in reply to Help with GD::Graph

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;