Making a graphical timeline from FM database?

[Morgan19]

My company would like to be able to produce graphical timelines from a FileMaker database of information we've entered. Basically, we'd like to be able to input dates (the deadlines) for certain projects along with descriptions as to what's due each date and have some sort of timeline printed out. Currently we have to enter everything by and hand and then make the table in Word, but I'm looking for a solution that can show all the information "graphically" instead of just a boring [date - description] table from Word. We'd also like the timeline to be able to update itself automatically when the information in FileMaker is updated.

Does that make sense? Right now, like I said, we make manual tables in Word which can get very unweildy when you have a whole bunch of projects at once, which is why we'd like to automate it to automatically pull the info from FileMaker and create a timeline. And likewise, the text-based tables just don't show the progression of a timeline as well as something like, say, a bar chart timeline sort of thing. If we'd need another external program to accomplish this, feel free to mention the solution... I'm open to all suggestions.

m19

[CobaltSky]

Hi,

There are two places I suggest you pay a visit to:

X2max - xmCHART:

http://www.x2max.com/english/products/xmCHART/info.html

ChartMaker Pro

http://www.briandunning.com/chartmaker/index.shtml

The first is the 'rolls-royce' of plug-in charting utilities for FileMaker - and can be configured to produce some very elegant data-driven graphical output.

The second provides a 'homespun' variety of charting using native FileMaker scripting and calc techniques.

Both are worth knowing about - and either may be suitable for your current timeline charting requirements.

[Morgan19]

Hmm... Thanks for those links, though I'm not sure those're exactly what I'm looking for. That's more tables and graphs and whatnot, but I'm trying to create just a graphical representation of when projects are due. A great example of what I'm trying to would be a TV guide page: days/months go across the top, projects go down the side, and the bars/boxes indicate when things are due.

m19

[CobaltSky]

Wwll, m19, what you're describing sounds pretty much like a gantt-style project timeline chart.

Both the links I suggested would provide you with a way to implement such a chart within your existing layout (no 'extra tables and graphs and whatnot' required...).

[BobWeaver]

I thought someone posted a simple gantt chart type example here a while back. Anyway here is a simple example that I came up with.

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=84471&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1

[Morgan19]

Bob, that link just brings me back here. =

Cobalt

[Lee Smith]

Morgan,

I believe the link was suppose to take you to the Sample File area of this Forum, where he posted a sample file.

Lee

[CobaltSky]

BobWeaver said:

I thought someone posted a simple gantt chart type example here a while back. Anyway here is a simple example that I came up with.

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=84471&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=31&fpart=1

Hi Bob,

Actually I suspect that the example you may be thinking of is one that I posted at:

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/download.php?Number=65442

back in May this year. The example had a broader purpose - but at the request of a fellow forum member I included a gantt-style display, which comes up when you click on the 'Availability Overview' button in the 'Bookings.fp5' file.

The technique I used in that instance may or may not be what Morgan has in mind - but I figure that the two links I provided earlier on this thread cover just about all bases in terms of ways of laying out timelines graphically in FileMaker.