This walkthrough creates a Candlestick Chart. The chart shows the movement of the stock price for a certain company over time. The rectangles in the chart show the relationship between the opening and closing values. If the rectangle is filled with a background color, it means that the opening value is greater than the closing value. Else, the rectangle is empty. Moreover, the vertical lines above and below the rectangle represent the high and low values in the chart. The final chart appears like this:

Create a Report and Bind Report to Data

In the ActiveReports Designer, create a new RDLX report and follow the New Report wizard to bind the report to data. You can also perform data binding later using the Report Data Source dialog accessed from the Report Explorer.

Connect to a Data Source

1. In the Report Data Source dialog, select the General page and enter the name of the data source.
2. Under Type, select 'Json Provider'.
3. Go to the Content tab under Connection and set the type of JSON data to 'Embedded'.
4. In the Select or type the file name or URL or enter the data to be embedded field, enter the following data:

   JSON Data

   Copy Code

   [ { "Date": "1/4/2021", "Close": 129.41, "Open": 133.52, "High": 133.61, "Low": 126.76 }, { "Date": "1/5/2021", "Close": 131.01, "Open": 128.89, "High": 131.74, "Low": 128.43 }, { "Date": "1/6/2021", "Close": 126.6, "Open": 127.72, "High": 131.05, "Low": 126.38 }, { "Date": "1/7/2021", "Close": 130.92, "Open": 128.36, "High": 131.63, "Low": 127.86 }, { "Date": "1/8/2021", "Close": 132.05, "Open": 132.43, "High": 132.63, "Low": 130.23 }, { "Date": "1/11/2021", "Close": 128.98, "Open": 129.19, "High": 130.17, "Low": 128.5 }, { "Date": "1/12/2021", "Close": 128.8, "Open": 128.5, "High": 129.69, "Low": 126.86 }, { "Date": "1/13/2021", "Close": 130.89, "Open": 128.76, "High": 131.45, "Low": 128.49 }, { "Date": "1/14/2021", "Close": 128.91, "Open": 130.8, "High": 131, "Low": 128.76 }, { "Date": "1/15/2021", "Close": 127.14, "Open": 128.78, "High": 130.22, "Low": 127 }, { "Date": "1/19/2021", "Close": 127.83, "Open": 127.78, "High": 128.71, "Low": 126.94 }, { "Date": "1/20/2021", "Close": 132.03, "Open": 128.66, "High": 132.49, "Low": 128.55 }, { "Date": "1/21/2021", "Close": 136.87, "Open": 133.8, "High": 139.67, "Low": 133.59 }, { "Date": "1/22/2021", "Close": 139.07, "Open": 136.28, "High": 139.85, "Low": 135.02 }, { "Date": "1/25/2021", "Close": 142.92, "Open": 143.07, "High": 145.09, "Low": 136.54 }, { "Date": "1/26/2021", "Close": 143.16, "Open": 143.6, "High": 144.3, "Low": 141.37 }, { "Date": "1/27/2021", "Close": 142.06, "Open": 143.43, "High": 144.3, "Low": 140.41 }, { "Date": "1/28/2021", "Close": 137.09, "Open": 139.52, "High": 141.99, "Low": 136.7 }, { "Date": "1/29/2021", "Close": 131.96, "Open": 135.83, "High": 136.74, "Low": 130.21 }, { "Date": "2/1/2021", "Close": 134.14, "Open": 133.75, "High": 135.38, "Low": 130.93 }, { "Date": "2/2/2021", "Close": 134.99, "Open": 135.73, "High": 136.31, "Low": 134.61 }, { "Date": "2/3/2021", "Close": 133.94, "Open": 135.76, "High": 135.77, "Low": 133.61 }, { "Date": "2/4/2021", "Close": 137.39, "Open": 136.3, "High": 137.4, "Low": 134.59 }, { "Date": "2/5/2021", "Close": 136.76, "Open": 137.35, "High": 137.42, "Low": 135.86 }, { "Date": "2/8/2021", "Close": 136.91, "Open": 136.03, "High": 136.96, "Low": 134.92 }, { "Date": "2/9/2021", "Close": 136.01, "Open": 136.62, "High": 137.88, "Low": 135.85 }, { "Date": "2/10/2021", "Close": 135.39, "Open": 136.48, "High": 136.99, "Low": 134.4 }, { "Date": "2/11/2021", "Close": 135.13, "Open": 135.9, "High": 136.39, "Low": 133.77 }, { "Date": "2/12/2021", "Close": 135.37, "Open": 134.35, "High": 135.53, "Low": 133.69 }, { "Date": "2/16/2021", "Close": 133.19, "Open": 135.49, "High": 136.01, "Low": 132.79 }, { "Date": "2/17/2021", "Close": 130.84, "Open": 131.25, "High": 132.22, "Low": 129.47 }, { "Date": "2/18/2021", "Close": 129.71, "Open": 129.2, "High": 130, "Low": 127.41 }, { "Date": "2/19/2021", "Close": 129.87, "Open": 130.24, "High": 130.71, "Low": 128.8 }, { "Date": "2/22/2021", "Close": 126, "Open": 128.01, "High": 129.72, "Low": 125.6 }, { "Date": "2/23/2021", "Close": 125.86, "Open": 123.76, "High": 126.71, "Low": 118.39 }, { "Date": "2/24/2021", "Close": 125.35, "Open": 124.94, "High": 125.56, "Low": 122.23 }, { "Date": "2/25/2021", "Close": 120.99, "Open": 124.68, "High": 126.46, "Low": 120.54 }, { "Date": "2/26/2021", "Close": 121.26, "Open": 122.59, "High": 124.85, "Low": 121.2 }, { "Date": "3/1/2021", "Close": 127.79, "Open": 123.75, "High": 127.93, "Low": 122.79 }, { "Date": "3/2/2021", "Close": 125.12, "Open": 128.41, "High": 128.72, "Low": 125.01 }, { "Date": "3/3/2021", "Close": 122.06, "Open": 124.81, "High": 125.71, "Low": 121.84 }, { "Date": "3/4/2021", "Close": 120.13, "Open": 121.75, "High": 123.6, "Low": 118.62 }, { "Date": "3/5/2021", "Close": 121.42, "Open": 120.98, "High": 121.94, "Low": 117.57 }, { "Date": "3/8/2021", "Close": 116.36, "Open": 120.93, "High": 121, "Low": 116.21 }, { "Date": "3/9/2021", "Close": 121.09, "Open": 119.03, "High": 122.06, "Low": 118.79 }, { "Date": "3/10/2021", "Close": 119.98, "Open": 121.69, "High": 122.17, "Low": 119.45 }, { "Date": "3/11/2021", "Close": 121.96, "Open": 122.54, "High": 123.21, "Low": 121.26 }, { "Date": "3/12/2021", "Close": 121.03, "Open": 120.4, "High": 121.17, "Low": 119.16 }, { "Date": "3/15/2021", "Close": 123.99, "Open": 121.41, "High": 124, "Low": 120.42 }, { "Date": "3/16/2021", "Close": 125.57, "Open": 125.7, "High": 127.22, "Low": 124.72 }, { "Date": "3/17/2021", "Close": 124.76, "Open": 124.05, "High": 125.86, "Low": 122.34 }, { "Date": "3/18/2021", "Close": 120.53, "Open": 122.88, "High": 123.18, "Low": 120.32 }, { "Date": "3/19/2021", "Close": 119.99, "Open": 119.9, "High": 121.43, "Low": 119.68 }, { "Date": "3/22/2021", "Close": 123.39, "Open": 120.33, "High": 123.87, "Low": 120.26 }, { "Date": "3/23/2021", "Close": 122.54, "Open": 123.33, "High": 124.24, "Low": 122.14 }, { "Date": "3/24/2021", "Close": 120.09, "Open": 122.82, "High": 122.9, "Low": 120.07 }, { "Date": "3/25/2021", "Close": 120.59, "Open": 119.54, "High": 121.66, "Low": 119 }, { "Date": "3/26/2021", "Close": 121.21, "Open": 120.35, "High": 121.48, "Low": 118.92 }, { "Date": "3/29/2021", "Close": 121.39, "Open": 121.65, "High": 122.58, "Low": 120.73 }, { "Date": "3/30/2021", "Close": 119.9, "Open": 120.11, "High": 120.4, "Low": 118.86 }, { "Date": "3/31/2021", "Close": 122.15, "Open": 121.65, "High": 123.52, "Low": 121.15 }, { "Date": "4/1/2021", "Close": 123, "Open": 123.66, "High": 124.18, "Low": 122.49 }, { "Date": "4/5/2021", "Close": 125.9, "Open": 123.87, "High": 126.16, "Low": 123.07 }, { "Date": "4/6/2021", "Close": 126.21, "Open": 126.5, "High": 127.13, "Low": 125.65 }, { "Date": "4/7/2021", "Close": 127.9, "Open": 125.83, "High": 127.92, "Low": 125.14 }, { "Date": "4/8/2021", "Close": 130.36, "Open": 128.95, "High": 130.39, "Low": 128.52 }, { "Date": "4/9/2021", "Close": 133, "Open": 129.8, "High": 133.04, "Low": 129.47 }, { "Date": "4/12/2021", "Close": 131.24, "Open": 132.52, "High": 