Graph and Chart Software

PopChart Enterprise and PopChart - Graph and Chart Software Comparison

	PopChart	PopChart Enterprise
Purchase Price (single CPU pricing)	$2,495	$6,495
Annual Maintenance & Support	Click Here	Click Here
New and Improved Gauges (supports color-driven visual alerts)	X	X
New Shape Creation Tools (enables precise design and layout - if you can imagine it, you can build it)	X	X
New Gallery and UI Improvements	X	X
New XML format (ITXML vs. PCXML - backwards compatible)	X	X
Clustering now works in Server AND Server Servlet	X	X
Corda Server Library API is New AND Improved	X	X
Additional Font Converter added and built into Corda Builder	X	X
New Builder Object Inspector with Floating Pallets (flat view of properties and image attributes from ONE display instead of multiple dialog boxes)	X	X
Supports grouped and non-grouped objects	X	X
Resizable as one object	X	X
Single object capability	X	X
Objects are target able for data	X	X
Improved Stability and Speed Performance	X	X
Job Scheduling		X
Administration Console (HTML based)	X	X
PCXML Apperance Files	X	X
XML, CSV, and tab-delimited data file support	X	X
Graphical Logging	X	X
Double-byte / International character support	X	X
Drill-down effects, PopUp Text, Rollover data labels	X	X
Serve images from PopChart Java Servlet		X
Use PopChart as Java library		X
Custom font support (font converter)	X	X
Descriptive text for the visually impaired (508 compliant)	X	X
COM Corda Embedder (ASP, ColdFusion)	X	X
.NET Corda Embedder	X	X
Java Corda Embedder (HTML)	X	X
PHP & PERL Corda Embedders	X	X
Java Corda Embedder (JSP, JavaBeans, Servlets, Tag Library)	X	X
Best Image Fallback	X	X
HTTP re-directors for greater security & SSL support (J2EE, ISAPI/Windows IIS & Apache)		X
PNG & JPEG Image output	X	X
PDF, EPS, & TIFF Image output		X
HTML table output		X
Anti-aliasing for PNG & JPEG	X	X
Flash & SVG Image output	X	X
PopChart Batch Processor	X	X
Clustering / Server Fail-over		X
Caching / Load Balancing		X
	single-thread	multi-thread

Single Thread - when a query is performed single thread creates a queue for those requests
Multi Thread – threads can be executed in parallel on many computer system simultaneously

PopChart 7 Definitions of Features

Click on any topic below to learn more:

Graphing
Annotations & Interactivity
Drilldown
Output Features
Data Connectivity
Web Server Integration
Enhanced Reporting Components
Dynamic Presentation Control
Administrative Tools
Scalability and Redundancy
Security
Accessibility - Section 508 Compliant

Graphing

• GRAPH TYPES
  Multiple graph styles are supported with PopChart and PopChart Enterprise. Visualize data in multiple chart and graph styles, including bar, line, pie, radar, XY, time, bubble, and stock graphs. Corda Server gives you complete control over the formatting and colors of these graphs. To see examples of graph types Corda Server supports click here.
• CUSTOM FILLS AND LINE STYLES
  Display bars, lines, and plot points using a variety of special features. Fill your bars with unique patterns, stacked images, or transparent colors. Use dotted or dashed styles for your lines. Use sophisticated shadows, 3-D, and gradient options. Plot XY or time data with symbols and imported graphics. This is an absolutely essential feature for anyone viewing charts in environments with limited color display options (such as black-and-white printing).
• GAUGES
  Use gauges to monitor real-time management data. Gauges visually indicate the status of a single data parameter. For example, a gauge could change colors to indicate whether inventory levels are high, average, or low. Gauge styles include bulb, bar, thermometer and dial (speedometer). Corda Server provides numerous options for changing the look and feel of gauges. See GAUGE EXAMPLES.
• FLOW CHARTS
  Build flow charts and process diagrams using Corda Server shapes and images. Available shapes include rectangles, ellipses, dotted lines, arrows, and complex polygons. Or you can import JPEG and GIF images. You can even take advantage of PopUp shapes to create interactive flow charts in FLASH or SVG.
• CREATE YOUR OWN GRAPHS
  Layer multiple graphs on top of each other to create your own unique graph types. Use our sophisticated charting templates for a quick start. The possibilities are endless. Our customers have used this strategy to create everything from confidence intervals to gantt charts or heat maps.

