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Design map using color palette rule

The following steps guides you to design a map using color palette rule and optimal distribution to display the US presidential election results.

Create data set

  1. In the data panel, click New Data. New data
  2. Choose the JSON connection type. JSON connection
  3. Choose File as Type. Choose source type
  4. Click on the upload button, browse and upload the JSON file in File Path field. Provide connection details
  5. Click on the Connect button.
  6. In the query builder, the available fields in JSON file will be loaded under default table name, Result. Enter query
  7. Drag and drop the Result table and execute. Execute table
  8. Modify the data set Name and click Finish. Data list

Download the sample JSON file from here.

Add map to the report design

The Map report item is listed under Data Regions category in the item panel.

Map listed in item panel

To add a Map report item to the report, drag the map from the item panel into design area.

Drag map into design surface

Now, the map item will be rendered in the design area and the map properties will be listed in properties panel.

Basic map rendering

By default map report item renders with world map shapes.

Bind analytical and shape data

In the Properties panel, under the Basic Settings category, set USA in Shapes property and choose the data set in the DataSet property.

Basic map rendering

Then click on the edit icon for the Binding Data property under Basic Settings. Edit icon

Refer Binding Data section and match analytical and shape data. Choose name in the Field Name drop-down and choose the =Fields!State.Value expression in Binding Expression.

Edit icon

Click on the Update.

Edit icon

Customize map appearance

Let’s customize the map name, title, legend, color settings, and other properties.

Name

In the Name property, you can provide a unique name for specific map report items.

Set name

Appearance

Under the Appearance category, set the border width and color properties as required.

Edit icon

Title

Under the Title category, set the title text, position, and font properties for the map title. First, enable the Enable Title check box. Then, add the title and position. Title text

Legend

Under the Legend category, enable the Enable Legend check box. Set the background color as White, position BottomCenter, remove title text and set the legend mode as Default. Legend

Shape settings

Under the Shape Settings, set the border color as #676767 and width as 0.667px, label text as =Fields!State.Value and tooltip as ="Electors : " & Fields!Electors.Value expression. Shape settings

Shape color rule

Under Shape color rule category, enable the Enable Color Rule check box.

  • Choose the Candidate name in Data Value.
  • Choose Color Palette as the Type.
  • Choose Optimal for Distribution type. This type adjusts the size of data intervals so as to limit the grouping blunder and in this manner the map looks increasingly adjusted and the outcomes appear to be progressively right, with only a couple of shapes in the highest class as one would anticipate.

The shape color rule configuration should be as below,

shape-color-rule

Now, the colors are applied to the map shapes but with sample data.

Initial design

To see the actual data on map surface, preview the report. Before that, resize the width and height of the map, so as to view the information clearly in preview.

Final design

Preview report

You can preview the report at design time using the built-in Bold Reports® Viewer to ensure the report design is as expected. In the following snapshot, we can observe that the color distribution is applied based on the candidate who won in respective states.

Report preview

Download the above report design from link.