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Two needles in the same gauge
http://www.begraphic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=58
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Author:  BeGraphic Team [ Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Two needles in the same gauge

Sometimes people ask for two needles.

Here is a solution
If you want to compare several values using a gauge, you have to use the "ALERT"
(the setup is divided into 2 tabs: 1/2 for the first one and 2/2 for the second one)

On the first tab, you choose how many alerts you want (maximum = 3)
And for each alert, you have to decide its minimum, maximum and color

On the second tab, the choice is about where to show the alert(s):
You can decide to put it on any life circle (like on a tree trunk).

Conclusion
But no airplane gauge has two needles. Nor Boeing nor Airbus have created such monster.
Getting two needles would be very painful. You would have to get different shapes to recognize them.

The only case when two needles exist in the dial is for watches (the Hour needle is smaller than the Minute one).
If this happened, you would loose the main interest of a gauge that is to get the instant value at lightning speed (in milliseconds, without deciphering figures).

Getting too many needles would be the same nightmare as a pie chart with too many slices
becoming just an aesthetic art object (if you are lucky), but unusable for data visualization.

Author:  robdigital [ Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Two needles in the same gauge

Yes, for mission critical - real life situations, two needles can be confusing. But in the context of data representation I think it would be benificial especially when having to compare a current metric with a historical one.

Your solution of using the alert bars to compare data would not be fesable in a situation where you have already reserved the alert bars to show acceptable ranges, but yet still want to compare current data vs. historical.

Is there any way to overlay a second guage that has a transparent background over an existing guage?

Thanks,

Rob

Author:  BeGraphic Team [ Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Two needles in the same gauge

Good point !
It' possible to add a second gauge on top of a first one.
Not only it gives two needles (or even more), but if you set up alerts the right way you have 6 alert areas (or even more).

Here is the proceeding:
  • First you have to create a blank transparent image (PNG format). We will put one in the next version of BeGraphic.
  • store it in C:\Program Files\BeGraphic\BeGraphic\Content\Gauge\Background
  • set up the first gauge without a glass
  • in the BeGraphic ribbon, use the option "Excel layout / Align / Snap to shape". When you gently move a new shape near to another shape (or a cell), this option forces the new shape to be aligned to the other one.
  • set up the second gauge with the special background "transparent"

Therefore gauges can have as many needles and alert areas as you want!

Author:  lasselj [ Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Two needles in the same gauge

Hi
A'm using a gauge whith two needles. Made one gauge as usual and one whith transparency background.
The problem I have is when I put them toghether. Having big problem geting the two scale right. Is i possible to
make the transparence gauge whith a transparency scale.
Sorry for my homemade english, I'm from sweden :mrgreen:
/LJ

Author:  BeGraphic Team [ Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Two needles in the same gauge

Dear BeGraphic user

Indeed it's difficult to have the same scale (graduations) on two different gauges.

Unfortunately it's not possible in the current version to have no graduations (or transparency graduations).

We will put this options in the next version.

Best regards
BeGraphic's team

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