Using CFCHART you can get the content of the generated chart and save it to disk manually. Then just email the user and attach that file. If you save as PNG (rather than Flash), you can even inline the image in the email, so the user doesn't have to do anything. Sure, CFCHART isn't very flexible, but it is stupid easy. I've used this type of setup with great success.
I haven't tried any other charting engines, but I have had great success using SVG to generate custom graphs. It takes a little bit of work, because you have to do the plotting manually, but it's all simple stuff. You can get very complex charts with relatively little fuss, and they look as good as you want them to. And as an added bonus, it's all styled with CSS, so you can dramatically change the appearance by switching a stylesheet, which is nice. The downside, of course, is that your users have to have an SVG plugin installed. cheers, barneyb On Wed, 01 Dec 2004 22:22:50 -0600, Nick Baker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Cold Fusion MX 6.1 > > I am looking for some ideas in an area that I have no experience. Creating > plots/charts and emailing to users. Users will be business oriented people, > but not necessarily technically oriented. > > I am hoping some one(s) may save me some lengthy research time. > > The source is a series of test data in a MySql db. The data is date/time > stamped. The task is for customers to select 1 to 4 data sets and we create > a time line plot. Then email the plot. > > Any ideas for how to do this? Examples, I have came up with so far, but > haven't fully investigated are > > 1. Use CFCHART/CFCHARTSERIES to create an html template. Then email the > template. Or, possible email a link to the template. I have limited > experience with CFCHART/CFCHARTSERIES, and was disappointed in its > flexibility. Now wishing there is better approach. > > 2. Create an Excel spread sheet and email the sheet as an attachment. > > 3. Creating the customer a standard Chart template to install in their > local Excel. Then email data in a .CSV or .XLS format. > > First I have no Excel charting experience, and may be totally out in left > field on this approach. > > The Excel or a similar approach, if workable, would allow the user some > flexibility to manipulate and use the data in their own way. But, not being > an Excel expert, I am clueless on how user friendly this could be. > > Any ideas you have used? Ideas you think may have some promise? > > Pitfalls to watch out for? > > Thanks, > > Nick > -- Barney Boisvert [EMAIL PROTECTED] 360.319.6145 http://www.barneyb.com/blog/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Silver Sponsor - New Atlanta http://www.newatlanta.com Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:185978 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
