Parallel coordinates
Parallel coordinates are used to depict relationships in multi-dimensional datasets. This visualization is ideal for comparing many variables together and seeing the relationships between them. Each variable is given its own axis and corresponding scale. Lines then map item values for each variable. The ordering of axes can help discover patterns or correlations across variables.
Generate a parallel coordinate
- Select the Add chart button (
) in the editing toolbar and browse through the available charts. Choose the parallel coordinate chart.
- Select the chart on your dashboard to highlight it with the blue editing outline.
- Set up a new data source by selecting + Create search and adding a search to the SPL query window. Or, you can select an existing data source under the Search, Saved search, or Chain search sections.
- (Optional) You can also write a new ID that describes the search better than the default by changing the ID in Data source name.
- Select Apply and close.
Configuration panel options
Give your visualization a name. This is also helpful when searching for individual visualizations in the dashboard definitions. This name is not the same as the automatically assigned unique ID.
Description
Give your visualization a description to explain what the user is viewing.
Data sources
You can choose one of the following data sources:
- An existing data source or create a new data source
- A chain search
- A saved search
For a parallel coordinates chart, ending the query in the data source with a table command is considered best practice. The order of fields in the table command determines the order of axes in the chart:
-
The first field provides the category information for the chart. Each value in the first field's column displays on the left side of the chart. The first field can contain string values.
-
Subsequent fields each display as a vertical axis on the chart. For the parallel coordinates chart to render correctly, these fields must contain numerical data.
For an example, see Parallel coordinates chart example.
Position and size
You can use your mouse or the Position & Size section of the Configuration panel to change the size or location of the visualization for pixel-perfect sizing and placement.
Data display
Use Show null axis to show or hide the null value axis.
Color and style
-
Title color: configure a font color for the visualization title.
-
Description color: configure a font color for the visualization description.
- Lines: specify the data source color for the lines with a hexadecimal code. For example, #FFFFFF is white.
- Line opacity: specify the opacity of the lines. Choose a number in the range of 0 - 1 (inclusive). You can also express the value as a percentage. For example, "0.50" in source or "50%" in UI.
- Background color: specify the color used for the background. The default for enterprise light is "#FFFFFF". The default for enterprise dark is "#000000".
Source code
View and edit the source code in real-time. You can also change the Visualization ID to a more readable ID to help identify this visualization in the source code.
Parallel coordinates chart example
The following example uses a parallel coordinate chart to demonstrate the differences for different carriers across key logistics metrics.
makeresults command for illustrative purposes:
| makeresults format=csv data="Carrier,Shipping_Cost_USD,Delivery_Days,Damage_Rate_Pct,Reliability_Score
GlobalLogistics,45.50,3,1.2,95
FastTrack_Air,88.20,1,0.5,99
Standard_Ground,22.10,7,2.5,88
OceanFreight_Co,12.40,22,4.0,75
Express_Regional,55.00,2,1.0,92
Budget_Mail,15.75,10,5.5,70"
| table Carrier, Shipping_Cost_USD, Delivery_Days, Damage_Rate_Pct, Reliability_Scoretable command determines the order of axes in the chart, with Carrier, the first field, providing the category information for the chart. The values in the Carrier column, such as GlobalLogistics and FastTrack_Air, display on the left side of the chart. The subsequent fields, such as Shipping_Cost_USD, each display as a vertical axis on the chart. Since these subsequent fields contain numerical data, the chart renders correctly and allows comparison between the values between carriers for each metric.
Source code
The following source code is an example of a parallel coordinate chart. Copy and paste the source code to your dashboard to see the example at work:
{
"title": "Parallel coordinates chart example",
"description": "",
"inputs": {
"input_global_trp": {
"options": {
"defaultValue": "-24h@h,now",
"token": "global_time"
},
"title": "Global Time Range",
"type": "input.timerange"
}
},
"defaults": {
"dataSources": {
"ds.search": {
"options": {
"queryParameters": {
"earliest": "$global_time.earliest$",
"latest": "$global_time.latest$"
}
}
},
"ds.spl2": {
"options": {
"queryParameters": {
"earliest": "$global_time.earliest$",
"latest": "$global_time.latest$"
}
}
}
},
"visualizations": {
"global": {
"showProgressBar": true
}
}
},
"visualizations": {
"viz_7drXfT6G": {
"dataSources": {
"primary": "ds_C0FWvuAd"
},
"title": "Carrier Performance Comparison Across Key Logistics Metrics",
"type": "splunk.parallelcoordinates"
}
},
"dataSources": {
"ds_C0FWvuAd": {
"name": "Carrier data",
"options": {
"query": "| makeresults format=csv data=\"Carrier,Shipping_Cost_USD,Delivery_Days,Damage_Rate_Pct,Reliability_Score\nGlobalLogistics,45.50,3,1.2,95\nFastTrack_Air,88.20,1,0.5,99\nStandard_Ground,22.10,7,2.5,88\nOceanFreight_Co,12.40,22,4.0,75\nExpress_Regional,55.00,2,1.0,92\nBudget_Mail,15.75,10,5.5,70\"\n| table Carrier, Shipping_Cost_USD, Delivery_Days, Damage_Rate_Pct, Reliability_Score"
},
"type": "ds.search"
}
},
"layout": {
"globalInputs": [
"input_global_trp"
],
"layoutDefinitions": {
"layout_1": {
"options": {
"display": "auto",
"height": 960,
"width": 1440
},
"structure": [
{
"item": "viz_7drXfT6G",
"position": {
"h": 400,
"w": 700,
"x": 10,
"y": 20
},
"type": "block"
}
],
"type": "absolute"
}
},
"options": {},
"tabs": {
"items": [
{
"label": "Example",
"layoutId": "layout_1"
}
]
}
}
}Source options for parallel coordinates
| Property | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| backgroundColor | string | > themes.defaultBackgroundColor | Specify the color used for the background. The default for enterprise light is "#FFFFFF". The default for enterprise dark is "#000000". The default for prisma dark is "#0b0c0e". |
| lineColor | string | #7B56DB | Specify the dataSource color for the lines. The hexadecimal value format should be #FFFFFF. |
| lineOpacity | number | 0.5 | Specify the opacity of the lines. Choose a number in the range of 0 - 1 (inclusive). You can also express the value as a percentage. For example, "0.50" in source or "50%" in UI. |
| showNullAxis | boolean | TRUE | Select whether you would like to show or hide the null value axis. |