User (Legacy) Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Has anyone tried and/or succeeded in using ChartFX for Delphi to create a chart without having a window handle to draw to? (i.e. a batch process to make multiple charts?) I'm using Delphi 6 with Intraweb. (http://www.atozed.com) My product runs as a server creating reports that are consumed by web browsers. (that is, I am not using Cold Fusion / Asp / JSP / etc. to create my pages) My product is *the* web server. I'm currently using TeeChart which frankly has lousy output compared with ChartFX. I've used chartFX in a desktop app for many years. What I now need to do is create a chart, render it to a gif or jpg. (or even better, as an .svg) My app will handle serving it up, cleaning up the files, etc. I've been told that ChartFX doesn't provide the functionality to specify the width and height when requesting a chart... That it requires an HWND to draw to. Is this correct? Can ChartFX / Delphi work for me? Thanks, -pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Software FX Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 > I've been told that ChartFX doesn't provide the functionality to > specify the width and height when requesting a chart... That it > requires an HWND to draw to. Is this correct? This is correct if you talk about Chart FX ActiveX control (Chart FX Client server or Chart FX For Delphi). The chart DOES need a window to draw, however, this window may be hidden. The Paint method allows you to paint the chart into any Device Context (Canvas) at any size. This allows you to create a bitmap Canvas and draw the chart in it. I will have to say, however, the Chart FX Client Server is designed as an interactive control. We have a Server Component included in Chart FX Internet Edition designed to work without a windows in a server environment, capabilities to export to different raster image format as well as SVG are supported in this component. Chart FX Internet Server Component is a COM object and can be used from any language/dev. tool that supports COM. Because Delphi has some issues importing COM objects and creating wrappers from them, we manually have created a wrapper for Delphi. We have done this only for the Client-Server version. However, it won't be hard for you to convert this wrapper to the Chart FX IE Server (source code for the wrapper is provided with the Delhi Add-on). -- FP Software FX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User (Legacy) Posted October 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 SoftwareFX Support wrote: > > I've been told that ChartFX doesn't provide the functionality to > > specify the width and height when requesting a chart... That it > > requires an HWND to draw to. Is this correct? > > This is correct if you talk about Chart FX ActiveX control (Chart > FX Client server or Chart FX For Delphi). The chart DOES need a > window to draw, however, this window may be hidden. I am preparing to test my system to see if it is possible for a Windows Service to have a hidden window without allowing it to interact with the desktop... Not sure about that yet. > The Paint > method allows you to paint the chart into any Device Context > (Canvas) at any size. This allows you to create a bitmap Canvas and > draw the chart in it. This sounds like a contradiction of the first statement. If I create a chart and paint to a bitmap Canvas (not a hidden window) that is just what I'm looking for. No Window, raster image output. Am I understanding this correctly? > I will have to say, however, the Chart FX Client Server is designed > as an interactive control. This I understand completely. However the cost is prohibitive. It appears that SoftwareFX doesn't have a license option that will work in my situation. My software sells for $3,000 - $10,000 and is purchased by city governments to be run on a private intranet. Typically it is used by only a few people. Since it is technically a "web-server", SoftwareFX wants $1500 per install, but actually the software is really more like a client/server application that delivers its content into a browser. (in fact I license the software in blocks of 5 users) > We have a Server Component included in > Chart FX Internet Edition > designed to work without a windows in a server environment, > capabilities to export to different raster image format as well as > SVG are supported in this component. Indeed. That is what I "should be" using. In fact, I'd REALLY like the SVG solution, as the rest of my app outputs SVG graphic diagrams. Alas, I haven't found an ear at SoftwareFX to talk price on this version. -pete p.s. I've got a proposition for you, if you'd care to email me directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Software FX Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 > This sounds like a contradiction of the first statement. If I create > a chart and paint to a bitmap Canvas (not a hidden window) that is > just what I'm looking for. No Window, raster image output. Am I > understanding this correctly? No contradiction. You need to create a chart and a Window will be created. No way to avoid this. However the window can be invisible and the Paint method can be used to draw the chart into an image. > p.s. I've got a proposition for you, if you'd care to email me > directly. I have nothing to do with sales. You can contact sales at sales@softwarefx.com. Since the Chart FX Internet Server Component is not royalty-free for re-distribution you need to make an OEM agreement. Agreements such as this are not that uncommon, the guys at sales should be able to help you. -- FP Software FX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User (Legacy) Posted October 30, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2004 SoftwareFX Support wrote: > > This sounds like a contradiction of the first statement. If I > > create a chart and paint to a bitmap Canvas (not a hidden window) > > that is just what I'm looking for. No Window, raster image > > output. Am I understanding this correctly? > > No contradiction. You need to create a chart and a Window will be > created. No way to avoid this. However the window can be invisible > and the Paint method can be used to draw the chart into an image. > Thanks for clarification. -pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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