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Scatter

In this topic

  1. Summary
  2. Discussion
  3. Syntax
  4. Properties
  5. Method Overview
  6. Methods
  7. Code sample

Summary

The Scatter class creates scatter plots. Scatter plots visualize the relationship between two numeric variables, where one variable is displayed on the x-axis, and the other variable is displayed on the y-axis. For each record, a point is plotted where the two variables intersect in the chart. When the resulting points form a nonrandom structure, a relationship exists between the two variables.

Learn more about scatter plots in ArcGIS Pro

Discussion

When creating this object, optional arguments for the class constructor must be specified using the argument name; they cannot be specified by argument position. See the Code sample section for an example of how to specify arguments using keywords.

Syntax

Scatter (x, y, {splitCategory}, {sizeField}, {sizeMin}, {sizeMax}, {multiSeriesDisplay}, {miniChartsPerRow}, {showPreviewChart}, {showTrendLine}, {title}, {description}, {xTitle}, {yTitle}, {dataSource}, {displaySize})
ParameterExplanationData Type
x

The field name for the x-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field.

String
y

The field name for the y-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field.

String
splitCategory

A categorical field that adds a separate series for each unique value in the field.

String
sizeField

The field used to determine the size of the proportional symbol when creating a bubble plot.

String
sizeMin

The minimum size for points in a bubble plot.

Integer
sizeMax

The maximum size for points in a bubble plot.

Integer
multiSeriesDisplay

The display type for a scatter plot with multiple series.

  • singleChart—Display all series in a single chart.
  • grid—Display each series in a separate mini-chart.
String
miniChartsPerRow

The number of minicharts that will be shown per row. The number of rows will be determined by the total number of series divided by the miniChartsPerRow value.

Integer
showPreviewChart

Specifies whether the preview chart will be displayed for grid charts.

  • True—The preview chart will be displayed.
  • False—The preview chart will not be displayed.

(The default value is False)

Boolean
showTrendLine

Indicates whether the trend line is visible in the scatter plot.

  • True—Displays the trend line.
  • False—Hides the trend line.
Boolean
title

The title of the chart. The title text appears at the top of the chart view and is used as the label for the chart in the Contents pane.

String
description

The description of the chart. The description text appears at the bottom of the chart view.

String
xTitle

The title of the x-axis of the chart.

String
yTitle

The title of the y-axis of the chart.

String
dataSource

The data source of the chart. When a chart is exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS Notebook, the data source will be read and rendered on the chart. Valid data sources include the following:

  • Paths to datasets, including local datasets, UNC paths, and service URLs
  • Arrow table objects
  • Layer or Table objects

Object
displaySize
[displaySize,...]

The size of the chart when exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS Notebook. The value must be specified as a two-item list in which the first item is the width of the chart and the second item is the height of the chart.

List

Properties

PropertyExplanationData Type
dataSource
(Read and Write)

The data source of the chart. When a chart is exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS notebook, the data source will be read and rendered on the chart. Valid data sources include the following:

  • Paths to datasets, including local datasets, UNC paths, and service URLs
  • Arrow table objects
  • Layer or Table objects

Object
description
(Read and Write)

The description of the chart. The description text appears at the bottom of the chart view.

String
displaySize
(Read and Write)

The size of the chart when exported using the exportToSVG method or displayed in an ArcGIS notebook. The value must be specified as a two-item list in which the first item is the width of the chart and the second item is the height of the chart.

List
legend
(Read and Write)

The properties of the chart legend.

  • alignment—Specifies the alignment of the legend. Alignment options are left, bottom, top, and right.
  • title—The title of the legend.
  • visible—Specifies whether the legend will be displayed in the chart view. True displays the legend, and False hides the legend.
Object
miniChartsPerRow
(Read and Write)

The number of minicharts that will be shown per row. The number of rows will be determined by the total number of series divided by the miniChartsPerRow value.

Integer
multiSeriesDisplay
(Read and Write)

The display type for a scatter plot with multiple series.

  • singleChart—Display all series in a single chart.
  • grid—Display each series in a separate mini-chart.
String
showPreviewChart
(Read and Write)

Specifies whether the preview chart will be displayed for grid charts.

  • True—The preview chart will be displayed.
  • False—The preview chart will not be displayed.
Boolean
showTrendLine
(Read and Write)

Indicates whether the trend line is visible in the scatter plot.

  • True—Displays the trend line.
  • False—Hides the trend line.
Boolean
sizeField
(Read and Write)

The field used to determine the size of the proportional symbol when creating a bubble plot.

String
sizeMax
(Read and Write)

The maximum size for points in a bubble plot.

Integer
sizeMin
(Read and Write)

The minimum size for points in a bubble plot.

Integer
splitCategory
(Read and Write)

A categorical field that adds a separate series for each unique value in the field.

String
theme
(Read and Write)

The name of the theme that will be applied to the chart.

String
title
(Read and Write)

The title of the chart. The title text appears at the top of the chart view and is used as the label in the Contents pane on the List By Drawing Order tab List By Drawing Order.

