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TeeChart provides native database integration through TDBChart and data-aware series components. Visualize data directly from datasets with automatic updates and cross-tabulation.

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Overview

Database integration features:
  • Direct connection to TDataSet descendants
  • Automatic chart updates on data changes
  • Data aggregation and summarization
  • Cross-tabulation support
  • Master-detail relationships
  • Field mapping and formulas
Key Components:
  • TDBChart - Database-aware chart component
  • Data-aware series (e.g., TBarSeries with DataSource)
  • TDBCrossTabSource - Cross-tab data source

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Basic Database Connection

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Using TDBChart

uses DBChart, DB, DBTables;

var
  DBChart1: TDBChart;
  Table1: TTable;
  DataSource1: TDataSource;
  Series1: TBarSeries;
begin
  // Setup table
  Table1 := TTable.Create(Self);
  Table1.DatabaseName := 'DBDEMOS';
  Table1.TableName := 'orders.db';
  
  // Setup datasource
  DataSource1 := TDataSource.Create(Self);
  DataSource1.DataSet := Table1;
  
  // Connect series to data
  Series1.DataSource := DataSource1;
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := 'AmountPaid';
  Series1.XLabelsSource := 'ShipVia';
  
  // Open table
  Table1.Active := True;
end;
Source: DBChart_Summary.pas:18

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Field Mapping

// Map series values to dataset fields
Series1.DataSource := DataSource1;

// Y Values (primary value)
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := 'Amount';

// X Values (optional)
Series1.XValues.ValueSource := 'OrderDate';

// Labels
Series1.XLabelsSource := 'CustomerName';

// For specialized series (OHLC, Candle, etc.)
CandleSeries1.OpenValues.ValueSource := 'OpenPrice';
CandleSeries1.HighValues.ValueSource := 'HighPrice';
CandleSeries1.LowValues.ValueSource := 'LowPrice';
CandleSeries1.CloseValues.ValueSource := 'ClosePrice';

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Data Aggregation

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Summary Functions

Aggregate data using built-in formulas: 
// Count records
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Count#AmountPaid';

// Sum values
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Sum#AmountPaid';

// Average
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Avg#AmountPaid';

// Maximum
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#High#AmountPaid';

// Minimum
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Low#AmountPaid';
Source: DBChart_Summary.pas:64

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Grouping Data

Group by field values: 
// Group by employee number
Series1.XLabelsSource := 'EmpNo';
Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Sum#AmountPaid';

// Group by payment method
Series1.XLabelsSource := 'PaymentMethod';

// Group by year extracted from date
Series1.XLabelsSource := '#Year#SaleDate';

// Group by ship method
Series1.XLabelsSource := 'ShipVia';
Source: DBChart_Summary.pas:46

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Opening Summary Editor

uses TeeDBSumEdit;

procedure TForm1.EditSummaryClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
  TeeDBSummaryEditor(Self, Series1);
end;
Source: DBChart_Summary.pas:42

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Master-Detail Relationships

Display detail records from linked tables: 
type
  TLinkedTablesForm = class(TForm)
    DBChart1: TDBChart;
    Table1: TTable;  // Master table
    Table2: TTable;  // Detail table
    DataSource1: TDataSource;
    DataSource2: TDataSource;
    AreaSeries1: TAreaSeries;
  end;

procedure TLinkedTablesForm.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
begin
  // Setup master table
  Table1.DatabaseName := 'DBDEMOS';
  Table1.TableName := 'customer.db';
  DataSource1.DataSet := Table1;
  
  // Setup detail table
  Table2.DatabaseName := 'DBDEMOS';
  Table2.TableName := 'orders.db';
  Table2.MasterSource := DataSource1;
  Table2.MasterFields := 'CustNo';
  Table2.IndexFieldNames := 'CustNo';
  DataSource2.DataSet := Table2;
  
  // Connect series to detail table
  AreaSeries1.DataSource := DataSource2;
  AreaSeries1.YValues.ValueSource := 'AmountPaid';
  AreaSeries1.XLabelsSource := 'SaleDate';
  
  // Open tables
  Table1.Active := True;
  Table2.Active := True;
end;

// Refresh chart when master record changes
procedure TLinkedTablesForm.DataSource1DataChange(
  Sender: TObject; 
  Field: TField);
begin
  // Force chart refresh for detail records
  DBChart1.CheckDataSource(AreaSeries1);
end;
Source: DBChart_MasterDetail.pas:16

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Cross-Tabulation

Create pivot-style charts from database data: 
uses TeeDBCrossTab;

procedure TForm1.CreateCrossTab;
var
  Summary: TGroupFormula;
begin
  // Choose aggregation function
  if RadioButton1.Checked then
    Summary := gfCount  // Count records
  else
    Summary := gfSum;   // Sum values
  
  // Fill chart with cross-tabulated data
  FillDataSet(
    Table1,           // Dataset
    Series1,          // Target series
    'Terms',          // Dimension 1 (X-axis groups)
    'ShipVia',        // Dimension 2 (series/bars)
    'AmountPaid',     // Value field
    Summary           // Aggregation function
  );
end;

