Canvas types and layouts

Each Canvas type maintains a specific layout that depends on the objects that the Canvas contains. The layout of a Canvas is determined by the data objects placed on it and the size and location of the Canvas in the visual dashboard.

There are three types of Canvases:
Built-in
Built-in Canvas is stored inside the visual dashboard and is created while designing the dashboard with Canvas.

Built-in Canvas contains the objects and layouts that are the part of a visual dashboard. Typically, a Built-in Canvas represents what the designer believes to be the most user-appropriate set of data objects, as well as the layout of those objects.

The designer of the visual dashboard can also set the default type to a Built-in Canvas at design time. This default type is loaded for the users. If the designer of the visual dashboard does not set the default type, the users see the last canvas state that was used by the designer.

Users can adopt a Built-in Canvas and use it as a building block for their visual dashboards, tailoring it to suit the needs of their visual dashboard and then saving it under a new name. The tailored Canvas would be accessible, alongside those that come as part of the visual dashboard.

Shared
Shared Canvas is stored in the unified shared space in repository.

Shared Canvas is stored in a shared repository when the visual dashboard on which the canvas resides is open in Runtime mode. All repository users can access and use a Shared Canvas.

Personal
Personal Canvas is stored in the user home workspace.

Personal Canvas is accessed by users while the visual dashboard is in Runtime mode and stored in an existing personal workspace. If a personal workspace does not exist, users cannot save the canvas as a Personal Canvas. Each user can also set default type for current canvas that will be loaded for this user in the future.

Each object on the Canvas includes the following attributes:
  • Key
  • Container location and size
  • Object layout (each object has to be able to save it's current layout).