binned columns with zero count are not shown on bar graphs

[spotfire newbie_2018]

Doing a bar chart with binned measurement valueson X-axis vs. counts on Y-axis and expecting a normal distribution-like graph.

I noticed that when counts are zero for certain bins, thesebins will not be displayed onthe X-axis. As a result, a normal distribution-like curve hasbins with "skipped values"

for example,

11

[Anders Gavare]

One thing to try could be to changebetween categorical axis mode and continuous axis mode. For example, if you right-click on the X axis and change the Custom expression from

to

AutoBinNumeric([x],20)it should show up on a continuous scale (with holes where there is no data).

(Change AutoBinNumeric to whatever binning function you are using.)

[spotfire newbie_2018]

Thanks Agavare. Apparently I did something incorrectly so that once the x-axis gets binned, it becomes categorical and the continuous scale is grayed out. Either right click on the axis or an attempt to change the category axis through the setting in "property" fails. Any other suggestion A great many thanks.

[Anders Gavare]

How do you perform your binning What exact binning function are you using Is it in the form of a calculated (string) column

[spotfire newbie_2018]

Under "Insert", I selected "Insert Binned Column" and set up "Specific Limits" to bin the measurement into something as shown in the original post 11<x<=11.25, 11.25<x<=11.5, 11.5<x<=11.75 , 11.75<x<=12.

 

The limits were input as follows (separated by semicolon)

 

11;11.25;11.5;11.75;12;12.25 ...

 

It appears that once the measurement values are binned, which were originally considered as "Real" by the Data Type, the binned group is now considered "categorcial", not "continuous". 

 

 

[Anders Gavare]

That's interesting. The inserted binning column only works in categorical mode, not continuous. Probably because at the level an inserted column works, it has no knowledge of what plot it will be in (possibly several) and/or on which kinds of axes.

 

You could try the following: Go to Data -> Column properties, select your inserted binned column, and copy the BinBySpecificLimits(something something) expression from the gray text box at the bottom of the dialog to the clipboard.

 

Then create a new bar chart, right-click on the X ("Category") axis selector and select Custom expression. Paste in the expression as you copied it from the clipboard. It should now be in continuous mode.

 

 

 

Update:

 

In your case, you could even try something like

 

BinByEvenDistance([x],0.25)

 

as a custom expression directly on the X axis. That's easier than manually typing all the limits, if all you want is to divide into bins for each 0.25-multiple.