ChartsmithÕs User Interface

There are three main components of the Chartsmith User Interface: the Chart Window, the Data View Window, and the Inspector Panel. When the application is launched, the Chart Window and the Data View Window are displayed. The Chart Window displays charts and allows graphical manipulation of charts in a document. The Data View Window displays data, allows data entry, and provides controls for some chart attributes like chart titles and axis labels. The Inspector Panel is used to inspect or manipulate the attributes of graphical objects in a chart.

The Chart Window

The Chart Window contains the Chart View , where charts are displayed and manipulated; and the Navigator, which shows thumbnail images of each chart in the document, and is used to select the chart to be viewed. Also in the upper left corner of the Chart Window are the Shortcut Buttons, used to quickly access the Inspector panel, color panel and annotation panel.

The Data View Window

The Data View Window displays the data for the currently selected chart in the active Chartsmith document. Its components include the Data View, the Chart Attributes Box, the Series Palette, and the Data Fill and Chart Update buttons. The Data View is where data for a chart is entered and displayed. The Chart Attributes box contains controls for several chart attributes, like titles and axis labels. The Series Palette displays the available series types for the current chart. The Data Fill and Chart Update buttons are use to bring up the Data Fill panel, used for generating data sequences, and the Chart Update button, used to disable chart updates while the Data View is being used.

The Inspector Panel

The Chartsmith Inspector Panel provides controls for attributes of specific chart components. The contents of the Inspector Panel change according to the current selection in the Chart. When there is no selection in the current chart, the background inspector is displayed.