Python API for XML/SWF Charts (Flash Graphing)

I had a project where I was designing a statistics reporting site, to track production stats. I wanted to have really nice graphs that pulled from the database and were somewhat live and interactive. XML/SWF Charts is this awesome flash-based app that lets you embed graphs in your pages which receive their data from XML. There are tons of graph types and ways to customize the look.

http://www.maani.us/xml_charts/index.php

So, the thing is… I wanted to use Django for the site. I decided to write a python module that wraps around the API for SWF charts, so that the XML could easily be generated for me after just setting all my parameters. Thought I might post this here for any python fans wanting nice looking graphs in their site.

Really, this doesn’t just apply to django. You could just call out from anything to python code that will generate your XML for you.

Example:

chart = SwfChart()

# the data
chart.addRow( 'Person A', 1, 10, 5.5 )
chart.addRow( 'Person B', 6, 4.45, 8 )
chart.addColumnLabel( 'Day1', 'Day2', 'Day3' )

# Extra graph settings
chart.addFilter('shadow', 'low', distance=2, angle=45, alpha=35, blurX=5, blurY=5)
chart.addFilter('shadow', 'high', distance=3, angle=45, alpha=35, blurX=10, blurY=10)
chart.addFilter('bevel', 'bevel1', strength=10, quality=3, distance=2)
chart.setChartBorder(top=1, bottom=2, left=0, right=0, color='000000')
chart.setChartLabel(color='000000', alpha=80, size=8, position='outside', hide_zero=True)
chart.setChartTransition(type='scale', delay=.5, duration=.5, order='series')
chart.setChartRect(shadow='high')
chart.setLegend(size=12, alpha=90, fill_alpha=30)
chart.setAxisTicks(category_ticks=True, value_ticks=True, minor_count=3)
chart.setContextMenu(about=False)

# if you have the licensed version
chart.setLicense('license string')

Now at this point, the object can be treated like a string to get the xml, or just call getXML() :

print chart

print chart.getXML()   # same thing

xml = str(chart)   # or assign the XML string somewhere

You can download the swfcharts.py module and use it freely. If you find it helpful, post a comment or shoot me an email.

Download swfcharts.py

Pydoc located here for convenience:
swfcharts python documentation