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Example 2: Charting delimited data

FileMaker Pro can chart multiple data entries from a single field when each data value in the field is separated by a carriage-return character (carriage return-delimited data).

About the chart

In this example, you create a new database containing two return-delimited fields: Country and Customer Count. The fields are located on one layout and all data is stored in one record. Then you create a column chart that compares the number of customers located in each country.

Create a database

1.	Do one of the following:

•	If the FileMaker Quick Start Screen is open, click Create a New Database, then close the Quick Start Screen.

•	If the FileMaker Quick Start Screen is not open, choose File menu > New Database.

2.	Name the file Worldwide Customers, then click Save to save the file on your hard disk.

The file opens in Browse mode in Table View. FileMaker Pro creates the first table and layout for you. Both have the same name as the file.

Define and format the fields

1.	In the first table row, click Create Field and type Country.

2.	Click + in the column and type Customer Count.

3.	Click View As in the layout bar to go to Form View, then click Edit Layout to switch to Layout mode.

4.	Select the Customer Count field and field label and drag them down about an inch.

5.	Select the Country field and drag its handles down until you see 5 rows in the field.

6.	Select the Customer Count field and drag its handles down until you see 5 rows in the field.

7.	Click Save Layout, then Exit Layout in the layout bar to return to Browse mode.

Add data to the database

1.	Click New Record in the status toolbar.

2.	In the Country field, type the following, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS) after each country name.

Spain
Italy
Japan
Germany
USA

3.	In the Customer Count field, type the following, pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS) after each value.

15
6
23
10
29

You have created two fields that contain return-delimited data.

Create a column to compare the number of customers in each country

1.	Click Edit Layout in the layout bar to switch to Layout mode.

2.	Drag the gray Body part boundary down to make room for the chart.

3.	Click the Chart tool in the status toolbar, then click in the body layout part and drag a large rectangle where you want the chart to appear.

The Chart Setup dialog box appears.

4.	In the Chart inspector, click Data Source and choose Current Record (delimited data).

5.	In the Chart area of the Chart inspector, enter the following:

 

For	Do this
Title	Type Customers by Country.
Type	Choose Column.
X-Axis (Horizontal)	For Title, type Countries. For Data, click , choose Specify Field Name, choose Country in the list, then click OK. Data values from the Country field appear below the chart. They will be labels for the columns in your chart (x-series). This is the data you are comparing.
Y-Axis (Vertical)	For Title, type Number of Customers. For Data, click , choose Specify Field Name, choose Customer Count in the list, then click OK. The columns in your chart show the data values from the Customer Count field (y-series). This is the data you are measuring.

6.	Click Done.

7.	Click Save Layout, then Exit Layout in the layout bar.

Each return-delimited value in the Country field corresponds to a return-delimited value in the Member Count field in the order the data was entered.

Related topics 

Example 1: Charting summary data

Example 3: Charting related records