Area Visuals

The following steps demonstrate how to create a new area visual on dataset World Life Expectancy [data source samples.world_life_expectancy].

1. Start a new visual based on dataset World Life Expectancy [data source samples.world_life_expectancy]; see Creating Visuals.

2. In the visuals menu, find and click areas (row 1, column 6).

   

3. Note that the shelves of the visual changed. They are now X, Y, Colors, Tooltips, and Filters.

   The mandatory shelves for area visuals are X and Y, representing the X-axis and Y-axis.

4. Populate the shelves from the available fields (Dimensions, Measures, and so on) listed in the left navigation menu.

   • Under Dimensions, select year and drag it over X shelf on the main part of the screen. Drop to add it to the shelf.
   • Under Measures, select population and drag it over Y shelf on the main part of the screen. Drop to add it to the shelf.

   

5. On the Y shelf, on sum(population) field, click the icon (down arrow), select Aggregates, and then select Average.

   

6. Note that the Y shelf now contains the modified field avg(population).

   

7. Click Refresh Visual.

   The area visual appears.

   

8. Alias the year field:

   • On the shelf, on year field, click the icon (down arrow), select Alias, and then select Set.

   • In the Enter a column alias modal window, enter Year.

   • Click Save.

     

9. Alias the population field:

   • On the shelf, on avg(population) field, click the icon (down arrow), select Alias, and then select Set.

   • In the Enter a column alias modal window, enter Population.

   • Click Save.

     

10. To see the individual countries, select the country field from the list of Dimensions and drag it onto the Colors shelf.

11. [Optional] On the Tooltips shelf, add several fields from Dimensions and Measures.

    This enables you to see specific descriptive information in your visuals, such as input values, segment affiliation, and calculations.

    For example,

    • From Measures, drag gdp_per_capita and life_expectancy onto the Tooltip shelf.
    • From Dimensions, drag country, un_subregion, and un_region onto the Tooltip shelf.
    • For all items on the Tooltip shelf, click the icon (down arrow), select Aggregates, and then select Remove Aggregate.

    • For all numeric items on the Y shelf and the Tooltip shelf, click the icon (down arrow), select Display Format, and enter ,.2f.

      Note that these fields are typically from the Measures menu, and in this example include gdp_per_capita and life_expectancy.

12. [Optional] On the Filters shelf, add several fields from Dimensions and Measures.

    This enables you to dynamically control the data input, and discover the data at a more granular level.

    For example, from Dimensions, drag country, un_subregion, un_region, and year onto the Filters shelf.

13. On the Filters shelf, click the icon (down arrow) on the un_region field.
14. Select Pick values from a list.

15. In the Pick values for un_region modal window, select Africa, then click Save.

    

16. Click Refresh Visual.

    The updated area visual appears.

    

17. Click Edit next to the title of the visualization.

    

18. Change the title to World Population - Area.

19. Above the left navigation bar, click Save.