Example 1: Creating a simple line chart
About the chart
In this example, you will create a new database containing stock market values for a fictitious company. You will add data to the file using Table View, then create a line chart to present your data graphically.
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.
For File name, type Monthly Stock Results, 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.
Add text fields to the Monthly Stock Results table
1.
In the first table row, click Create Field and type Company.
When you create fields in Table View, the default field type is Text.
2.
To add two more text fields on this layout, click + in the column heading, type Month, then click + in the column heading again and type Price.
Add records to the database
1.
Click the row below the Company heading to create a new record in the database.
2.
Enter the following records in the Monthly Stock Results layout.
Tip  Press Tab to move to the next field.
 
Company
Month
Price
ABC Company
January
13.00
ABC Company
February
6.00
ABC Company
March
10.00
ABC Company
April
4.00
ABC Company
May
15.00
ABC Company
June
21.00
Create a line chart to show stock performance over six months
1.
Click View As Form View in the layout bar to go to Form View, then click Edit Layout in the layout bar to switch to Layout mode.
2.
Drag the Body layout part down to make room for the chart.
3.
Click the Chart tool 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 appears.
4.
Enter the following settings in the Chart Setup dialog box:
 
For:
Do This:
Chart Type
Choose Line.
Note  The chart preview updates when you make formatting changes to chart settings. However, the chart does not show data from your database until you view the chart in Browse, Find, or Preview modes.
Chart Title
Type Stock Value of ABC Company
Note  FileMaker Pro encloses your title text in quotation marks when you click outside the Chart Title field.
Horizontal (X) Axis
Click Specify button, choose Specify Field Name, choose Month in the list, then click OK.
The data values in the Month field will appear as labels at the bottom of your chart (X-series). This is the data you are comparing.
Vertical (Y) Axis
Click Specify button, choose Specify Field Name, choose Price in the list, then click OK.
The data values in the Price field will appear as points connected by a line in your chart (Y-series). This is the data you are measuring.
Use Data From
Choose Current Found Set.
Change the chart format to Poly-line
FileMaker Pro offers two line formats: curve fitting and poly-line. The distinction between data points is emphasized when you use straight lines (poly-line).
1.
Click Format Chart.
You see the Format Chart dialog box.
2.
For Chart Appearance, choose Poly-line, click OK, then OK to return to Layout mode.
You see placeholder data in the chart on your layout. You must switch to Browse mode to see data from your database.
View the chart in Browse mode
 •
Click Save Layout, then Exit Layout in the layout bar.
You see the finished chart.
Notes
 •
If your chart is hard to read (for example, the line is too flat), return to Layout mode, select the chart, and drag the handles to make the chart larger. Then return to Browse mode to verify the chart.
 •
You can double-click a chart in Layout mode to open the Chart Setup dialog box and make changes.
Related topics 
About charts
Planning a chart
Creating and editing charts
Formatting charts
Example 2: Charting summary data
Example 3: Charting delimited data
Example 4: Charting related records
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