need a kick-start for my thesis
Hi everyone,
I'm totally new at NodeBox. I need to design a data visualization for my thesis. I've a lot of data (around 300k rows with about 12 columns).
I started with D3.js but i found that the learning curve was too high for the time I have.
So what I need right now is to create a static good looking data visualization. But since I've a lot of data, I need to visualize it and then style it. I played a bit with raw.densitydesign.org and I know how to visualize it.
So.. do you think that NodeBox could be a good solution for my needs?
As reference, I would like to end up with something like this: https://www.behance.net/gallery/26338543/PANTHEON-Corriere-della-Sera-La-Lettura-181
Please help me out! :)
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Support Staff 1 Posted by john on 15 Jan, 2017 02:28 AM
Hello Anpedri88
I think NodeBox is a great tool for visualization and might very well be a good solution for you.
I have coded complex visualizations using languages like Processing.js and Python. I admire D3 but also found the learning curve a bit steep. D3 is great for HTML/CSS experts, but I wanted to spend my time designing, not hunting for bugs caused by misplaced semicolons.
Once you get used to it, NodeBox is a much faster and more intuitive way to make high-resolution vector images. It's especially good at reading in CSV files and using the data to draw different sized dots, sankey diagrams, etc. I could probably make a chart like the end result you referenced in a few hours.
Two cautionary notes:
First, NodeBox definitely has a learning curve of its own. If you are used to procedural languages, it can be a bit mind-bending to do everything by hooking together a cascade of lists. And the documentation is pretty minimal. You can look through this forum for examples of other visualizations. And I would be happy to help if you get stuck.
Second, NodeBox is quite snappy with lists of 10,000 rows, but starts to bog down as you go above 100,000 rows or so. It depends on what you're doing. 300,000 rows could be a problem if you have to read them in all at once and do lots of complex manipulations entirely within NodeBox. But there are probably ways around this.
Please let me know if you have any other questions or more specific examples.
Good luck!
John
Support Staff 2 Posted by Frederik De Ble... on 23 Jan, 2017 10:22 AM
The main effect is created using the "link" node: https://www.nodebox.net/node/reference/corevector/link.html
3 Posted by anpedri88 on 23 Jan, 2017 10:45 AM
Thank you for your answers,
Actually due to a time-rush I've decided to go with RAW + illustrator. But I'll for sure explore nodebox potentialities in the next months, hoping that there will be some more accurate documentation and maybe few video tutorials.
Bests,
Andrea
Support Staff 4 Posted by Frederik De Ble... on 23 Jan, 2017 10:57 AM
no problem, good luck!