Graph Template Updates

[mrnoodle]

I have been working on creating a lot of new graph templates recently and here are a few things that would have made my life way easier if they existed:

1. The columns on the main screen should include the CDEF Function applied to the entry as well as the GPrint type used.

2. If possible, the columns should be pull-down menus to allow for direct modification without having to go to a separate screen.

3. Allow items to be placed a specific locations in the stack or allow the items location in the list to be modified by changing the number in the left most column. Adding a comment to the top of the list after adding multiple data sources and legends can be time consuming.

4. Have a "Blank Line" entry in the "Graph Item Type" pull down menu similar to the "Legend" option. Adding a Comment with a single space is not intuitive. BTW, the method of adding a comment with a single space to act as a blank line is not preserved when the template is exported and imported to other systems.

5. Add an option in the Pull down list to add a data source (line, area, etc) along with the Legend in one step. This will eliminate possible data discrepancies when a custom CDEF is applied correctly to the graph data and not the legend data.

6. The filtering option should be available to limit the selection options to specific data templates/data sources or specific text strings when adding a specific data source to the graph. A system with lots of data templates/data sources can make scrolling thought the list time consuming.

7. Add a variable to add the last poller runtime to the graph, similar to the last_update option. This will allow the graphs to show both when they were last updated as well as when they were generated.

8. In the gprint type and CDEF Function pull down menus, add an option to create a new entry for either one. This would jump to the appropriate screen, allow the new item to be created, then jump back to the graph item screen with the new item selected.

9. Show the actual order in which the graph items will be placed on the graph when the RRD is created. Currently, the order in which data sources are placed in the Graph Template does not match the order they are added to the RRD. This makes it difficult to apply custom CDEF functions that manipulate the items on the graph without having to switch between the actual graph view and the template itself. The first graph template item should be Data Source A in the RRD and the second item should be data source B, etc. Currently, there is no, obvious (I may have missed the order) way to determine which data source will be added to the RRD in what order.

10. When adding a standalone GPRINT of a data source on the graph, it needs to respect the CF Type selection option. Currently, it always places the MAX entry on the graph even though the average is selected in the Graph Template. This may actually be a Bug in the system.

[gandalf]

I have been working on creating a lot of new graph templates recently and here are a few things that would have made my life way easier if they existed:

1. The columns on the main screen should include the CDEF Function applied to the entry as well as the GPrint type used.

Very reasonable, IMHO. Please create a feature request entry as given by http://www.cacti.net/bugs.php

2. If possible, the columns should be pull-down menus to allow for direct modification without having to go to a separate screen.

Same applies here, but would require a quite huge change

3. Allow items to be placed a specific locations in the stack or allow the items location in the list to be modified by changing the number in the left most column. Adding a comment to the top of the list after adding multiple data sources and legends can be time consuming.

javascript will be a solution. Some changes are targeted for 088. This one is not (yet) explicitely addressed

4. Have a "Blank Line" entry in the "Graph Item Type" pull down menu similar to the "Legend" option. Adding a Comment with a single space is not intuitive. BTW, the method of adding a comment with a single space to act as a blank line is not preserved when the template is exported and imported to other systems.

Good catch. Again, see 1.

5. Add an option in the Pull down list to add a data source (line, area, etc) along with the Legend in one step. This will eliminate possible data discrepancies when a custom CDEF is applied correctly to the graph data and not the legend data.

Please explain in more detail. I miss the clue.

6. The filtering option should be available to limit the selection options to specific data templates/data sources or specific text strings when adding a specific data source to the graph. A system with lots of data templates/data sources can make scrolling thought the list time consuming.

Issues like this are found on quite huge installations. And that's why we're going to face this in a more general way, because it affects page loading times to a great extend.

7. Add a variable to add the last poller runtime to the graph, similar to the last_update option. This will allow the graphs to show both when they were last updated as well as when they were generated.

This sounds like a new cacti specific variable. I do not really see the immediate need; but it's not a big issue. Again, see 1.

8. In the gprint type and CDEF Function pull down menus, add an option to create a new entry for either one. This would jump to the appropriate screen, allow the new item to be created, then jump back to the graph item screen with the new item selected.

While I understand the CDEF one, I do not understand how you want to add a new GPRINT entry.

9. Show the actual order in which the graph items will be placed on the graph when the RRD is created. Currently, the order in which data sources are placed in the Graph Template does not match the order they are added to the RRD. This makes it difficult to apply custom CDEF functions that manipulate the items on the graph without having to switch between the actual graph view and the template itself. The first graph template item should be Data Source A in the RRD and the second item should be data source B, etc. Currently, there is no, obvious (I may have missed the order) way to determine which data source will be added to the RRD in what order.

