Required Commands

The following command line arguments to the PDF Chart Creator are always required:

  -Chart
Parameters: type style - specifies the chart that is to be created and must be specified before most of the other chart related commands. Currently, the following type and style combinations are available:
  • Area Standard
  • Area Stepped
  • Area Curved
  • Bar Horizontal
  • Bar Vertical
  • Line Standard
  • Line Stepped
  • Line Curved
  • Pie 2D
  • Notes:
  • More chart types and styles will be available in the future free of charge.

  •   -Page
    Parameters: width - must be between 100 and 10000 inclusive
    height - must be between 100 and 10000 inclusive
    background color - can be specified in one of the following three ways, just choose the method that you are most comfortable with:
  • #RRGGBB - HTML color specification, uses hexadecimal notation to define the amount of red (RR), green (GG) and blue (BB) in a color. These values are between 0 (hexadecimal 00) and 255 (hexadecimal FF) inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with hexadecimal colors.
  • R G B - decimal colour specification, uses normal decimal notation to define the amount of red (RRR), green (GGG) and blue (BBB) in a color. These values are between 0 and 255 inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with decimal colors.
  • R.R G.G B.B - real colour specification, used real number notation to define the amount of red (R.R), green (G.G) and blue (B.B) in a color. These values are between 0.0 and 1.0 inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with real colors.
  • Notes:
  • Specifies the width and height of the entire page that the chart and all text labels are to fit within. The chart will be scaled so that it is as large as possible while leaving just enough room for all of the required text labels.
  • The width and height are specified in units of 1/72 inch (which is the same as the internal units that are used by a PDF). So a size of 720 actually represents 10 inches, and when printed on a high-resolution printer it will be printed at a size of 10 inches, and when displayed on a computer monitor it will also appear at the correct size - do not forget that this is NOT measured in pixels but in 1/72 of an inch!
  • An alternative to this command is the version below which allows the specification of the page size using a commonly used page size name rather than having to specify the width and height in units of 1/72 of an inch.

  •   -Page
    Parameters: size name - must be one of the following:
  • A0
  • 33.11 x 46.81 inches 841 x 1189 mm
  • A1
  • 23.39 x 33.11 inches 594 x 841 mm
  • A2
  • 16.54 x 23.29 inches 420 x 594 mm
  • A3
  • 11.69 x 16.54 inches 297 x 420 mm
  • A4
  • 8.27 x 11.69 inches 210 x 297 mm
  • A5
  • 5.83 x 8.27 inches 148 x 210 mm
  • B0
  • 39.37 x 55.67 inches   1000 x 1414 mm
  • B1
  • 27.83 x 39.37 inches 707 x 1000 mm
  • B2
  • 19.68 x 27.83 inches 500 x 707 mm
  • B3
  • 13.90 x 19.68 inches 353 x 500 mm
  • B4
  • 9.84 x 13.90 inches 250 x 353 mm
  • B5
  • 6.93 x 9.84 inches 176 x 250 mm
  • Letter
  • 8.50 x 11.00 inches 216 x 279 mm
  • Tabloid
  • 11.00 x 17.00 inches 279 x 432 mm
  • Ledger
  • 17.00 x 11.00 inches 432 x 279 mm
  • Executive
  • 7.24 x 10.50 inches 184 x 267 mm
  • Legal
  • 8.50 x 14.00 inches 216 x 356 mm
  • Folio
  • 8.25 x 13.00 inches 210 x 330 mm
  • Foolscap
  • 8.00 x 13.00 inches 203 x 275 mm
  • Quarto
  • 8.50 x 10.8125 inches 216 x 275 mm
  • Statement
  • 5.50 x 8.50 inches 140 x 216 mm
    background color - can be specified in one of the following three ways, just choose the method that you are most comfortable with:
  • #RRGGBB - HTML color specification, uses hexadecimal notation to define the amount of red (RR), green (GG) and blue (BB) in a color. These values are between 0 (hexadecimal 00) and 255 (hexadecimal FF) inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with hexadecimal colors.
  • R G B - decimal colour specification, uses normal decimal notation to define the amount of red (RRR), green (GGG) and blue (BBB) in a color. These values are between 0 and 255 inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with decimal colors.
  • R.R G.G B.B - real colour specification, used real number notation to define the amount of red (R.R), green (G.G) and blue (B.B) in a color. These values are between 0.0 and 1.0 inclusive. Click here for more information and examples with real colors.
  • Notes:
  • To have the named page size rotated by 90 degrees (ie "landscape" view), just add the text "+Landscape" to the page size name, eg "A4+Landscape"
  • Specifies the width and height of the entire page that the chart and all text labels are to fit within. The chart will be scaled so that it is as large as possible while leaving just enough room for all of the required text labels.
  • This is an alternative format of the -Page command that does not require the width and height but the name of a commonly used page size.

  •   -Dataset
    Parameters: data filename - specifies the name and location of a text file that contains data specific to the required chart type. By default data fields are separated by a comma, but this can be changed - see the -DataSeparator command for details.
    Notes:
  • Both this and the -Datum command (see appropriate chart specific section for details) can be used either individually or together, and in any order.
  • There is an overall limit of 1000 items of data, and at least one item must be defined.
  • Some chart types support multiple data series (see Datum command in the appropriate chart specific section for details).
  • If spaces are required in the data filename then put quotes around the data filename text.

  •   -Output
    Parameters: PDF filename - specifies the name and location of the produced PDF document, if spaces are required in the filepath then enclose it within quotes.
    Notes:
  • If you are replacing an existing PDF file then please ensure that it is not currently being viewed otherwise it will not be created.
  • If spaces are required in the PDF filename then put quotes around the PDF filename text.

  •   -License
    Parameters: license code - this is required to remove the "Evaluation Mode" message that is stamped over the top of the output PDF page.
    Notes:
  • To purchase a license code please visit the PDF Chart Creator Command Line Tool Utility Warrior web page which has the latest information and prices on the licenses that are currently available.

  •   -RegistryLicense
    Parameters: license code - this is required to remove the "Evaluation Mode" message that is stamped over the top of every page.
    Notes:
  • This command only needs to be used once as the license key is stored in the Windows Registry and will be retrieved from the registry the next time that the utility is run.
  • To purchase a license code please visit the PDF Chart Creator Command Line Tool Utility Warrior web page which has the latest information and prices on the licenses that are currently available.