This article describes how to create a repeated icon pictograph from a single numeric value. You can use it to show either a simple count (e.g., 65 hearts):
or a proportion (e.g., 65 out of 100 hearts):
Requirements
- All that is required is a numeric value. This can come from a variety of inputs, including:
- Pasted value
- R Calculation
- Table
- Numeric Variable
Method: Create a basic repeated icon pictograph (counts)
In this example, we will use a pasted value of 65 to create a repeated icon pictograph, but more input options are available as described further below.
- From the toolbar, click Visualization
> Pictographs > Repeated Icon and draw the placeholder on the page.
- From Properties
, under Data > Data Source > Data source select Type or paste value. Other options will allow you to select values from other objects in your document, e.g., tables or variables (as described below).
- In Input data enter the value 65.
- In the Chart tab, you have options to further customize the icons and visualization. To choose the heart icon, select Chart > Icons > Icon > Heart.
- Set how much each icon represents with Chart > Icons > Scale. In this basic count example, set Scale > 1 so each icon represents 1 unit (so there will be 65 icons in total).
- Layout constrained by lets you configure how the repeated icons are arranged. For this example, select Number of rows.
- Set Number of rows > 5 (for five rows of icons).
- Use Chart > Fill Color to set the color or conditional colors for the chart. In this example, set the color to Red.
Method: Show a proportion with a repeated icon pictograph
You can also show a proportion (e.g., 65 out of 100) by controlling the number of icons shown and their “base”.
- First, create your initial repeated icon pictograph using the steps above.
- Set how much each icon represents via Properties
> Chart > Icons > Scale. For this example, set Scale > 10 so each heart represents 10.
- To show the pictograph as a proportion, set the Total icons field to the number of icons you want to show as the “base” or have placeholders for. For this example, set Chart > Icons > Total icons to 10, which amounts to a base of 10 scale × 10 icons = 100.
- For this example, confirm Layout constrained by > Number of rows and change Number of rows > 2. You will see the visualization has space for the remaining icons, but it does not show them.
- To show the remaining icons that are not filled, uncheck the option Hide base image.
- Set the color of the unfilled icons with the Icon base color dropdown.
Using a table or existing R output as the input
- Under Data > Data Source > Data source select Table or Use an existing R output.
- For Input data, either select from the list or click on it to insert its name.
- Set the Select rows/columns to show by fields to be a static number/label you type, or Choosing from a Combo box or List box control.
- In the Row and Column fields, either type in your value or select the control you want to connect to do the selection on the table.
Using a variable as the input
- Under Data > Data Source > Data source, select one of Variable - Average, Variable - Sum, or Variable - Percentage.
- For Input data, either select from the list or click on it to insert its name.
- If you selected Variable - Percentage, the Category field will appear for you to select the category in the variable you want to use in the numerator.
Next
How to Create a Single Icon Pictograph
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