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Timeline

Basic

Timeline is element for displaying data in a chronological manner. These data can be static (set during design-time), or dynamic (set from your program code).

Timeline handles it's data in terms of events and periods. Events are described with single date (or value), and periods are described by two dates(values) - the start and end for a period. Both events and periods are highly adjustable for display. There is a number of properies for both entities that can customize their looks to suite your needs. Read more on these entities in TimelinePoints and TimelinePeriods.

Timeline can show it's data in two modes : using dates or using values (long values in C#). The key property that determines mode is Timeline.UseDates.

When using date-based timeline, you are limited to the period of 1. AD - 9999. AD. This is imposed by .NET date representation limit.

Setting data programmaticly

Assume you have report containing Timeline with Name set to "timeline0". All you should do is set report XML file, then set timeline events and periods.

// C# code
Stampa.ReportDocument document = new Stampa.ReportDocument();

// set .xml file for printing
document.setXML("timeline.xml");

// create events for your timeline
TimelinePoint event1 = new TimeLinePoint();
event1.Text = "FIFA World Cup 2006";
event1.Date = new DateTime(2006, 6, 9);
 
TimelinePoint event2 = new TimeLinePoint();
event2.Text = "Olypic Games Italy";
event2.Date = new DateTime(2006, 2, 10);

// create periods for your timeline
TimelinePeriod period1 = new TimelinePeriod();
period1.Text = "FIFA World Cup 2006";
period1.StartDate = new DateTime(2006, 6, 9);
period1.EndDate = new DateTime(2006, 7, 9);
	
// add data to the timeline0
document.AddTimelineData("timeline0", new TimelinePoint[]{point1, point2}, new TimelinePeriod[]{period1} );

The length of data array (array of double values) should be the same as the number of Categories (in this case 3). If non-existant chart-name is used, the data will be ignored. Pay attention that we'are adding series here ; if you display only dynamic data, don't set any static data during design-time.

XML structure

Sample XML structure for ChartBox :

<timeline name="timeline1" x="492" y="512" width="250" height="180" useDates="True" stripeNumber="1" stripeSize="20" 
  stripeStyle="Arrow" Layout="EveryPage" Selectable="True" horAlignment="None" verAlignment="None" >
  <backgroundColor color="White" />
  <stripeColor color="LightBlue" />
  <startDate value="1/1/2006 12:00:00 AM" />
  <endDate value="12/31/2006 12:00:00 AM" />
  <startValue value="0" />
  <endValue value="100" />
  <markerStyle value="Grid" />
  <markerPeriod value="Month" />
  <markerColor color="Silver" />
  <padding width="10" height="10" />
  <border width="1" />
  <pdfImageQuality value="80"/>
  <timepoints>
    <timepoint showDate="True">
      <date value="6/9/2006 12:00:00 AM" />
      <value value="0" />
      <text value="FIFA World Cup" />
      <box width="100" height="50" textColor="Black" color="White" boxShadow="True" />
      <boxOffset x="0" y="20" />
      <dateFormat value="dd/MM/yyyy" />
      <pictureFile value="" />
      <pictureSize width="80" height="100" />
      <pictureOffset x="20" y="-20" />
      <pictureBorder width="1" color="Black" />
      <font family="Tahoma" size="8" underline="False" />
    </timepoint>
    
    ...

  </timepoints>

  <timeperiods>
     <timeperiod offset="-30" color="Navy" >
      <startDate value="4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM" />
      <endDate value="8/1/2006 12:00:00 AM" />
      <startValue value="0" />
      <endValue value="10" />
      <text value="Period Description" />
      <textPosition value="Top" />
      <font family="Tahoma" size="8" underline="False" />
    </timeperiod>    

    ...

  </timeperiods>
</timeline>