How to edit multiple charts at once

Learn how to edit styling properties of multiple charts in Datylon using the multi-selection mode.

From Datylon R45 onwards, it is possible to style multiple charts at the same time. This is referred to as multi-select or multi-selection mode. 

Prerequisites: 

• Only Datylon charts of the same type can be edited simultaneously. Note that chart types can have different “flavours'', i.e. a Slope chart, Bump chart, and Line chart are all made up out of the Line chart type and can be edited in multi-selection mode. See the supported Datylon chart types here. 
• Only global styling properties can be edited in multi-selection mode. This means data-specific changes like binding, formatting, series- or data point styling are not supported and therefore disabled in multi-selection mode. 

Step by Step

Select multiple charts of the same type

• Datylon for Illustrator
  Datylon charts can be selected using any standard Illustrator selection tool. When multi-selection mode applies, a message appears in the data section of the Datylon window: “Multiple charts selected.” while all the irrelevant properties in the Styling section are disabled. Under the Styling tab, you can now edit the available properties.
  
  If charts of a different type are selected, a message appears: “No chart selected” indicating no charts of the same type are selected.
  
  
• Datylon Report Studio
  Go to Docs and either select a design or create a design from a template, which includes multiple charts of the same type.
  There are 2 ways to select multiple charts: 
  • Click on the multiple charts of the same type holding the shift key (for Linux it's Ctrl+Alt+Click). Be careful, clicking on a chart of another type will deselect all previously selected charts. When multi-selection mode applies, a message appears in the data pane of the Datylon window: “Multiple charts selected” while all the irrelevant properties in the Property pane are disabled.
  • Go to the chart list on the left, and click on the wanted chart icons holding the shift key. The icons will make it easy to select a chart of the same type.
    
    You can deselect a chart out of a selection group by clicking on the chart while holding the shift key. 

Edit multiple charts of the same type

Once charts of the same type are selected, you can edit the available global properties. Properties that have the same value for all charts will be displayed as such in the menu and can be edited. Properties that have different values in the selected charts will be left blank and can be edited too. 

When entering a value in a property field, all of the selected charts will be rendered with that new property value. Once you change a property in multi-selection mode, a green dot appears next to the property. This helps you keep track of changes made in multi-selection mode. You can go back to the initial state by clicking the green dot.

To permanently accept the new properties, exit the multi-selection mode by deselecting the charts or selecting one or more other charts. The green dots will disappear. 

What happens with Series and Data point styled properties? 

Data point and series styled properties have priority over global properties. This means chart properties set on series level or data point level will not be affected when changes are made in multi-selection mode. 

Find here more information on series and datapoint styling. 

Performance implications