Line chart, line goes to 0 when data missing

In a line chart, where data is missing, the line goes from the preceding or
next point to zero. This can result in displaying incorrect information to
the user. Example:
Display sales over past two years. We have not measured sales last year
until May. And for this year, we have only measured up to September. For the
missing months, there are no rows in the dataset. I.e., time span in dataset
(number of rows) is May 2003 to September 2004, one row per month.
However, last year line starts February with value of 0. This is false
information. We did not have 0 sales in Feb 2003. We don't know how much
sales we had.
Also, current year sales end at Oct 2004 with value of 0. This is also false
information.
Can the diagram be configured to it just terminate the line "midair" when
input data is missing?
TIA
Tibor Karaszi
SQL Server MVPWe have identified this issue in the chart control recently and provided a
hotfix. Please feel free to contact CSS/PSS and refer them to KB 883675.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;883675
--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Tibor Karaszi" <tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote in
message news:Ox44SSiqEHA.2340@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> In a line chart, where data is missing, the line goes from the preceding
or
> next point to zero. This can result in displaying incorrect information to
> the user. Example:
> Display sales over past two years. We have not measured sales last year
> until May. And for this year, we have only measured up to September. For
the
> missing months, there are no rows in the dataset. I.e., time span in
dataset
> (number of rows) is May 2003 to September 2004, one row per month.
> However, last year line starts February with value of 0. This is false
> information. We did not have 0 sales in Feb 2003. We don't know how much
> sales we had.
> Also, current year sales end at Oct 2004 with value of 0. This is also
false
> information.
> Can the diagram be configured to it just terminate the line "midair" when
> input data is missing?
> TIA
> Tibor Karaszi
> SQL Server MVP
>|||Does this apply to missing rows as well?
The KB refers to rows with NULL for the value. My case is that I have no row
for certain points, and I don't want the prior or next point to make up a
point with a value of 0.
FYI:
I have an expression for the Style of the line, so that current year is
solid, past year is dotted:
=Iif( Fields!year_offset.Value = 0, "Solid", "Dotted")
I also have an expression for Color of the line. Since I have bunch of
diagrams I pick up the color from a text box (so I can change color in one
place):
=ReportItems!gcsSelected.Value
Thanks!
Tibor
"Robert Bruckner [MSFT]" <robruc@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:u$GIP9iqEHA.1988@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> We have identified this issue in the chart control recently and provided a
> hotfix. Please feel free to contact CSS/PSS and refer them to KB 883675.
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;883675
> --
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>
> "Tibor Karaszi" <tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote
in
> message news:Ox44SSiqEHA.2340@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > In a line chart, where data is missing, the line goes from the preceding
> or
> > next point to zero. This can result in displaying incorrect information
to
> > the user. Example:
> >
> > Display sales over past two years. We have not measured sales last year
> > until May. And for this year, we have only measured up to September. For
> the
> > missing months, there are no rows in the dataset. I.e., time span in
> dataset
> > (number of rows) is May 2003 to September 2004, one row per month.
> >
> > However, last year line starts February with value of 0. This is false
> > information. We did not have 0 sales in Feb 2003. We don't know how much
> > sales we had.
> > Also, current year sales end at Oct 2004 with value of 0. This is also
> false
> > information.
> >
> > Can the diagram be configured to it just terminate the line "midair"
when
> > input data is missing?
> >
> > TIA
> > Tibor Karaszi
> > SQL Server MVP
> >
> >
>|||> Does this apply to missing rows as well?
Just FYI for some future reader. The answer is "yes".
I created a repro at home and on a machine with a fix, the endpoints did not "go to zero".
--
Tibor Karaszi, SQL Server MVP
http://www.karaszi.com/sqlserver/default.asp
http://www.solidqualitylearning.com/
"Tibor Karaszi" <tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote in message
news:OsL4esrqEHA.3744@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Does this apply to missing rows as well?
> The KB refers to rows with NULL for the value. My case is that I have no row
> for certain points, and I don't want the prior or next point to make up a
> point with a value of 0.
>
>
> FYI:
> I have an expression for the Style of the line, so that current year is
> solid, past year is dotted:
> =Iif( Fields!year_offset.Value = 0, "Solid", "Dotted")
> I also have an expression for Color of the line. Since I have bunch of
> diagrams I pick up the color from a text box (so I can change color in one
> place):
> =ReportItems!gcsSelected.Value
> Thanks!
> Tibor
>
> "Robert Bruckner [MSFT]" <robruc@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:u$GIP9iqEHA.1988@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> We have identified this issue in the chart control recently and provided a
>> hotfix. Please feel free to contact CSS/PSS and refer them to KB 883675.
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;883675
>> --
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
>>
>> "Tibor Karaszi" <tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote
> in
>> message news:Ox44SSiqEHA.2340@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> > In a line chart, where data is missing, the line goes from the preceding
>> or
>> > next point to zero. This can result in displaying incorrect information
> to
>> > the user. Example:
>> >
>> > Display sales over past two years. We have not measured sales last year
>> > until May. And for this year, we have only measured up to September. For
>> the
>> > missing months, there are no rows in the dataset. I.e., time span in
>> dataset
>> > (number of rows) is May 2003 to September 2004, one row per month.
>> >
>> > However, last year line starts February with value of 0. This is false
>> > information. We did not have 0 sales in Feb 2003. We don't know how much
>> > sales we had.
>> > Also, current year sales end at Oct 2004 with value of 0. This is also
>> false
>> > information.
>> >
>> > Can the diagram be configured to it just terminate the line "midair"
> when
>> > input data is missing?
>> >
>> > TIA
>> > Tibor Karaszi
>> > SQL Server MVP
>> >
>> >
>>
>