Re: Newbie just starting on charting with PHP - and seeking advice on options/approaches

[Steve Crawford <scrawford(at)pinpointresearch(dot)com>]

Mike Ellsworth wrote:
> > I am looking at options to chart dynamic data held in the PostgreSQL
> > database pushed out to the web 'pages' via PHP, time series data in a
> > scientific setting such as groundwater levels from a transducer…
> >
> >     
>
> You lost me on 'groundwater levels from a transducer', but we use
> http://www.aditus.nu/jpgraph/
> You'll need to check if they have the type you're looking to create.
> I believe they have a version for <$100.
>   
Really not a PG question but you might ask in the PG/PHP list anyway. We 
use JPGraph. Yeah, it's not free. But it is quite inexpensive and worth 
the cost if it saves you more than a couple hours of development time.

JPGraph is built on lower-level functions directly available in PHP. If 
your graphs are fairly straightforward, you can roll-your-own in PHP.

You can also generate them externally to PHP with gnuplot or similar. 
Depending on your requirements, you can just have cron update the 
graphics at the appropriate periods and serve them statically.

Stat packages like R can generate graphs from your data. svgGraph will 
do svg graphs directly from PHP as long as your visitors can view SVG 
(FireFox, IE if they have the appropriate plugin). Also look at some of 
the pear packages.

This barely scratches the surface - you have lots o' options.

Cheers,
Steve