Annotations & Interactivity

• LEGENDS
  Automatically generated, color-coded legends explain the meaning of your data. Legends adjust automatically to the scale and range of your data, so that you don't have to worry about using different templates with different data sets. Use shadows for a richer and more-sophisticated look.
• TEXT BOXES
  Place text boxes anywhere you want. Text boxes can be used to title your graph, or to provide additional information about your data (such as the data source). Text boxes can be configured to automatically adjust to the text inside.
• IMAGES
  Annotate your graph visually using imported graphics. Import any GIF, JPEG, or PNG image. Use your graphic for logos and background images, or add transparent effects to turn your graphic into a watermark.
• SHAPES
  Enhance your graph with simple and complex shapes. Add lines, arrows, boxes, ovals, and stars anywhere you want. Or, define your own unique shape. To each shape, you can add PopUp text, a label, a custom fill or pattern, and a background image. For a really unique graph, use PopUp shapes--shapes that appear only after a user has moved his or her mouse over a certain part of the image. For example, you could create a shape that contains a photo and a caption, but only appears when a user mouses over a relevant area of the graph.
• DATA LABELS
  Automated data labels show the raw data behind any data item. Use macros to define what data should appear in your labels, and how they should be formatted. Rollover labels allow you to keep your graph uncluttered by showing the label only when a viewer moves his or her mouse over the pertinent data item.
• POPUP TEXT
  Provide additional information about your data, such as textual annotations, using PopUp text. PopUp text appears when a viewer moves his or her mouse over a relevant data item.
• CALLOUT NOTES
  Attach callout notes to any data item. Callout notes are boxes of text that point to a particular data item using leader lines. They are always visible.

Drilldown

• NAVIGATE YOUR DATABASE WITH YOUR MOUSE
  With drilldown you can turn any data item (as well as legend items, text boxes, images, and shapes) into a "hot spot" for more data--meaning that when a user clicks on that hot spot, they can immediately jump to a new graph that provides further information relative to that data item. Navigate from high-level to detailed views of your data with simple mouse clicks! Create multi-level drilldown systems to better facilitate data organization and research.
• DRILLDOWN TO WEB PAGES
  Your drilldown "hot spots" can link viewers to new URLs (i.e. web pages). These web page can contain anything, from textual information related to your data, to data tables, to new charts with more detailed data.
• RUN CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT FUNCTIONS
  You can also "drill-down" to JavaScript functions, meaning that when a user clicks on a hot spot, the browser will execute a function defined in your web page. You can use this functionality to dynamically swap in a new image, change the layout of your page, authenticate user input, or do anything else you'd want to do with JavaScript.

Output Features

Output features will depend on which version of the PopChart module for Corda Server you buy (Pro, or Enterprise). See the chart above for a complete feature comparison.

• WEB IMAGE FORMATS
  Show your graphs in web pages using one of the following formats:
  • FLASH
  • SVG
  • PNG
  • JPEG
  • PDF
  With the exception of PDF, all of these formats support Corda Server's interactive capabilities, including drilldown, rollover, and PopUp text. These formats are supported in most web browsers, and have small download sizes. See available IMAGE FORMATS. While Corda Server will output PDF graphs and charts, check out Highwire if you need to output your entire web page in PDF form.
• PUBLISHABLE FORMAT
  Incorporate high-quality graphs in published reports using the following output formats:
  • PDF
  • EPS
  • TIFF
  Although these formats do not support Corda Server's interactive capabilities such as drilldown, rollover, and PopUp text, they are popular in numerous image-processing and publishing applications.
• BEST IMAGE FALLBACK
  Worried that viewers of your graph may not have the necessary software to view high-resolution FLASH or SVG graphs? Don't be. Corda Server employs Best Image Fallback to deliver to viewers the highest quality image format that their browser supports. Corda Server does this by detecting whether the FLASH or SVG plug-in is present. If so, it will output the graph in FLASH or SVG. Otherwise, it will deliver a PNG or JPEG image. Corda Server can also be configured to deliver just one image type, no matter what, such as JPEG.
• HTML TABLES
  Automatically add an HTML table below your graph for easy access to the raw data behind it.
• GRAPHS IN PDAS AND CELL PHONES
  Easily embed graphs in web pages or applications meant for PDAs and cell phones. Most PDAs and many cell phones can view Corda Server graphs outputted in the JPEG format. For those that don't support JPEG, you can take advantage of WBMP. WBMP is a monochrome bitmap format with a very small footprint. And finally, many newer PDAs (such as iPAQs) can view fully-featured FLASH graphs.
• INTERNATIONAL FONTS AND LANGUAGES
  Corda Server supports international fonts and double-type characters, such as those necessary to display data and information in Chinese or Japanese. Corda Server's font converter converts most Windows True Type fonts to a format the Corda Server can use in its graphs, including pop-up text and labels. There is full double byte support for all but bi-directional languages.