// Swap dimensions
procedure TForm1.SwapDimensionsClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  Tmp: String;
begin
  Tmp := Dimension1;
  Dimension1 := Dimension2;
  Dimension2 := Tmp;
  CreateCrossTab;
end;
Source: DBChart_CrossTab.pas:87

​
CrossTab Formulas

type
  TGroupFormula = (
    gfSum,      // Sum of values
    gfCount,    // Count records
    gfAverage,  // Average value
    gfMin,      // Minimum value
    gfMax       // Maximum value
  );

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Advanced Database Features

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Single Record Display

Display one record at a time: 
procedure TForm1.ShowSingleRecord;
begin
  // Configure series to show current record only
  Series1.DataSource := DataSource1;
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := 'Q1';
  
  // Chart updates automatically on record navigation
end;
Source: DBChart_SingleRecord.pas

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Record Location

Find and display specific records: 
procedure TForm1.LocateRecord(const Value: Variant);
begin
  if Table1.Locate('OrderNo', Value, []) then
  begin
    // Chart automatically updates to show located record
    DBChart1.RefreshData;
  end;
end;
Source: DBChart_LocateRecord.pas

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Custom Dataset Support

Use any TDataSet descendant: 
// Works with any dataset
Series1.DataSource := ClientDataSet1.DataSource;
Series1.DataSource := Query1.DataSource;
Series1.DataSource := MemTable1.DataSource;
Series1.DataSource := FDQuery1.DataSource;
Source: DBChart_AnyDataSet.pas

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Sorting Data

Control record order: 
// Sort ascending
Table1.IndexFieldNames := 'AmountPaid';

// Sort descending (if supported by dataset)
Query1.SQL.Text := 'SELECT * FROM Orders ORDER BY AmountPaid DESC';
Source: DBChart_Order.pas, DBChart_SummaryOrder.pas

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Performance Optimization

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Disable Auto-Refresh

// For bulk data changes
DBChart1.RefreshData := False;
try
  // Make multiple changes
  Table1.First;
  while not Table1.Eof do
  begin
    Table1.Edit;
    Table1.FieldByName('Amount').AsFloat := 
      Table1.FieldByName('Amount').AsFloat * 1.1;
    Table1.Post;
    Table1.Next;
  end;
finally
  DBChart1.RefreshData := True;
  DBChart1.CheckDataSource(Series1);
end;

​
Filter Large Datasets

// Use dataset filters
Table1.Filter := 'Amount > 1000';
Table1.Filtered := True;

// Or use SQL WHERE clause
Query1.SQL.Text := 'SELECT * FROM Orders WHERE Amount > 1000';
Source: DBChart_Speed.pas

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Common Use Cases

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Sales by Region

procedure TForm1.ShowSalesByRegion;
begin
  Series1.DataSource := SalesDataSource;
  Series1.XLabelsSource := 'Region';
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Sum#SalesAmount';
  Chart1.Title.Text.Text := 'Sales by Region';
end;

procedure TForm1.ShowMonthlyTrends;
begin
  Series1.DataSource := SalesDataSource;
  Series1.XLabelsSource := '#Month#SaleDate';
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := '#Sum#Amount';
  Chart1.BottomAxis.DateTimeFormat := 'mmm yyyy';
end;

​
Top 10 Customers

procedure TForm1.ShowTop10Customers;
begin
  Query1.SQL.Text := 
    'SELECT TOP 10 CustomerName, SUM(Amount) as Total ' +
    'FROM Orders ' +
    'GROUP BY CustomerName ' +
    'ORDER BY Total DESC';
  Query1.Open;
  
  Series1.DataSource := QueryDataSource;
  Series1.XLabelsSource := 'CustomerName';
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := 'Total';
end;

​
Product Comparison

procedure TForm1.CompareProducts;
begin
  // Use cross-tab to compare products across categories
  FillDataSet(
    ProductTable,
    Series1,
    'Category',    // X-axis
    'Product',     // Series groups
    'Sales',       // Values
    gfSum
  );
end;

​
Database Components

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Checking Table Availability

procedure CheckTable(ATable: TTable);
begin
  if not ATable.Exists then
  begin
    ShowMessage('Table ' + ATable.TableName + ' not found!');
    ATable.Active := False;
  end;
end;

​
Safe Table Activation

procedure TForm1.ActivateTable(ATable: TTable);
begin
  CheckTable(ATable);
  
  if not ATable.Active then
  try
    ATable.Active := True;
  except
    on E: Exception do
      ShowMessage('Error opening table: ' + E.Message);
  end;
end;

​
Aggregates Feature

Use TTable aggregates for advanced calculations: 
uses DB, DBTables;

procedure TForm1.SetupAggregates;
var
  Agg: TAggregate;
begin
  // Add aggregate to table
  Agg := Table1.Aggregates.Add;
  Agg.Expression := 'SUM(AmountPaid)';
  Agg.AggregateName := 'TotalSales';
  Agg.Active := True;
  
  // Use in series
  Series1.YValues.ValueSource := Agg.AggregateName;
end;
Source: DBChart_Agg.pas, DBChart_Aggregates.pas

Series Types

Different chart series types

Export

Export database charts

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