The Legend
By default, all Chartsmith charts contain a legend. Each legend contains a
legend title and legend entries for each chart series, or in the case of pie
charts, for each data element or pie slice. As chart series (or pie slices) are
added to the chart, the legend is automatically resized to fit the new number
of entries. The legend can be hidden using the Legend switch found in the Data
View Window, but cannot be deleted since it is an integral component of the
chart.
Features of the Legend
¥ Resizing
The legend is resizable and its minimum
size is the smallest size needed to contain all of the legend entries. As you
resize the legend, the layout of the entries (number of rows and columns) will
change automatically to optimally fill the legend.
¥ Fonts
The legend font can be changed by
selecting the legend, and then setting the font using the font panel. The
legend title accepts the new font, while the legend entries use the same font
in a smaller size.
¥ Colors
Colors can be dragged to the legend to set
the legend's background color, title color or entry label color. Colors can
also be dragged to the legend entry keys to set the series colors (or, for pie
chart legends, pie slice colors). When the legend has a gradient fill
background, colors can be dragged to either end of the gradient to set the
start or end color of the background.
¥ Series Drawing Order
The drawing order of the chart series is determined by the order of the series
columns in the Data View. The order can be controlled within the legend by
control-clicking and dragging an entry, then dragging it to a new location in
the legend (not applicable for Pie charts)(the order can also be controlled by
control-dragging columns in the Data View). For non-pie charts, this order is
matched in the legend by the order of the legend entries.
Legend Inspector
¥ Title
The switch shows or hides the legend title. The text field sets the title
string for the legend. And the color well sets the title color.
¥ Entry Labels
Sets the color of the series entry labels, and the textual descriptor displayed
with the series name to identify which Y axis the series is associated with
(useful when both the Y1 and Y2 axis are being used).
¥ Fill Color
The Use Gradient Fill switch sets the type of fill used in the legend (gradient
or solid color). The start color sets the solid fill color when no gradient is
used, or the start gradient color when a gradient is used. The end color well
sets the end color of the gradient fill. The color swap button between the
color wells swaps the start color with the end color.
¥ Border
The switch shows or hides the legend border. The slider and text field set the
width of the border. The color well set the color of the border.
¥ Shadow
The switch shows or hides the legend shadow. The color well sets the color of
the shadow.
¥ Size To Fit
Sizes the legend to fit the entries.