[Max Carnage]

Hi,

I've seen this kind of thing done before and was wondering whether anybody knows what kind of software to use. Basically I want to represent a 2 dimensional graph using pictures for the markers. Specifically, I want to have 1 horse per capital city to track/compare progress towards a predefined goal...

Like this only pretty:

[tom]

Visio maybe?

I am useless on it, but after seeing what other people do with it to work out crane radius' truck turning circles etc I demanded I get a copy.

Since then I tried to use it once and gave up in despair things all come out in wonky scales by default, you sit an office desk next to a semi trailer and the desk is bigger! Would be better if the scale was right and you just zoomed in, in my opinion.

Anyway I have gone back to cardboard cutouts and pieces of string for radius, or better still getting a drafty to draw it up in CAD!

[tor]

Max Carnage, on 04 August 2010 - 11:31 PM, said:

Hi,

I've seen this kind of thing done before and was wondering whether anybody knows what kind of software to use. Basically I want to represent a 2 dimensional graph using pictures for the markers. Specifically, I want to have 1 horse per capital city to track/compare progress towards a predefined goal...

I think that is pretty already

What I would probably end up doing is whacking a background image onto a form and passing a record set of the coordinates required for each picture and setting them before render. Never done exactly that but even with my crappy VB skills you ought to be able to throw it together in a couple hours pissing about.

If I was a real programmer I would probably have a look at this:

http://code.google.c...amic_icons.html

Not because ti is better, it just seems cooler. Couldn't see a horse but they have bikes. You can probably add your own icons though.

[Max Carnage]

Thanks to you both. I hadn't thought of VBA in Excel but it might be the best option. An added bonus would be the ability to animate it!

[tor]

Max Carnage, on 05 August 2010 - 03:24 AM, said:

Thanks to you both. I hadn't thought of VBA in Excel but it might be the best option. An added bonus would be the ability to animate it!

I would have done it in Access as you have the properties of the image available in the top and left values of the form.

[tom]

Visio looks like it is definitely an option for you with:

Quote

Allows users to bring diagrams to life with dynamic, data-driven visuals that are connected to real-time data.

At nearly $1000.00 a throw it is probably not a good option though. Feel guilty now about my license sitting idle...

http://www.officewor...ffice/INMSA6177

http://office.micros...P001018684.aspx

[Max Carnage]

Thanks Tom. I had no idea it could be used like that.

Our work has a deal with MS that gives us practically free software for home use, and Visio was available for $27 or something last time I checked (we get the full office suite for under $40!), so I'll look into it.

[staringclown]

Max Carnage, on 05 August 2010 - 10:32 AM, said:

Thanks Tom. I had no idea it could be used like that.

Our work has a deal with MS that gives us practically free software for home use, and Visio was available for $27 or something last time I checked (we get the full office suite for under $40!), so I'll look into it.

Visio is pretty good for UML, flow diagrams, hybrid models and process diagrams (ITIL even). Pretty diagrams keep business happy.

[Max Carnage]

I realised I could do it really, really easily.

Excel stacked bar chart. Variables, with a stacked fixed value on the end (box-shape). Use a picture fill to put a horse in it. Subtract the box value from the variable so the horses' noses match the variables. Make the variable bars invisible. Voila!



Thanks for the help.

[tor]

Max Carnage, on 24 August 2010 - 05:36 AM, said:

I realised I could do it really, really easily.

If it ain't easy it ain't worth doing

Of course the real quote is "If it ain't easy you're doing it wrong"

[RumpledElf]

tor, on 05 August 2010 - 03:31 AM, said:

I would have done it in Access

Spoken like a DBA.

Me, I'd probably try and do it in Genetica