7/29/2016
Tableau Ideas – Quantity 4 « Utilizing Unicode Characters in Tableau »
ASCII characters appeared to have resurfaced once more in Tableau. A very long time in the past in a Tableau model far, far, away. A younger Jedi named Andy Cotgreave got here up with this great technique for placing bar charts in tooltips in Tableau. Hopefully, Tableau will launch the « Viz in Tooltips » performance within the close to future. This similar method that Andy used has been leveraged for a lot of different issues. Most just lately, Rody Zackovich posted More ASCII and String Charts in Tableau . If in case you have not seen this it’s best to positively test it out. Some nice concepts on the right way to do all types of charts.
I’ve truly had a couple of events in the previous couple of months the place I’ve used Unicode characters and it has been very useful. Some folks at my workplace had been stunned at simply how a lot you would do with these, so this is a brief record of extra issues that I’ve discovered that you just would possibly discover useful. As ordinary, the superior Tableau group will probably construct on them and discover much more intelligent and helpful methods to make use of them. There are some benefits to utilizing them since you possibly can format and shade them like textual content and put them anyplace textual content will be positioned. However first issues first. What are the Unicode characters?
Checklist of Unicode Characters
Simply Google « Unicode Characters » and you’ll discover lengthy lists of them.
I feel you’ll discover these two lists of Unicode characters particularly helpful.
Ding Bats
Miscellaneous Symbols
Here is a catalog of lists, however notice, these will not all work in Tableau and may present up a bit totally different on Tableau Public.
Unicode 9.0 Character Code Charts
See this page for extra details about utilizing these particular characters in HTML and with fonts. Additionally, not all fonts assist the entire Unicode characters. See this page for extra details about font assist for Unicode.
Observe – Unicode characters are depending on font. There are solely so many glyphs that load with a font and there are way more Unicode characters. Consequently, Unicode characters can present up in another way on totally different platforms utilizing totally different fonts, and many others. I’ve examined a few of these aon quite a lot of platforms. They labored effectively for me on Tableau Desktop, Tableau Server and Tableau Public. Nonetheless, loading one viz with Unicode characters on my cell phone utilizing Tableau Public did NOT work. So when utilizing Unicode characters, you’ll want to check them in your meant platforms.
Click on on photographs beneath for full display screen
#10 – Storypoint Navigation and Icons
Here is an instance of Unicode used as Storypoints navigation.
And for Icons in Storypoints navigation.
#9 – Add Icons or KPI Indicators to any textual content space
Jim Wahl wrote about using Unicode in tooltips again in 2015 and some others earlier than that.
Here is a list of arrows and a few samples:
Here is an instance of a Unicode character on an axis label and as textual content on a dot plot.
#8 – Unicode characters will be in your knowledge
Yep, a area in Excel that’s imported or simply copy and paste proper into Tableau. In the identical manner you need to use them in Excel, you possibly can deliver them in as knowledge in your area.
#7 – Use them to make a customized legend
I made a dot plot just lately and wished my shade legend to be spherical shapes as a substitute of the squares that default within the Tableau shade legend. One choice is to make a customized worksheet with shapes, however Unicode was truly a lot sooner. I did not want the colour legend to filter, so I simply created a textual content field and dropped in some Unicode characters and formatted the colours and I used to be achieved in seconds. I simply used the Unicode character for a circle and thick straight line.
#6 – Use them in parameters and filters
#5 – Use them as icons on maps
#4 – Use them in calculated fields
#3 – Export to PDF in Excessive Decision
In contrast to shapes and pictures, textual content and Unicode will Print to PDF in excessive decision. This was very useful once I have to export excessive decision graphics out of Tableau into PDF. Extra on that one other time.
#2 – Create textured charts in your knowledge
On this instance, I mixed #8, importing Unicode within the knowledge, together with a textured form. This permits me to create a textured bar chart. One thing that you could’t do with a typical bar chart in Tableau.
#1 – Only for enjoyable
There are all types of characters which might be obtainable, so be artistic and have enjoyable taking part in round with them. You’ll be able to most likely see that the probabilities are limitless. We have seen some artistic makes use of already, however Unicode characters can actually be used anyplace that textual content in utilized in Tableau. For instance, charts, tooltips, labels, annotations, filter, parameters, map labels, calculated fields, axis Labels, and so they may even be imported in as your knowledge.
I am positive you will discover new makes use of for them.
Listed here are some random characters uploaded to Tableau Public.
Right here is one other one I did final month utilizing KK Molugu’s Viz Art in Tableau. His serene panorama has been disturbed by an airplane. This was achieved utilizing the web page filter and a Unicode character.
I hope you discover the following tips useful. If in case you have any questions be at liberty to e-mail me at Jeff@DataPlusScience.com
Jeffrey A. Shaffer
Comply with on Twitter @HighVizAbility
