Create A Static Visualization

How to create a Static Visualization

On Dragon1, creating a visualization is easy. It involves a few basic steps. And once you know these steps you can control anything you want to do.

Here we are going to create a static visualization using a template. A static visualization is a visualization without underlying data, models, or views.

This visualization will still be interactive (clickable) if you provide information on the title, description, and images for the entity classes/shapes that are on the visualization.

To create a static visualization:

  • Login to Dragon1 via www.dragon1.com/login
  • Click on Visual Designer in the menu on the left
  • Open an existing cabinet via File --> Open From --> Cabinet
  • Alternatively create a cabinet here via the menu item Insert --> Insert Cabinet, and next insert a dossier in the cabinet and next insert a folder in the dossier likewise.
  • In the cabinet there are dossiers and folders. Now expand a dossier (by clicking on the plus) and select a folder (by clicking on the name).
  • Next insert a visualization via the menu item Insert --> Insert Visualization.
  • Next provide a name for the visualization in the dialog and click on the button 'Insert Visualization'.
  • Next select that visualization item in the tree view.
  • Next choose a template via File --> New…
  • Select a template in the dialog by clicking on the picture.
  • Now you see a visualization instantiated on the visualization canvas.
  • Next Click on save.

Create a Static Visualization using Shapes

You can follow the steps above, but instead of using a template, you can also use a large number of shapes grouped into a library to draw a visualization.

First make sure you have selected a visualization item in the tree view. Next, go to the left bottom of the Visual Designer application and expand the icon libraries you see (just by clicking on their name).

You can also choose to open up other libraries by clicking More Shapes...

The first icon library you see has the name of your account and is often first empty. Here you can add your user-defined icons.

Create a Static Visualization via the Templates page

All these steps above can be done in 1 click.

If you log in to Dragon1 and then go to the template page www.dragon1.com/workplace/templates, you only have to click on a template to have it instantiated, put into a cabinet, and shown to you in the visual designer.

Screenshots on How To Create A Static Visualization

Here follow the screenshots of every step of how to create a static visualization.

Hotkeys or special clicks were done, it is mentioned in the screenshot.

dragon1 click on visual designer left menu

Click on 'Visual Designer' in the menu on the left.

dragon1 open existing cabinet via file

Open an existing cabinet via File --> Open From --> Cabinet.

dragon1 select cabinet in dialog via file

Select a cabinet in the dialog.

dragon1 expand dossier select folder

In the cabinet there are dossiers and folders. Now expand a dossier (by clicking on the plus) and select a folder (by clicking on the name).

You see we have selected a visualization item to check if the visualization canvas has content. If you select a folder, you will always see an empty canvas).
NOTE: If you want to enlarge the tree view, you can click on the word "Explorer" once and twice:

dragon1 insert visualization via menu item insert

Next, insert a visualization via the menu item Insert --> Insert Visualization.

dragon1 provide name visualization in dialog

Next, insert a visualization via the menu item Insert --> Insert Visualization.

dragon1 select visualization item in treeview

Next, select that visualization item in the treeview.

dragon1 choose template via file

Next, choose a template via File --> New....

dragon1 select template in dialog

Select a template in the dialog by clicking on that template.

dragon1 visualization instantiated on visualization canvas

You see a visualization instantiated on the visualization canvas.

dragon1 zoom controls to fit visualization page

Use the zoom controls to fit the visualization page. Know that you can pan the visualization by using your right mouse down button and dragging the mouse.

dragon1 drag shapes from icon libraries at the left bottom

Drag shapes from the icon libraries at the left bottom.

dragon1 switch on more icon libraries by clicking on more shapes

Optionally switch on more icon libraries by clicking on More Shapes.

dragon1 click on the orange button to save visualization

Next, click the orange button Save, so your visualization is saved for viewing the next time.