132.85, "Low": 130.63 }, { "Date": "4/13/2021", "Close": 134.43, "Open": 132.44, "High": 134.66, "Low": 131.93 }, { "Date": "4/14/2021", "Close": 132.03, "Open": 134.94, "High": 135, "Low": 131.66 }, { "Date": "4/15/2021", "Close": 134.5, "Open": 133.82, "High": 135, "Low": 133.64 }, { "Date": "4/16/2021", "Close": 134.16, "Open": 134.3, "High": 134.67, "Low": 133.28 }, { "Date": "4/19/2021", "Close": 134.84, "Open": 133.51, "High": 135.47, "Low": 133.34 }, { "Date": "4/20/2021", "Close": 133.11, "Open": 135.02, "High": 135.53, "Low": 131.81 }, { "Date": "4/21/2021", "Close": 133.5, "Open": 132.36, "High": 133.75, "Low": 131.3 }, { "Date": "4/22/2021", "Close": 131.94, "Open": 133.04, "High": 134.15, "Low": 131.41 }, { "Date": "4/23/2021", "Close": 134.32, "Open": 132.16, "High": 135.12, "Low": 132.16 }, { "Date": "4/26/2021", "Close": 134.72, "Open": 134.83, "High": 135.06, "Low": 133.56 }, { "Date": "4/27/2021", "Close": 134.39, "Open": 135.01, "High": 135.41, "Low": 134.11 }, { "Date": "4/28/2021", "Close": 133.58, "Open": 134.31, "High": 135.02, "Low": 133.08 }, { "Date": "4/29/2021", "Close": 133.48, "Open": 136.47, "High": 137.07, "Low": 132.45 }, { "Date": "4/30/2021", "Close": 131.46, "Open": 131.78, "High": 133.56, "Low": 131.07 }, { "Date": "5/3/2021", "Close": 132.54, "Open": 132.04, "High": 134.07, "Low": 131.83 }, { "Date": "5/4/2021", "Close": 127.85, "Open": 131.19, "High": 131.49, "Low": 126.7 }, { "Date": "5/5/2021", "Close": 128.1, "Open": 129.2, "High": 130.45, "Low": 127.97 }, { "Date": "5/6/2021", "Close": 129.74, "Open": 127.89, "High": 129.75, "Low": 127.13 }, { "Date": "5/7/2021", "Close": 130.21, "Open": 130.85, "High": 131.26, "Low": 129.48 }, { "Date": "5/10/2021", "Close": 126.85, "Open": 129.41, "High": 129.54, "Low": 126.81 }, { "Date": "5/11/2021", "Close": 125.91, "Open": 123.5, "High": 126.27, "Low": 122.77 }, { "Date": "5/12/2021", "Close": 122.77, "Open": 123.4, "High": 124.64, "Low": 122.25 }, { "Date": "5/13/2021", "Close": 124.97, "Open": 124.58, "High": 126.15, "Low": 124.26 }, { "Date": "5/14/2021", "Close": 127.45, "Open": 126.25, "High": 127.89, "Low": 125.85 }, { "Date": "5/17/2021", "Close": 126.27, "Open": 126.82, "High": 126.93, "Low": 125.17 }, { "Date": "5/18/2021", "Close": 124.85, "Open": 126.56, "High": 126.99, "Low": 124.78 }, { "Date": "5/19/2021", "Close": 124.69, "Open": 123.16, "High": 124.92, "Low": 122.86 }, { "Date": "5/20/2021", "Close": 127.31, "Open": 125.23, "High": 127.72, "Low": 125.1 }, { "Date": "5/21/2021", "Close": 125.43, "Open": 127.82, "High": 128, "Low": 125.21 }, { "Date": "5/24/2021", "Close": 127.1, "Open": 126.01, "High": 127.94, "Low": 125.94 }, { "Date": "5/25/2021", "Close": 126.9, "Open": 127.82, "High": 128.32, "Low": 126.32 }, { "Date": "5/26/2021", "Close": 126.85, "Open": 126.96, "High": 127.39, "Low": 126.42 }, { "Date": "5/27/2021", "Close": 125.28, "Open": 126.44, "High": 127.64, "Low": 125.08 }, { "Date": "5/28/2021", "Close": 124.61, "Open": 125.57, "High": 125.8, "Low": 124.55 }, { "Date": "6/1/2021", "Close": 124.28, "Open": 125.08, "High": 125.35, "Low": 123.94 }, { "Date": "6/2/2021", "Close": 125.06, "Open": 124.28, "High": 125.24, "Low": 124.05 }, { "Date": "6/3/2021", "Close": 123.54, "Open": 124.68, "High": 124.85, "Low": 123.13 }, { "Date": "6/4/2021", "Close": 125.89, "Open": 124.07, "High": 126.16, "Low": 123.85 }, { "Date": "6/7/2021", "Close": 125.9, "Open": 126.17, "High": 126.32, "Low": 124.83 }, { "Date": "6/8/2021", "Close": 126.74, "Open": 126.6, "High": 128.46, "Low": 126.21 } ]

