The last post has pretty much laid out how I use GD::Graph. Here is an example to look at from something I use. The data I collect is on 5 minute intervals, but the graph can be from a day to several days wide. On a 600x480 graph, if I get more than 24 time values it looks very cluttered. You will want to use x_label_skip for this and x_labels_vertical to stand them on end. I hope it helps. One other thing to consider is using RRDTool. If your graphing app is going 7x24 it can collect your data, age off your data and then produce a graph for you. I use it all the time for just this type of thing. It should install fine on the machine you are using GD::Graph on. It uses all the same stuff. If you would like to see a couple of examples of putting in data and generating a graph I'd be happy to pass on a couple. 
# here is where we put a varying amount of timestamps across the graph
+ depending on how much time is involved.
# if this isn't done, you can either see a graph with 2 timestamps or 
+with so many they are not legible.
if ($elapsed_time > 604800){
      $x_label_skip = 216;
   } elsif ($elapsed_time > 172800){
      $x_label_skip = 36;
   } elsif ($elapsed_time > 86400){
      $x_label_skip = 24;
   } elsif ($elapsed_time > 43200){
      $x_label_skip = 12;
   } elsif ($elapsed_time > 3600){
      $x_label_skip = 6;
   } else {
      $x_label_skip = 1;
   }
 
foreach $entry (@timeline){                                           
+ # build an array of timestamps of date year
    $date = &SYSTIME($entry);
    push @dateline, $date;                                            
+ # the epoch time is converted to a string and saved in a list
}
$poop = 'CDR data from '.$startdate.' - '.$enddate;                   
+ # a fancy title for our graph
 
@data = (\@dateline, \@callAgent_A, \@callAgent_B);                   
+ # this is an array of arrays. The first one is the X axis
                                                                      
+ # which is the time, the others are the Y axis
my $query = new CGI;                                                  
+ # start a new cgi object
print $query->header(-type => 'image/png');                           
+ # output a content type header for a png file
my $data = GD::Graph::Data->new() or die GD::Graph::Data->error;
 
$data->copy_from(\@data);                                             
+ # this tells the graph to get the data from the data array
my $my_graph = new GD::Graph::area(600,480);                          
+ # and this says what type (area) and it's size
$my_graph->set(                                                       
+ # and set up all the particulars...
        r_margin => 1,
        x_label => 'Time',
        y_label => 'Hourly Attempts',
        title => $poop,
        y_min_value => 0,
        y_tick_number => 8,
        y_label_skip => 1,
        x_ticks => 1,
        x_label_skip => $x_label_skip,
        x_labels_vertical => 1,
        x_label_position => 1/2,
        cumulate => 1,
        transparent => 1,
)or warn $my_graph->error;
 
 
open (IMG, ">-") or die;                                              
+  # open up an output file to STDOUT
binmode IMG;
$my_graph->set( dclrs => [ qw(lgreen lblue) ] );                      
+  # here is the colors in the graph
$my_graph->set_legend("Call Agent A","Call Agent B" );                
+  # and the legend text
$my_graph->set_title_font(GD::Font->Giant);
print IMG $my_graph->plot($data)->png();                              
+  # and this plots the image out to a png format
close IMG;

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In reply to Re: Help with GD::Graph by odha57
in thread Help with GD::Graph by jeiku

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