keegan

I have a line chart that gathers historical data based off machine loads. In my database, there is one entry for every minute for every machine. Currently, I can chart from the start of one machine (about 300 records back) to current with a line chart, and it squiggles up and down nicely. My question is, at what point, if any, will a line chart break due to too many data points? If, in a week, someone clicks on my website and generates a chart with thousands of minutes to plot in a 600x300 area line graph, what will happen? Obviously it won't fit them all there, which is fine, but do you use some modulus to determine how many points to graph? Or will it attempt to graph them all, and explode?

If vertical lines can't be shown, is it possible to have alternating colored gridlines, as in the Y axis? For example, I have a line graph that shows cpu loads across a date range, usually 2 weeks. If i could somehow juxtapose week 1 versus week 2, without having to use a multi series line graph, that would be cool. Actually, I think I just answered my own question -- I can change the color of a line halfway through the graph, I might do that.