Changing graph display options

All graphs support access to a Graphics Options dialog box that contains options for changing the appearance of the graph.

1. Draw a graph.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click the outer area of the graph (not touching an item).
   • From the menu bar, select Edit > Graph Options.

Since there are many different graphs you can draw, Visualizer provides custom Graphics Options dialog boxes for different graph types. This means that the Graphics Options dialog box you see depends upon the type of graph you draw. For example, a Top 10 graph is associated with the Top Graph Options dialog box, rather than a Hierarchy Color Options dialog box. The Graphics Options dialog boxes are:

• CPU or Partition Diagram Options dialog box
• I/O Diagram Options dialog box
• Disk/Device/Disk Arm Detail Options dialog box
• Paging Diagram Options dialog box
• Graphics Options dialog box
• Hierarchy Color Options dialog box
• Top Graph Options dialog box
• Map Graph Options dialog box

Understanding graph components

This documentation refers to graph components. Components are collected objects such as systems, printers, disks, and so on. Some components are referred to differently in different platforms. For example, Distributed Systems refers to nodes; MVS refers to logical systems; and iSeries refers to instances.

Specifying titles and subtitles for graphs

To specify a title and subtitle for a graph, select Edit > Title/Subtitle/Colors to open the Title/Subtitle/Colors dialog box. This dialog box also lets you specify background and foreground colors for Visualizer graphs. Use variables in the title or subtitle fields to specify dates, dates ranges, or unique component names.

Using variables to specify dates in titles, subtitles or colors

You can use variables to insert values in graph titles and subtitles. For example, if you specify New Transaction Rates for &WKLD and generate a graph for the workload FLIST, the title of the graph becomes New Transaction Rates for FLIST.

You can use variables to specify individual dates or date ranges in the subtitle as well. For example, if you specify New Transaction Rates for &Date and generate a graph for August 14, 2020, the graph title becomes New Transaction Rates for August 14, 2020 . If you want to use a range of dates, use the variables &DATE&ENDD.

Title/Subtitle Variable

Changing line thickness in a graph

Use the following procedure to change line thickness in a graph:

1. Right-click somewhere in the graph to display the Graphics Options dialog box.
2. Make the following selections: 
   • Under Graph Type, select Line.
   • Under Line Options, select Thick.
   • Under Special, make sure 3D is not selected.
3. To display the Line Thickness dialog box, press the Ctrl key while clicking in the Color Selection box.
4. Select the thickness you want and click OK.
5. To exit the Graphics Options dialog box and view the changes, click OK.

Changing fill patterns in a graph

Use the following procedure to change fill patterns in a graph.

1. Right-click somewhere in the graph to display the Graphics Options dialog box.
2. Under the Graph Type box, select Bar, Area, or Pie.
3. Press Ctrl while clicking in the Color Selection box.
   The Fill or Line/Fill Pattern Selection dialog box is displayed. (The dialog box displayed depends on the selections you make on the Graphics Options dialog box.)
4. Select the fill pattern and the line thickness you want and click OK.
5. To exit the Graphics Options dialog box and view the changes to the graph, click OK.

Linking graph objects to specific colors

For quick and easy identification across an enterprise, you can link objects in a graph (nodes, disks, and so on) to a specific color scheme. You can keep object or name links across sessions by saving them to a color scheme. The following procedure describes how to save a color scheme:

1. If you haven't already done so, link an object to a name using the Graphic Options dialog box (see Online Help for the procedure).
2. Select Options > Color Schemes.
   The Color Scheme Options dialog box is displayed.
   The Name-Color Map at the top of the dialog box shows the number of names in the map. It also shows whether any of the names have been edited. Visualizer starts building a color map that it increments until you either exit the session or click Clear.
3. Click Save Name-Color Map with Scheme and then click Save.
4. On the Save Color Scheme dialog box, specify a name that is meaningful to you and then click OK.
5. Click OK to save the color scheme and exit the graph.

Saving object and color links across sessions

Once you have linked specific objects and colors, you can save those links for use across sessions. To retain the object /color link across sessions, you save the link to a color scheme (.bvs by default), which you can override or restore during a later session.

If you save the graph to a project or temp late the color scheme is saved with the specific graph. However you must restore the color scheme before drawing the graph to view the results in the graph.

Restoring color schemes from previous Visualizer sessions

Once you have linked specific colors and specific objects in the database and saved them to a color scheme, the color scheme becomes available for use during later Visualizer sessions. You can override the color scheme or restore it during a later session.

Restoring a color scheme is helpful when you use a template to draw graphs (see Creating-templates). Visualizer retains colors and patterns defined in the template for its graphs, except when the number of objects included in the graph changes. When this happens, Visualizer uses default colors or the colors defined in the name-to-color mapping, if a color scheme is in effect. To fully realize this functionality you must manually edit the Automator keystroke file, as explained in the following section.

Using the keystroke file to restore color schemes in a template

When you use a Graphics event in a template to publish graphs to the Web, Automator produces a keystroke command file to restore the color scheme definition. You can manually edit the keystroke file to restore a color scheme before you redraw graphs using the template. When you restore a color scheme, Visualizer uses the name-to-color mapping as a default for any graph where the number of objects has changed.

The following example shows an edited keystroke file where colorme.bvs is the name of the color scheme to be restored before Visualizer redraws the graphs using the template:

Graphic Options dialog boxes defaults

Each graphics options dialog box includes Save as Default and Reset options. Use these settings to apply the graphic options yo u want to all associated graphs during a session. Keep in mind that you cannot apply changes to graphic option defaults across sessions. You also cannot make a change to default settings, and apply them to a different graph type.

For example, if you make changes to graphics options on the Top Graph Options dialog box, all Top 10 graphs you draw during the current session reflect the changes. However, the changes you specify on the Top Graph Options dialog box do not affect Hierarchy graphs you draw during the session. To change the Hierarchy graphs, you need to edit the Hierarchy Color Options dialog box. 

• Save as Default -This setting applies any graphics options changes you make to any subsequently drawn graphs in the current session. The changes are applied only to graphs associated with the graphic options dialog box you modified.
  For example, since all graphs have a foreground color, a change in foreground color applies to all graphs. However, if you change the default floor pattern it affects only those graphs that have floor patterns.
  When you start a new session, all graphics options settings revert to the default values.
• Reset - Sets all graphic options back to the default values.

International notes

All graphs use local formats for date and time. You can edit settings through the Regional Settings applet in the Windows Control Panel.

You can display all graph titles in the appropriate language. Select Edit > Title/Subtitle/Colors to edit the graph titles. Graph titles are saved in projects and templates.