels as the labels are always a few days before the bars.

[Christopher]

Hello,

This is using version 3.5.3146.24804,for some unknown reason even in this version I'm now getting this misalignment with the weekly chart even when I try it with my application, which wasn't exhibiting the problem a few weeks ago, as can be seen from earlier posts showing weekly charts

Yes, my assertion is that there has never been a difference in functionality in this respect between the latest version and v3.5.3146.24804.

Some more observations on this one which I think clearly identify the problem.

I've known what the problem is for a while . The solution is in the next maintenance release, due out very shortly. The solution is the IncrementOffset property, which in your case will be able to be used like this:

Code: Select all

    private void InitializeChart()
    {
      tChart1.Clear();
      tChart1.Aspect.View3D = false;

      var bar = new Bar(tChart1.Chart) { Marks = { Style = MarksStyles.XValue } };

      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.Angle = 90;
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Labels.DateTimeFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fffffff";
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.Increment = Utils.GetDateTimeStep(DateTimeSteps.OneWeek);
      tChart1.Axes.Bottom.IncrementOffset = 4;

      var rnd = new Random();
      var date = new DateTime(1999, 12, 25, 0, 0, 0, 0);
      for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++)
      {
        bar.Add(date, rnd.Next(100));
        date = date.AddDays(7);
      }
    }

and the result is this:

Labels_Latest2010_week_offset.PNG (30.09 KiB) Viewed 85840 times