Implementing OLAP Gauges

Guide for implementing the Syncfusion® WPF OLAP Gauge control for displaying Key Performance Indicators (KPI) from OLAP data sources. The OLAP Gauge is ideal for highlighting business-critical KPI information in executive dashboards and report cards, presenting values against goals in an intuitive manner.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Display KPI data from OLAP cubes in gauge format
• Connect to OLAP data sources (XML/A, SQL Server Analysis Services, Mondrian, ActivePivot)
• Visualize business metrics with goals, status, and trend indicators
• Create executive dashboards with KPI visualizations
• Bind OLAP gauge to offline cubes or local/online servers
• Customize gauge appearance with frames, themes, and layouts
• Configure multiple gauges in structured layouts
• Implement OLAP reports with dimensions and KPI elements
• Localize OLAP gauge for international applications
• Add tooltips to display value and goal information

Component Overview

The OlapGauge control for WPF provides sophisticated KPI visualization capabilities:

Key Capabilities

• OLAP Data Binding: Built-in support for XML/A data sources, offline cubes, SQL Server Analysis Services, Mondrian, and ActivePivot servers
• KPI Visualization: Displays KPI values (pointers), goals (markers), status, and trend indicators
• Visual Indicators: Traffic lights, road signs, and standard arrow images for status and trend
• Multiple Gauge Layouts: Customizable row and column layouts for displaying multiple gauges
• Frame Types: Various built-in frame types (circular, half-circle, full-circle) for rich appearance
• Theming: Supports Office 2010/2013, Metro, Blend, and VisualStudio themes
• Tooltips: Interactive tooltips for pointers and markers
• Customization: Control visibility of headers, labels, factors, and adjust gauge radius
• Localization: Multi-language support with RTL (Right-to-Left) capability
• XAML Configuration: Complete design-time control configuration without code-behind

Architecture

OlapGauge Control
├── OlapDataManager (manages OLAP connections)
├── OlapReport (defines cube, dimensions, KPI elements)
├── Gauge Visualization (renders KPI data)
│   ├── Pointers (KPI values)
│   ├── Markers (KPI goals)
│   ├── Status Indicators (visual feedback)
│   └── Trend Indicators (directional arrows)
└── Layout (rows/columns for multiple gauges)

Documentation and Navigation Guide

Getting Started

📄 Read: references/getting-started.md

Read this reference when setting up the OLAP Gauge control for the first time:

• Installing and adding control through Visual Studio
• Installing and adding control through Expression Blend
• Adding control programmatically through code-behind
• Required assembly references (Syncfusion.OlapGauge.WPF, Syncfusion.Olap.Base, etc.)
• Setting up OlapDataManager with connection strings
• Creating basic OlapReport with KpiElements and DimensionElements
• Defining cube names and configuring dimensions
• Required namespaces (Syncfusion.Olap.Reports, Syncfusion.Olap.Manager, Syncfusion.Windows.Gauge.Olap)
• Initial rendering and sample output

Data Binding

📄 Read: references/data-binding.md

Read this reference when connecting OLAP Gauge to data sources:

• Binding to offline cube files (.cub) with physical path
• Binding to cube in local SQL Server Analysis Services
• Binding to cube in online SQL Server via XML/A
• Binding to Mondrian server OLAP cubes
• Binding to ActivePivot server OLAP cubes
• Connection string formats for different providers
• Authentication and credential configuration
• Setting DataProvider.ProviderName for different servers
• Troubleshooting connection issues

KPI Visualization

📄 Read: references/kpi-visualization.md

Read this reference when working with KPI display features:

• Understanding KPI elements and structure
• KPI value representation using pointers
• KPI goal representation using markers
• KPI status indicators (traffic lights, road signs)
• KPI trend indicators (directional arrows)
• Configuring KpiElement properties (ShowKPIGoal, ShowKPIStatus, ShowKPIValue, ShowKPITrend)
• Display options for each KPI component
• Member-KPI combination display patterns
• Visual feedback for performance metrics

Customization

📄 Read: references/customization.md

Read this reference when customizing gauge layout and behavior:

• Layout customization with ColumnsCount and RowsCount properties
• Controlling multiple gauge arrangements
• Gauge header visibility (ShowGaugeHeaders)
• Gauge label visibility (ShowGaugeLabels)
• Gauge factor visibility (ShowGaugeFactors)
• Complete XAML configuration without code-behind
• DataSource.ConnectionString and DataSource.ConnectionName properties
• ReportName and CurrentCubeName configuration in XAML
• CategoricalAxis, SeriesAxis, and SlicerAxis definition
• Dimension and KPI elements in XAML markup
• Calculated members configuration

Appearance

📄 Read: references/appearance.md

Read this reference when styling the gauge appearance:

• Adjusting gauge radius for size control
• Built-in frame types (CircularCenterGradient, CircularWithDarkOuterFrames, FullCircle, HalfCircle)
• Applying themes with SkinStorage.VisualStyle
• Available themes: Metro, Blend, Office2010Black, Office2010Blue, Office2010Silver
• Office 2013 themes: LightGray, DarkGray, White
• VisualStudio2013 theme
• Setting themes in XAML vs code-behind
• SfSkinManager.SetVisualStyle usage

Tooltips and Localization

📄 Read: references/tooltips-localization.md

Read this reference when implementing tooltips or multi-language support:

• Enabling pointer tooltips (ShowPointersTooltip)
• Enabling marker tooltips (ShowMarkersTooltip)
• Tooltip content and formatting
• Localization overview and translation process
• Creating resource files (.resx) with proper naming conventions
• File naming format: Syncfusion.OlapGauge.wpf.<Culture Code>.resx
• Setting CurrentUICulture for culture specification
• RTL (Right-to-Left) support with FlowDirection property
• Combining localization with RTL for Arabic, Hebrew, etc.

