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Charts

This group inserts a chart into the PDF from data you type in as lists: columns, bars, a line or a pie. The chart is part of the document, like a paragraph or a table — it is placed where the workflow is at that moment, not at exact coordinates on a page.

Prerequisite: before using it, the workflow must already have a PDF created (with Create PDF).

  • Document: indicates which document in the workflow the instruction applies to. If left empty, the current document is used. If the document doesn’t exist (or is not a PDF), the instruction simply does nothing.
  • The data comes in as lists separated by commas: the Categories are the labels along the axis (Q1,Q2,Q3) and the Values are the numbers (10,20,30).
  • Fields “(from variable)”: the size and the two yes/no fields can take their value from something saved earlier in the workflow instead of what you type — leave the companion field empty to use the typed value.

Insert Chart .pdf

Inserts a chart with the data given.

When to use it: to show numbers a workflow has gathered — a total per month, a count per category — as a picture instead of a table.

Parameter Meaning Default Required
Document Document the instruction applies to (current document) No
Chart type Column (vertical bars), Bar (horizontal), Line or Pie Bar No
Series names Names of the data series, separated by commas. Supports @name Series 1 No
Categories Labels of the axis, separated by commas. Supports @name Cat 1,Cat 2,Cat 3 No
Values The numbers, separated by commas. Supports @name 10,20,30 No
Chart title Title shown above the chart; empty means no title. Supports @name (empty) No
Width (cm) Width of the chart in centimeters 12 No
Height (cm) Height of the chart in centimeters 8 No
Show legend Whether the names of the series appear below the chart Yes No
Show values Whether each bar or slice shows its number No No
Width key (from variable) Reads the width from a saved value (empty) No
Height key (from variable) Reads the height from a saved value (empty) No
Show legend key (from variable) Reads that yes/no from a saved value (empty) No
Show values key (from variable) Reads that yes/no from a saved value (empty) No

Important behavior: with several series, the values are read in blocks — as many numbers as there are categories go to the first series, the next block to the second, and so on. It is the same way Insert Chart .pptx reads them. A pie draws one series only, because a second one would paint over the first. A value that is not a number counts as 0. With no values at all the instruction does nothing: an empty chart is worse than no chart. A width or height of 0 or less falls back to the default size.


This documentation is the help of the application, and it comes underCreative Commons Attribution 4.0.