String
type
(Read Only)

The string value indicating the chart type.

String
x
(Read and Write)

The field name for the x-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field.

String
xAxis
(Read and Write)

Sets the properties of the x-axis.

  • addGuide—Adds a guide to the axis using a Guide object.
  • field—The field name for the x-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field.
  • invert—Specifies whether the axis is inverted. True inverts the axis, and False does not invert the axis.
  • logarithmic—Indicates whether the axis is logarithmic. True displays the logarithmic axis. False displays the linear axis.
  • maximum—The maximum axis bound.
  • minimum—The minimum axis bound.
  • sort—This property is not supported for the Scatter class.
  • title—The label of the axis that displays on the chart.
  • useAdaptiveBounds—Indicates whether a grid chart displays with adaptive or fixed axis bounds. True displays the axis with adaptive bounds. False displays the axis with fixed bounds.
Object
y
(Read and Write)

The field name for the y-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field.

String
yAxis
(Read and Write)

Sets the properties of the y-axis.

  • addGuide—Adds a guide to the axis using a Guide object.
  • field—The field name for the y-axis variable. The field must be a numeric field. When creating a bubble plot, field optionally accepts a two-item list, where the first item is the y-axis field and the second item is the proportional symbol field.
  • invert—Specifies whether the axis is inverted. True inverts the axis, and False does not invert the axis.
  • logarithmic—Indicates whether the axis is logarithmic. True displays the logarithmic axis. False displays the linear axis.
  • maximum—The maximum axis bound.
  • minimum—The minimum axis bound.
  • sort—This property is not supported for the Scatter class.
  • title—The label of the axis that displays on the chart.
  • useAdaptiveBounds—Indicates whether a grid chart displays with adaptive or fixed axis bounds. True displays the axis with adaptive bounds. False displays the axis with fixed bounds.
Object

Method Overview

MethodExplanation
addToLayer (layer_or_layerfile)

The addToLayer method adds the chart object to a layer or table view.

exportToSVG (path, width, height)

The exportToSVG method exports the chart to SVG format.

updateChart ()

The updateChart method updates chart properties to sync changes between the object and the chart previously added to a layer.

Methods

addToLayer (layer_or_layerfile)
ParameterExplanationData Type
layer_or_layerfile

The chart will be added to the target object. This argument can be a Layer or Table object.

Object

Adding the chart object to a layer or table using the addToLayer method is often the final step after defining chart properties.

Add a chart to an existing layer.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("current")
map = aprx.listMaps()[0]
censusLayer = map.listLayers('Census Block Groups')[0]

# Add chart object to a layer
chart.addToLayer(censusLayer)
exportToSVG (path, width, height)
ParameterExplanationData Type
path

The path where the chart will be exported in SVG format.

String
width

The width of the output graphic.

Integer
height

The height of the output graphic.

Integer

In some cases, you may want to save the chart as a graphic that can be shared and viewed outside of ArcGIS Pro. Exporting to the SVG graphic format is beneficial, as the chart elements and text are stored as vector elements that can be independently modified in vector graphics software. An SVG graphic can also be resized to any scale without pixelation or loss in quality.

Export a chart that has a project layer data source to an .svg file.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject('current')
censusLayer = aprx.listMaps()[0].listLayers('Census Block Groups')[0]

# Set data source of chart object to a layer in current project
chart.dataSource = censusLayer

# Save the chart to file with dimensions width=500, height=500
chart.exportToSVG('populationByState.svg', 500, 500)

Export a chart that has a feature service data source to an .svg file.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

featureServiceURL = r'https://services1.arcgis.com/hLJbHVT9ZrDIzK0I/arcgis/rest/services/CrimesChiTheft/FeatureServer/0'

# Set data source of chart object to a feature service URL
chart.dataSource = featureServiceURL

# Save the chart to file with dimensions width=800, height=600
chart.exportToSVG('theftsPerBeat.svg', 800, 600)
updateChart ()

Adding the chart object to a layer using the addToLayer method is often the final step after defining chart properties.

You can also modify the properties of the original chart instead of starting with a new chart. You can then use the updateChart method to synchronize any changes into the chart that was added to the layer. This allows the changes you make to be presented in the Chart properties pane and chart view.

Use the updateChart method to synchronize chart property changes into a layer.

import arcpy

# Insert creation of chart object here
...

chart.addToLayer(myLayer)

# Further modification is necessary
chart.description = "Data from the U.S. Census Bureau"
chart.updateChart()

Code sample

Create a scatter plot and add it to a layer from the current project.


import arcpy

aprx = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject("current")
map = aprx.listMaps()[0]
censusLayer = map.listLayers("Census Block Groups")[0]

chart = arcpy.charts.Scatter(x="Per_Vacant", y="Pop_Density", xTitle="Vacant Housing %", 
                             yTitle="Population Density (per Sq. Mile)")

chart.addToLayer(censusLayer)

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In this topic
  1. Summary
  2. Discussion
  3. Syntax
  4. Properties
  5. Method Overview
  6. Methods
  7. Code sample