Chart Backgrounds

All Chartsmith charts have a background. Chart backgrounds can have no fill, or can be painted with a solid color or one of three gradient patterns. An image can also be displayed on top of the background color or gradient. Chart backgrounds accept dragged colors and images. Other background attributes are changed using the Background Inspector.


The Background Inspector

Fill Type

 


Chart backgrounds can be one of four gradient styles, or have no fill as shown in the Inspector.

No Gradient - set the color using the color well.

Linear gradient - change the angle and granularity with the sliders in the Inspector.

Concentric Gradient - change the center point by clicking in the mini-view in the Inspector. Change the granularity using the slider.

Radial Gradient - change the center point by clicking in the mini view in the background image section. Change the angle and granularity using the sliders or text fields.

No Fill - set the color using the color well.

Draw Border
Turns the border around the chart on or off.

Using a Background Image
You can drag and drop an image file directly to the chart background. Alternately, you may use the Set Image button on the Inspector.

 

Set Image
Brings up an open panel, allowing you to choose an image file from the Finder. If an image already exists in the background, it is cleared, then set to the newly specified image.

Clear Image
Clears the background image from the chart.

Size to fit chart
The Size To Fit button resizes the image to be the same size as the chart. If the image is set to be size to fit the chart, you may choose to ignore the aspect ratio of the original image (Ignore Aspect), and have the image dimensions match the chart dimensions. You may instead choose to keep the aspect ratio of the original image (Keep Aspect). If the chart is not sized to fit the chart, then its original dimensions are maintained.



Start and End Color
If you choose any gradient style other than no gradient, you may specify the start and end color. Colors dragged directly to a chart will always set the start color.

Flipping Colors
Start and end colors can be swapped using the swap button tht sits between the two color wells.

Granularity
If you choose any gradient style other than no gradient, you can specify the granularity of the gradient. This is the number of intermediate steps between the start color and the end color.