Quick Start Example

Basic OLAP Gauge with KPI

<Window x:Class="OlapGaugeApp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:syncfusion="http://schemas.syncfusion.com/wpf">
    <Grid>
        <syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="OlapGauge1"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>

using Syncfusion.Olap.Manager;
using Syncfusion.Olap.Reports;
using System.Windows;

namespace OlapGaugeApp
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            
            // Create data manager with connection string
            var olapDataManager = new OlapDataManager(
                "Data Source=http://bi.syncfusion.com/olap/msmdpump.dll; " +
                "Initial Catalog=Adventure Works DW 2008 SE;");
            
            // Set OLAP report
            olapDataManager.SetCurrentReport(CreateOlapReport());
            
            // Bind to gauge
            this.OlapGauge1.OlapDataManager = olapDataManager;
        }

        private OlapReport CreateOlapReport()
        {
            OlapReport report = new OlapReport();
            report.CurrentCubeName = "Adventure Works";

            // Configure KPI element
            KpiElements kpiElement = new KpiElements();
            kpiElement.Elements.Add(new KpiElement 
            { 
                Name = "Revenue", 
                ShowKPIGoal = true, 
                ShowKPIStatus = true, 
                ShowKPIValue = true, 
                ShowKPITrend = true 
            });

            // Configure dimensions
            DimensionElement dimensionElement = new DimensionElement();
            dimensionElement.Name = "Date";
            dimensionElement.AddLevel("Fiscal Year", "Fiscal Year");

            // Add elements to report
            report.CategoricalElements.Add(new Item { ElementValue = kpiElement });
            report.CategoricalElements.Add(new Item { ElementValue = dimensionElement });
            
            return report;
        }
    }
}

Common Use Cases

Executive Dashboard with Multiple KPIs

Display multiple KPI gauges in a structured layout:

// Configure 2x2 layout for 4 KPIs
this.OlapGauge1.RowsCount = 2;
this.OlapGauge1.ColumnsCount = 2;

Offline Cube Binding

Connect to a local cube file:

string connectionString = @"DataSource = C:\Cubes\Adventure_Works_Ext.cub; Provider = MSOLAP;";
OlapDataManager dataManager = new OlapDataManager(connectionString);

Complete XAML Configuration

Define entire OLAP Gauge in XAML without code-behind:

<syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="olapGauge" 
                      CurrentCubeName="Adventure Works" 
                      ReportName="SalesReport"
                      olapshared:DataSource.ConnectionString="datasource=localhost; initial catalog=adventure works dw">
    <syncfusion:OlapGauge.CategoricalAxis>
        <syncfusion:Dimension Name="Date" HierarchyName="Fiscal" LevelName="Fiscal Year"/>
        <syncfusion:Kpi Name="Revenue" ShowGoal="True" ShowStatus="True" ShowValue="True"/>
    </syncfusion:OlapGauge.CategoricalAxis>
</syncfusion:OlapGauge>

Themed Gauge with Tooltips

Apply theme and enable interactive tooltips:

<syncfusion:OlapGauge x:Name="OlapGauge1" 
                      ShowPointersTooltip="True" 
                      ShowMarkersTooltip="True"
                      sfshared:SkinStorage.VisualStyle="Metro"/>

Key Properties

Core Properties

Visibility Properties

Appearance Properties

XAML Configuration Properties

Related Components

Within Data Visualization Category

• [Circular Gauges](../implementing-circular-gauges/) - For non-OLAP radial gauge visualizations with pointers and ranges
• [Charts](../implementing-charts/) - For detailed OLAP data visualization with multiple chart types

Other Syncfusion WPF Components

For other WPF components, refer to the main library:

• [Main WPF Library](../../../) - Complete Syncfusion WPF component documentation

Assembly References

Required assemblies for OLAP Gauge:

• Syncfusion.OlapGauge.WPF
• Syncfusion.Gauge.WPF
• Syncfusion.Olap.Base
• Syncfusion.OlapShared.WPF
• Syncfusion.Core
• Syncfusion.Shared.WPF

Location: {Drive}:\Program Files (x86)\Syncfusion\Essential Studio\{version}\precompiledassemblies\{version}\{framework}\

Licensing

Starting with v16.2.0.x, Syncfusion license key registration is required. Include the license key in your application. Refer to Syncfusion licensing documentation for details.