About graphs

Often the best way to display information is graphically. Instead of showing users a series of rows and columns of data, you can present information as a graph in a DataWindow object or window. For example, in a sales application, you might want to present summary information in a column graph.

PowerBuilder provides many types of graphs and allows you to customize your graphs in many ways. Probably most of your use of graphs will be in a DataWindow object. The source of the data for your graphs will be the database.

You can also use graphs as standalone controls in windows (and user objects) and populate the graphs with data through scripts.

The way you define graphs is the same whether you are using them in a DataWindow object or directly in a window. However, the way you manipulate graphs in a DataWindow object is different from the way you manipulate them in a window.

Before using graphs in an application, you need to understand the parts of a graph and the kinds of graphs that PowerBuilder provides.