Re: [NOVICE] Newbie just starting on charting with PHP - and seeking advice on options/approaches

From: Steve Crawford <scrawford(at)pinpointresearch.com>
Date: Fri Jan 25 2008 - 17:58:13 EST

Mike Ellsworth wrote:
>> I am looking at options to chart dynamic data held in the PostgreSQL
>> database pushed out to the web 'pages' via PHP, time series data in a
>> scientific setting such as groundwater levels from a transducer…
>>
>>
>
> You lost me on 'groundwater levels from a transducer', but we use
> http://www.aditus.nu/jpgraph/
> You'll need to check if they have the type you're looking to create.
> I believe they have a version for <$100.
>

Really not a PG question but you might ask in the PG/PHP list anyway. We use JPGraph. Yeah, it's not free. But it is quite inexpensive and worth the cost if it saves you more than a couple hours of development time.

JPGraph is built on lower-level functions directly available in PHP. If your graphs are fairly straightforward, you can roll-your-own in PHP.

You can also generate them externally to PHP with gnuplot or similar. Depending on your requirements, you can just have cron update the graphics at the appropriate periods and serve them statically.

Stat packages like R can generate graphs from your data. svgGraph will do svg graphs directly from PHP as long as your visitors can view SVG (FireFox, IE if they have the appropriate plugin). Also look at some of the pear packages.

This barely scratches the surface - you have lots o' options.

Cheers,
Steve

---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------

TIP 5: don't forget to increase your free space map settings Received on Fri Jan 25 17:58:30 2008