SAPUI5 is a powerful framework widely used for building enterprise-grade, responsive web applications, particularly within the SAP ecosystem. While SAPUI5 offers built-in charting libraries such as VizFrame and sap.chart, there are scenarios where you might need a custom charting solution to meet specific business requirements or enhance user experience beyond standard options.
This article provides insights and practical guidance on how to implement custom charting solutions in SAPUI5 applications, leveraging external chart libraries, integrating with SAPUI5 controls, and following best practices to ensure seamless and maintainable implementations.
SAPUI5’s native charting controls cover many standard use cases, but custom solutions are often needed when:
Before implementation, select a suitable charting library based on factors like:
Popular choices include:
SAPUI5 allows you to create custom controls that encapsulate your chosen charting library.
Steps:
sap.ui.core.Control.onAfterRendering lifecycle hook, initialize and render the chart using the external library.Example Skeleton:
sap.ui.define([
"sap/ui/core/Control"
], function(Control) {
return Control.extend("custom.control.Chart", {
metadata: {
properties: {
data: { type: "object" }
}
},
renderer: function(oRm, oControl) {
oRm.write("<div");
oRm.writeControlData(oControl);
oRm.writeStyles();
oRm.write("></div>");
},
onAfterRendering: function() {
var oData = this.getData();
// Initialize your chart library here with oData
// For example, Chart.js, D3.js code goes here
}
});
});
For simpler integration, embed a <canvas> or <svg> inside a SAPUI5 HTML control and initialize the chart in the controller.
<mvc:View
controllerName="my.app.controller.Main"
xmlns:mvc="sap.ui.core.mvc"
xmlns="sap.m"
xmlns:html="sap.ui.core.HTML">
<html:HTML
id="chartContainer"
content='<canvas id="myChart" width="400" height="200"></canvas>'/>
</mvc:View>
In your controller:
onAfterRendering: function() {
var ctx = document.getElementById('myChart').getContext('2d');
new Chart(ctx, {
type: 'bar',
data: { /* chart data here */ },
options: { /* chart options here */ }
});
}
To leverage SAPUI5’s data binding, you can:
Ensure your charts adjust on window resize or UI changes by:
sap.ui.core.ResizeHandler).Example:
onAfterRendering: function() {
this._resizeHandlerId = sap.ui.core.ResizeHandler.register(this.getDomRef(), function() {
// Code to resize/redraw chart
});
},
exit: function() {
if (this._resizeHandlerId) {
sap.ui.core.ResizeHandler.deregister(this._resizeHandlerId);
}
}
sap.ui.define) for external chart libraries.Implementing custom charting solutions in SAPUI5 empowers developers to deliver tailored, interactive visualizations beyond standard controls. By integrating popular JavaScript chart libraries as custom controls or HTML embeddings, and by carefully binding and managing data and lifecycle events, you can build sophisticated SAP Fiori applications that meet specific business needs.
With thoughtful design and best practices, custom charting enhances both the visual appeal and functional richness of SAPUI5 applications, driving better insights and user engagement.