Data Connectivity

• GRAPH REAL-TIME DATA
  Tired of trying to make decisions from graphs with data that is days, months, or even years old? With Corda Server your graphs can be as fresh as your database. Thanks to its template-based approach, Corda Server doesn't have to create your graphs until the moment they matter most--when you request them. By dynamically merging fresh data with graph templates, Corda Server's server will make sure your graphs are always up to date.
• ACCESS ANY DATABASE
  Corda Server can connect directly to any database that supports ODBC or JDBC drivers. ODBC is supported on Windows computers, and Corda Server can connect using both DSN connections (set up as a Windows Data Source) and DSNless connections. JDBC is supported on Java Application servers. Most databases have both ODBC and JDBC drivers. Among the many databases that support these technologies include:
  • Oracle
  • DB2
  • MySQL
  • Access
  • PostgreSQL
  • MS-SQL
  • Informix
  Corda Server can also interface with databases via your web application server. In other words, if your web server can access data from your database, Corda Server can graph it.
• XML DATA SOURCES
  Graph data directly from XML data files and sources. Corda Server can import data outputted from databases in several common XML formats.
• CSV FILES
  Graph data directly from CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files and sources. Many database and spreadsheet applications export CSV files.
• TAB DELIMITED FILES
  Graph data directly from tab-delimited data files and sources. Many database and spreadsheet applications export tab-delimited data files.
• HTML TABLES (SCREEN-SCRAPING)
  Mine data directly from your web site. Corda Server's screen-scraping capabilities allow you pull data right off your own web pages. Just specify the address of any web page that contains HTML table-based data, and Corda Server can import that data into a graph. With screen-scraping, you can literally make the transition from table-based reports to graph or map-based reports with just a few minutes of coding.

Web Server Integration

Web server integration features will depend on which version of the PopChart module for Corda Server you buy (Pro, or Enterprise). See the chart above for a complete feature comparison.

• WINDOWS IIS (ASP)
  Interface natively with Corda Server in ASP pages on Windows IIS servers. An automatically installed COM object lets you embed graphs directly into web pages using only a few lines of code.
• JAVA APPLICATION SERVERS (JSP, SERVLETS)
  Interface natively with Corda Server on J2EE compliant application servers. The Java Corda Embedder library allows you to embed graphs in JSPs and Java Servlets using only a few lines of code. The tag library and JavaBean interfaces to this library simplify the process even more for JSPs. Among the many supported servers in this category:
  • BEA WebLogic
  • IBM WebSphere
  • SunOne/iPlanet
  • Jakarta Tomcat
  • JRun
  • WebObjects
• COLDFUSION
  Interface natively with Corda Server in ColdFusion pages. On Windows ColdFusion installations, an automatically installed COM object lets you embed graphs directly into web pages using only a few lines of code. On non-Windows installations, you can use the Java Corda Embedder library to achieve the same results.
• APACHE
  Interface natively with Corda Server on Apache web servers. PHP and PERL versions of the Corda Embedder library allow you to embed graphs directly into web pages using only a few lines of code.
• .NET
  Interface natively with Corda Server in ASP.NET applications. Referencing the.NET Corda Embedder library, you can embed graphs directly into web pages with only a few lines of Visual Basic or C# code. A limited-functionality, but open-source Corda.NET web component simplifies the process even more by allowing you to drag and drop graphs into web pages without writing any code.
• OTHER SERVERS
  Don't see your server mentioned above? Don't worry. As long as your server supports PHP, PERL, or Java, you will be able to interface natively with Corda Server on the server-side. Corda Server also supplies a C++ Corda Embedder library for server-side CGIs.

If this still doesn't meet your needs, you can always communicate with Corda Server using HTTP requests and Corda Server commands. Or you can try the client-side JavaScript embedder. Both of these are less powerful, limited-functionality approaches, but they will work with any server.

Enhanced Reporting Components

Enhanced reporting features are available only in the PopChart Enterprise module. See the chart above for a complete feature comparison.

• PDF & EPS IMAGE OUTPUT
  Incorporate high-resolution Corda graphs in publishable PDF or EPS reports.
• HTML TABLE OUTPUT
  Automatically add an HTML table below your graph for easy access to the raw data behind it. Use our tools for alternative sophisticated table appearance.
• EMBED CORDA SERVER IN NON-WEB APPLICATIONS
  Build Corda Server into standalone Java applications using the fully-extensible Corda Server Java Library. Access Corda Server in Windows applications through a COM object API.

