Adding a connecting line between markers

You can add a connecting line between markers in a scatter plot, or in a marker layer of a map chart. You can specify in which order the markers should be connected, and arrows can be added to indicate a direction or movement.

About this task

If the markers of the same category are connected, the line connection lets you show this in a way that can be clearer than just using coloring of the category. You can also show the order or direction by adding arrows on the connecting lines.

In the example above, the line connection is added with the settings Draw a separate line per value in "Item" and the lines are ordered by the column "Order". The visualization is based on this data:

See also Example of a line connection in a marker layer for an example of line connections used in a map.

Procedure

Open the visualization properties and locate the Line connection section.
In this example, the visualization properties panel is shown, but the settings are similar no matter from where you open the visualization properties.
Under Draw a separate line per value in, select the column or hierarchy containing the categories to use for line connection.
Markers of the same category will be connected with each other to form a separate line. If no column or hierarchy is specified here, all markers will be connected with each other.
Under Order each line by, specify the order in which markers should be connected.
If no column or hierarchy is specified here, the markers will be ordered by row index (the order of the rows in the original data table).
Determine whether to place the line in the Background or in the Foreground of the markers.

Tip: You can change the transparency of the markers in Appearance if you want to see the lines through the markers when the lines are placed in the background.
Under Color, specify how to color the lines.
- Same as marker – The lines have the same color as the markers they are a connection between. If a line connects markers with different colors, the color of the line will be a fusion of the two colors. For example, when a blue marker is connected with a yellow marker, the line between them will be green.
- Custom – Use a single custom color for the lines. Click the drop-down list to choose a different color.
If desired, change the Width of the lines.
If desired, select the check box to Show arrows to indicate order.