   For more information, see the JSON Provider topic.
5. Go to the Connection String tab and verify the generated connection string by clicking the Validate DataSource  icon.
6. Click OK to save the changes and open the DataSet dialog.

Add a Dataset   

1. In the Dataset dialog, select the General page and enter the name of the dataset, 'StockPrice'.
2. Go to the Query page and enter the following query to fetch the required fields:

   Query	Copy Code
   $.[*]

3. Click OK to save the changes.

Create Basic Structure of Chart

We will use the Chart Wizard dialog to configure chart data values and basic customization. If you have a dataset added to your report, on Chart's drag-drop operation, the wizard appears. See the topic on Chart Wizard for more information. You can make further adjustments to the chart after you exit the wizard by accessing the properties of chart elements through dialogs, property panels, and adorners.

1. Drag-drop Chart data region onto the design area. The New Chart dialog appears with an option to select the query and the plot type.
2. Select the Query as the dataset name (StockPrice)  and the Plot Type as 'Candlestick'.
3. Click Next to configure data values.
4. Under Configure Chart Data Values, set the High, Low, Open, and Close data values as follows, and click Next.    

   Data Values	Field	Aggregate	Caption
   High	[High]	None	High
   Low	[Low]	None	Low
   Open	[Open]	None	Open
   Close	[Close]	None	Close

5. In the Configure Chart Data Groupings, set the Categories > Group By to [Date] and Sorting to 'Ascending'
6. Click Next and Choose Report Colors from Theme and Style, and preview your chart.
                
   
   Now that the basic structure of your chart is ready, let us add more meaning to the chart using the properties via the Chart Panels, Adorners, and Property Panel.

Add Customizations to Chart

Chart Data

1. In the Chart Data area, select the series value.
2. Go to Properties Panel and set FillColor property to '#f77268'.

Y-Axis

1. To open the smart panel, right-click 'Y Axis' on the Report Explorer and choose Property Dialog.
2. Go to the Title page and remove the text from the Title field to hide the Y-axis title in the chart.
3. Go to the Labels page > General page and set the Format to 'Currency (with 0 decimal points)'.
4. Navigate to the Appearance tab and set the following properties.
   • Font > Size: 12pt
   • Font > Color: DimGray
5. Go to the Line page and set the following properties.
   • Show Line: Check-on
   • Color: Black
   • Width: 1pt
   • Style: Solid
6. Go to the Major Gridline page and set the following properties.
   • Grid Interval: 10
   • Grid appearance > Show Grid: Check-on
   • Grid appearance > Width: 0.25pt
   • Grid appearance > Color: #cccccc
   • Grid appearance > Style: Dashed 
   • Tick mark appearance > Position: Outside
   • Tick mark appearance > Color: #cccccc
   • Tick mark appearance > Width: 0.25pt
   • Tick mark appearance > Style: Solid  
7. Click OK to complete setting up the Y-axis.

X-Axis

1. To open the smart panel, right-click 'X Axis' on the Report Explorer and choose Property Dialog.
2. Go to the Title page and remove the text from the Title field to hide the X-axis title in the chart.
3. Go to the Labels page > General tab and set the following properties.
   • Format: Short Date
   • Angle: -45
4. Now, navigate to the Appearance page and set the following properties.
   • Font > Size: 12pt
   • Font > Color: DimGray
5. Go to the Line page and set the following properties.
   • Show Line: Check-on
   • Color: Black
   • Width: 1pt
   • Style: Solid
6. Go to the Major Gridline page and set the following properties.
   • Grid Interval: 7 (to view weekly stock prices)
   • Grid appearance > Show Grid: Check-on
   • Grid appearance > Width: 0.25pt
   • Grid appearance > Color: #cccccc
   • Grid appearance > Style: Dashed
   • Tick mark appearance > Position: Outside
   • Tick mark appearance > Color: #cccccc
   • Tick mark appearance > Width: 0.25pt
   • Tick mark appearance > Style: Solid  
7. Click OK to complete setting up the X-axis.

Header

1. To open the smart panel for the chart header, click 'Header' on the Report Explorer and choose Property Dialog.
2. Go to the General page and set Title to 'Stock Price'.
3. Go to the Font page and set the properties as below.
   • Size: 24pt
   • Color: #3da7a8
4. Click OK to complete setting up the chart header.
   You may want to resize the chart and customize other chart elements. Once you are done, press F5 to preview the report.
   Note: We use stub data at design time and not real data. So to view the actual final chart, you need to view the chart on the preview.