Dynamic Presentation Control

• MODIFY TEMPLATES ON THE FLY
  Will the look and feel of your graph vary slightly depending on your data? With Corda Server's dynamic presentation control it's easy for you to make last-second modifications to your templates. Use PCScript to dynamically add annotations or change colors. Or add new objects to your templates using PCXML. All of your templates (appearance files) are based on an XML format called PCXML. This means that with PCXML, you can control every aspect of your graph. In fact, if you wanted to spend time doing so, you could build entirely new appearance files on-the-fly using PCXML.
• CHANGE IMAGE FORMATTING ON THE FLY
  Corda Server's Corda Embedder--the tool which allows you to place a graph in a web page with just a few lines of code--offers you many ways to customize how your graph is presented within your web page. Naturally, you can dynamically choose which template (appearance file) to use. But beyond that, you can control such features as the image size and format(s) directly in your web page code, giving web developers enormous flexibility in presenting graph images.
• MODIFY DATA SOURCE ON THE FLY
  The Corda Embedder also lets you specify your data source right in your web page's code, which is great for building web applications where the data might change based on user input from a form or drill-down. You can specify a data source for Corda Server to connect to directly (e.g. an SQL query, a CSV file, an XML-stream, and so on), or you can pass the results of an SQL query to Corda Server as PCScript or PCXML.

Administrative Tools

• WEB-BASED ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLE
  Maintain and modify server settings from a secure, web-based interface. Set default display options and clustering configurations. Upload appearance files and new fonts. View statistics, logs and outputs.
• GRAPHICAL REPORTING
  Keep track of hits per hour and hits per day using Corda Server's graphical reporting system. This will allow you to closely monitor your traffic levels.
• FILE UPLOAD SUPPORT
  Easily retrieve and place appearance files on the server from within the administrative console.

Scalability and Redundancy

Scalability and Redundancy features are available only in the PopChart Enterprise module. See the chart above for a complete feature comparison.

• CACHING
  Take advantage of Corda Server's image cache to speed performance when multiple users view the same graph. This greatly increases efficiency and reduces the load on the CPU, which can be invaluable in high traffic environments. In many cases you will see a performance increase of 10 to 30 times.
• CLUSTERING
  Fully utilize the power of your multiple server system with Corda Server clustering. Corda Server provides clustering for high throughput and redundancy. Corda Server supports multiple clustering architectures.
• SERVER FAILOVER
  Prevent service failure in high-availability graphing and mapping environments by taking advantage of Corda Server's backup feature for clustered servers. With server failover, when one server in a cluster goes down, another server in the cluster seamlessly picks up the load from the failed server.
• LOAD BALANCING
  Corda Server is compatible with external hardware or software load-balancing systems.

Security

Security features will depend on which version of PopChart you buy (Pro, or Enterprise). See the chart above for a complete feature comparison.

• SEPARATE COMMUNICATION PORT
  All communication between the Corda Server, your web server, and your database takes place over a secure port that is different from the one used to serve graphs to clients. This ensures that data and other information passed to Corda Server will remain inside of your firewall, while Corda Server can still deliver graphs to the outside world.
• HTTP REDIRECTION
  Serve graph images from your web server instead of the Corda Server using HTTP Redirection. HTTP Redirection allows web servers to handle requests to the Corda Server for graphs. The web server forwards the request to the Corda Server (which rests completely behind your firewall) which returns a graph back to the web server. The graph is then forwarded back to the client who requested it. For example, if your web server provides SSL, and you use Corda Server HTTP Redirection, you graphs will also benefit from SSL. This has two benefits:
  • You do not have to expose an additional port through your firewall to get Corda Server to work
  • By using the web server as a middle-man, Corda Server adopts the same level of security provided by the web server.
  HTTP Redirection modules are available in the following forms: ISAPI (for Windows IIS), Servlet (for J2EE application servers), or Apache Module.
• FILE AND DOMAIN RESTRICTION
  For added security, administrators can control from which paths and domains Corda Server can retrieve templates and data.

Accessibility - Section 508 Compliant

• D-LINK DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
  Corda Server's devotion to accessibility for the visually impaired makes it easy for you to create 508 compliant graphs. No longer is it necessary for you to spend time manually creating and modifying alternative text for your graphs to maintain 508 compliance.



Corda Server automatically provides D-Link text for every graph it creates. D-Link is a textual description to assist visually impaired who browse the web with screen readers. This textual description describes each data item in the graph, and is fully customizable using templates and macros.

Not only does Corda Server D-Link describe your data, it also provides the same interactive features and annotations that sighted users would see viewing the graph. For example, visually impaired users can navigate from one text-description to another using drill-down links. Navigation through large amounts of data is simple, fast and convenient.

Learn more about accessibility.