A simple command line tool to convert csv files into charts.
Chart rendering is done in JFreeChart.
The tool parses the csv file and decides which chart type to render based on the data, comments in the csv file, properties files and command line options.
After downloading the distribution file from the releases, extract the content in an appropriate folder and set the PATH variable to the 'bin' directory of the extracted folder.
The command line tool is called with the list of csv files to be converted.
Each csv file may contain leading comments to control the generated chart.
Example:
# csv2chart.title=Sales - Sections
# csv2chart.chart=pie
#
Section, Revenue
Mobile, 12000
Web, 7000
Stores, 9000
It is also possible to put the options into a properties files with the same basename as the csv file.
File: SectionAnalysis.csv
Section, Expenses, Revenue
Mobile, 4000, 6000
Web, 2000, 7000
Stores, 12000, 14000
File: SectionAnalysis.properties
chart=barIf many csv files need to be converted into charts it may be convenient to specify certain properties only once for all files.
This can be done in a shared csv2chart.properties file in the same directory as the csv files.
Example: csv2chart.properties
theme=dark
format=png
out.width=600
out.height=400NAME
csv2chart - create chart from csv file
SYNOPSIS
csv2chart [options] [csv-files]
DESCRIPTION
Options may be set in the command line, as comments in the csv file or in a properties file with the same basename as the csv file.
Command line options are prefixed with --.
Options in the csv file can be specified in comments at the top of the file, prefixed with 'csv2chart.'.
Example:
# csv2chart.title=Sales - Sections
# csv2chart.chart=pie
Options in properties files are specified without prefix.
Example:
title=Sales - Sections
chart=pie
OPTIONS
--properties filename
Loads the specified properties file.
--property key=value
Set the specified property.
--format format
Format of output chart files.
Supported formats: svg, png, jpg
Default: svg
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.format'.
--height pixels
The height of the generated charts in pixels.
Default: 600
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.height'.
--locale locale
The locale used for formatting values.
The format is: language_country
For example: en_US for US english.
Default: system locale
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'locale'.
--out-dir path
The output directory.
Default: same directory as the input file
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.dir'.
--out-postfix text
Postfix for output chart files.
Default: ''
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.postfix'.
--out-prefix text
Prefix for output chart files.
Default: ''
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.prefix'.
--theme name
Color theme.
Supported themes: light, dark, lightSolarized, darkSolarized
Default: light
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'theme'.
--width pixels
The width of the generated charts in pixels.
Default: 800
In properties files and csv comments this value can be set by using the key 'out.width'.
PROPERTIES
The following properties can be set in the properties file or as comments in the input files.
chart
The chart type to generate.
Supported types: auto, bar, line, xyline, pie, bubble, scatter, heat
Default: auto
color.axis.label
Color of the axis labels.
color.axis.line
Color of the axis line.
color.background
Color of the background.
color.grid.band
Color of the grid band.
color.grid.line
Color of the grid lines.
color.label
Color of the text labels.
color.legend
Color of the legend.
color.subtitle
Color of the subtitle.
color.title
Color of the title.
data-color-alpha
Alpha value of data colors.
Supported values: 0.0 - 1.0
Default: 0.8
data-color-brightness
Brightness of data colors.
Supported values: 0.0 - 1.0
Default: 0.9
data-color-saturation
Saturation of data colors.
Supported values: 0.0 - 1.0
Default: 0.7
data-colors
Color scheme to render data.
Supported schemes: wheel, random
Default: wheel
legend
Shows a legend for the value categories where necessary.
Default: Dynamically determined (generally true)
locale
The locale used for formatting values.
The format is: language_country
For example: en_US for US english.
Default: system locale
matrix-x-values
Specifies whether the first row of matrix values is used as values on the x-axis.
Default: true
matrix-y-values
Specifies whether the first row of matrix values is used as values on the x-axis.
Default: true
out.dir
The output directory.
Default: same directory as the input file
out.format
Format of output chart files.
Supported formats: svg, png, jpg
Default: svg
out.height
The height of the generated charts in pixels.
Default: 600
out.postfix
Postfix for output chart files.
Default: ''
out.prefix
Prefix for output chart files.
Default: ''
out.width
The width of the generated charts in pixels.
Default: 800
scale-default-color
Default color of the color scale used for non-existing values.
scale-max-color
Maximum color of the color scale as a hex value (RRGGBB).
scale-max-value
Maximum value of the color scale.
scale-mid-color
Mid color of the color scale as a hex value (RRGGBB).
scale-mid-value
Mid value of the color scale.
scale-min-color
Minimum color of the color scale as a hex value (RRGGBB).
scale-min-value
Minimum value of the color scale.
subtitle
Text to appear as sub title in the chart.
Default: none
theme
Color theme.
Supported themes: light, dark, lightSolarized, darkSolarized
Default: light
title
Text to appear as title in the chart.
Default: basename of the input file
value-labels
Labels appear next to the values where possible.
Default: Dynamically determined by the parameter 'value-labels-threshold'
value-labels-threshold
Threshold of value labels count to switch from a separate legend to value labels.
Default: 5
visible.domain.axis.line
Controls whether the domain axis is visible.
visible.domain.grid.line
Controls whether the domain grid line is visible.
visible.range.axis.line
Controls whether the range axis is visible.
visible.range.grid.line
Controls whether the range grid line is visible.
x-axis
Text to appear as label on the x-axis.
y-axis
Text to appear as label on the y-axis.
z-axis
Text to appear as label on the z-axis.
Additionally to the light color theme shown in the examples above
csv2chart supports several other default themes.
It is simple to specify a custom theme by supplying the colors in a file named custom.properties:
custom.properties
color.background=gray30
color.title=blue
color.subtitle=green
color.legend=green
color.label=yellow
color.axis.line=orange
color.axis.label=orange
color.grid.line=gray40
color.grid.band=pinkNow you can reference the custom properties files as a theme in the command line with the option --theme custom
or the properties file that accompanies your csv file:
RevenueCustom.properties
chart=line
subtitle=Using a custom theme
theme=custom
Alternatively you can specify the custom colors directly in one of the usual ways
(comment in csv file, in the properties file accompanying the csv file or the shared csv2chart.properties).