Either I do not understand or I disagree. The order is always detemined by the order in which you add new graph items. But be assured, 088 will support the COMPUTE data source. This will give you all flexibility to form CDEF math based on each rrd file.

10. When adding a standalone GPRINT of a data source on the graph, it needs to respect the CF Type selection option. Currently, it always places the MAX entry on the graph even though the average is selected in the Graph Template. This may actually be a Bug in the system.

This is a known issue and on my plate for 088. No need to create a new bug entry.

Thank you for all those interesting ideas. Please help us keeping track of those request by adding them as feature request as given above. Doing so is the best way to make sure that these request will be incorporated soon.

Please do us all a great favour:
Open a new feature request at http://www.cacti.net/bugs.php for EACH entry of your list!

Reinhard

[mrnoodle]

I will be sure to open feature requests for all that is listed. Here is some additional information about some of the other requests, to help clarify:

5. Add an option in the Pull down list to add a data source (line, area, etc) along with the Legend in one step. This will eliminate possible data discrepancies when a custom CDEF is applied correctly to the graph data and not the legend data.
Please explain in more detail. I miss the clue.

When creating a custom graph or graph template, the normal process is to add the graph item data source onto the graph (line1, area, etc) with all of the correct parameters, including the correct CDEF function. After adding the graph item, the process is repeated with the Legend option. This process could be made into one step with the inclusion of an "Area and Legend" option (Line1 and Legend, Line2 and Legend, etc). This will eliminate issues that arise when you apply a custom CDEF to the graph but forget to apply it to the Legend and vice versa plus it will cut the number of steps required to build a standard graph in half. This would obviously have to be in addition to the existing options to ensure none of the current functionality was removed.

Quote:
7. Add a variable to add the last poller runtime to the graph, similar to the last_update option. This will allow the graphs to show both when they were last updated as well as when they were generated.
This sounds like a new cacti specific variable. I do not really see the immediate need; but it's not a big issue. Again, see 1.

After looking a bit deeper, it appears that the "last_updated" variable is what I am looking for. I thought it referred to the time the graph was last generated not when it was last updated with data.

Quote:
8. In the gprint type and CDEF Function pull down menus, add an option to create a new entry for either one. This would jump to the appropriate screen, allow the new item to be created, then jump back to the graph item screen with the new item selected.
While I understand the CDEF one, I do not understand how you want to add a new GPRINT entry.

I figured the logic used to add it to CDEFs could be applied to GPRINTs as well. I guess it would be used less than the CDEF. I just had to create a number of custom GPRINTs and grew tired of jumping from the graph templates to the GRaph Management sub menu and back again.

Quote:
9. Show the actual order in which the graph items will be placed on the graph when the RRD is created. Currently, the order in which data sources are placed in the Graph Template does not match the order they are added to the RRD. This makes it difficult to apply custom CDEF functions that manipulate the items on the graph without having to switch between the actual graph view and the template itself. The first graph template item should be Data Source A in the RRD and the second item should be data source B, etc. Currently, there is no, obvious (I may have missed the order) way to determine which data source will be added to the RRD in what order.
Either I do not understand or I disagree. The order is always detemined by the order in which you add new graph items. But be assured, 088 will support the COMPUTE data source. This will give you all flexibility to form CDEF math based on each rrd file.

In my installation, the order I have added the graph items does not match how they are added into the graph. The attached picture show both the order of the Graph Input Items and the RRDTool graph debug and they don't match each other. Also, neither of the orders match the order in which the Graph Template Items were added in the original template. I can provide more information on this if necessary. This may be a bug rather than a feature request.

I have included a second image of the Graph Template Items to show the order the data sources have been added so you can see that it doesn't match that order either.

[mrnoodle]

The issue with the data source order was supposedly fixed in 0.8.7a based upon Bug ID 0001038 , but it appears that it may not have been actually fixed.

http://bugs.cacti.net/view.php?id=1038

Can this bug ID be reopened or do I have to enter a new report?

[gandalf]

The issue with the data source order was supposedly fixed in 0.8.7a based upon Bug ID 0001038 , but it appears that it may not have been actually fixed.

http://bugs.cacti.net/view.php?id=1038

Can this bug ID be reopened or do I have to enter a new report?

Please re-open and add additional info, if any.
Please post to this thread as soon as the feature requests are entered so I will add them to my list.
Reinhard

[mrnoodle]

I have opened a new case since I could not figure out how to re-open a previously closed case.

The Datasource order issue is case 1304 and I referenced the previous bug report in the new ticket.

All other feature requests have been added as well.

Thanks for all your help and all the great work on Cacti.