NAME

Chart::Math::Axis - Implements an algorithm to find good values for chart axis

SYNOPSIS

  # Create a new Axis
  my $axis = Chart::Math::Axis->new;
  
  # Provide is some data to calculate on
  $axis->add_data( @dataset );
  
  # Get the values for the axis
  print "Top of axis: "     . $axis->top           . "\n";
  print "Bottom of axis: "  . $axis->bottom        . "\n";
  print "Tick interval: "   . $axis->interval_size . "\n";
  print "Number of ticks: " . $axis->ticks         . "\n";
  
  # Apply the axis directly to a GD::Graph.
  $axis->apply_to( $graph );

DESCRIPTION

Chart::Math::Axis implements in a generic way an algorithm for finding a set of ideal values for an axis. That is, for any given set of data, what should the top and bottom of the axis scale be, and what should the interval between the ticks be.

The terms "top" and "bottom" are used throughout this module, as it's primary use is for determining the Y axis. For calculating the X axis, you should think of 'top' as 'right', and 'bottom' as 'left'.

METHODS

new

  my $null = Chart::Math::Axis->new;
  my $full = Chart::Math::Axis->new( @dataset );

The "new" method creates a new "Chart::Math::Axis" object. Any arguments passed to the constructor are used as dataset values. Whenever the object has some values on which to work, it will calculate the axis. If the object is created with no values, most methods will return undef.

max

Returns the maximum value in the dataset.

min

Returns the minimum value in the dataset.

top

The "top" method returns the value that should be the top of the axis.

bottom

The "bottom" method returns the value that should be the bottom of the axis.

maximum_intervals

Although Chart::Math::Axis can work out scale and intervals, it doesn't know how many pixels you might need, how big labels etc are, so it can determine the tick density you are going to need. The "maximum_intervals" method returns the current value for the maximum number of ticks the object is allowed to have.

To change this value, see the "set_maximum_intervals" method. The default for the maximum number of intervals is 10.

interval_size

The "interval_size" method returns the interval size in dataset terms.

ticks

The "ticks" method returns the number of intervals that the top/bottom/size values will result in.

add_data

  $self->add_data( @dataset );

The "add_data" method allows you to provide data that the object should be aware of when calculating the axis. In fact, you can add additional data at any time, and the axis will be updated as needed.

set_maximum_intervals

  $self->set_maximum_intervals( $intervals );

The "set_maximum_intervals" method takes an argument and uses it as the maximum number of ticks the axis is allowed to have.

include_zero

If you have a dataset something like ( 10, 11, 12 ) the bottom of the axis will probably be somewhere around 9 or 8. That is, it won't show the zero axis. If you want to force the axis to include zero, use this method to do so.

apply_to

  $self->apply_to( $gd_graph_object )

The "apply_to" method is intended to provide a series of shortcuts for automatically applying an axis to a graph of a know type. At the present, this will change only the Y axis of a GD::Graph object. This method is considered experimental. If in doubt, extract and set the graph values yourself.

SUPPORT

Bugs should be reported via the CPAN bug tracker

<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Chart-Math-Axis>

For other issues, or commercial enhancement or support, contact the author.

AUTHOR

Adam Kennedy <adamk@cpan.org>

COPYRIGHT

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included with this module.