Adding Custom Symbols

If you're looking for something more than the built-in KPIWorX symbols, you can create your own smart symbols in GraphWorX64 and import them into KPIWorX.

Create a Smart Symbol in GraphWorX64

Draw your symbol in GraphWorX64, group it, then go to the Dynamics tab and select Convert Symbol.

The smart properties of your smart symbol will become the properties of the widget in Widget Settings of KPIWorX. You can create properties by drilling into the symbol (double-click), right-clicking on properties, and selecting Add to Smart Properties. You can rename your properties, configure their types, and order them into groups using the Define Properties button on the Dynamics tab.

For more information on smart symbols, see these topics:

Smart Symbol Basics

Smart Symbols Quick Start

Best Practices

For best-looking and consistent symbols, keep to the following suggestions:

  • The entire symbol should fit within a 300 x 300 pixel square in GraphWorX64.

  • Text used in each symbol in a library should be the same (or similar) font size.

  • Keep a consistent color scheme within the same symbol library.

  • Use smart property names that are consistent with other symbols.

There is a large advantage to using the same property names as preexisting KPIWorX symbols. You can change the component or symbol for a widget, and if the property names of the new symbols are the same as the old symbols, the mappings will remain. This means if you create a set of visually different symbols with the same set of properties you can freely switch between those symbols in KPIWorX without having to re-map the symbol.

Here are some smart properties you may wish to include in your symbol to be consistent with preexisting KPIWorX components. They are organized by group:

  • General

    • Subtitle

    • Color or ThemeColor

  • Data

    • DataSource

    • DecimalPlaces

    • Units

  • Limits

    • LowLimit

    • HighLimit

    • MinValue

    • MaxValue

Note: MinValue and MaxValue are generally used as the extreme limits of a gauge or scale, while LowLimit and HighLimit are for colored or warning areas within that min-max scale.

Add Symbol to a KPIWorX Symbol Category

Once your symbol is created you must add it to one of the KPIWorX symbol categories, or create your own.

By default, the KPIWorX symbol categories are located at:

C:\Program Files\ICONICS\GENESIS64\WebSites\AnyGlass\Projects\KPIWorX

Note: The Symbols panel in GraphWorX64 contains a folder named KPI Symbols.  While these symbols look like the ones in KPIWorX, they are NOT the same categories that KPIWorX uses. Symbols added into this category will not appear in KPIWorX.

Create a New Category or Open an Existing KPIWorX Category

If you would like to create a new category, open the Symbols panel. (If you do not see Symbols, go to the View ribbon and check Symbols in the Show/Hide section.)

To create a new category, select the Symbol Library commands menu , and pick Add New Category. Save the new category in the WebSites\AnyGlass\Projects\KPIWorX location.

If instead you would like to add your symbol to a preexisting KPIWorX category, select the Symbol Library commands menu , and pick Open Existing Category. Browse for a category in the WebSites\AnyGlass\Projects\KPIWorX location.

Add Symbol to the Category

Once your category is created or opened, select your symbol in the GraphWorX64 display and copy it using Ctrl-C or the right-click context menu. Select the Symbols panel and paste the symbol using Ctrl-V or the right-click context menu.

If you'd like, you can right-click on the symbol in the category and choose Edit Symbol Properties to edit properties such as the Name, Title, and Description.

Note: The Symbol Name is what appears in the Component Library in KPIWorX.

When you have made all of your desired changes, right-click in the symbol category and choose Save Selected Category.

Add Symbol in KPIWorX

After the symbol has been added to the appropriate category, in KPIWorX, go to the Settings ribbon and select Update Cache, or refresh the browser page. This will make KPIWorX re-read the new symbols from the categories.

On the Settings ribbon, select Symbols, and make sure the category that contains your symbol is selected. Select OK.

From the Component Library, you should now see your symbol. Drag the symbol into a KPIWorX cell to create a widget.

For more information about widgets, see Add and Modify Widgets.

Updating Existing Symbols

If you made a change to your symbol and you would like to propagate that change to your existing KPIWorX dashboards you must treat the updated symbol as if it were a new symbol and reapply it to the widgets. Save your symbol to the appropriate symbol category in GraphWorX64, refresh the page or select Update Cache in KPIWorX, and drag the new copy of the symbol onto your widgets.

Note: The Update Cache button may not remove symbols that have been renamed or removed from the category. Make sure you are selecting the correct version of your symbol if you have two symbols with the same name. If you want to remove the old symbols you have to refresh the KPIWorX page.

Troubleshooting

If your symbol did not appear, check the following:

  • Is your symbol saved as a smart symbol?

  • Did you add your symbol to a category in WebSites\AnyGlass\Projects\KPIWorX?

  • Did you save the category in GraphWorX64?

  • Did you refresh the page or select Update Cache in KPIWorX?

  • In KPIWorX, are you looking at the same category where you saved your symbol?