Jarmon User Guide

Jarmon is a browser based graph rendering system.

Contents

1. Browser Compatibility
2. API documentation
3. Release process and tools

Browser Compatibility

Jarmon depends upon the Flot graphing library which makes use of the HTML5 canvas element. The canvas element is only supported in certain web browsers.

Internet Explorer Caveats

Internet Explorer (<= IE8)

This version of IE does not have native support the HTML canvas (see Internet Explorer workarounds below) element.

Internet Explorer 9

Due to be released in late 2010 this new version of IE will provide native canvas support and will be able to render Jarmon graphs as fast (if not faster) than other browsers.

Internet Explorer Workarounds

Excanvas

This is the default IE compatibility workaround. Jarmon bundles the excanvas library which translates canvas api calls into VML, but this is much slower than the native canvas support in other browsers. In the absense of other workarounds, Jarmon will transparently use the excanvas library.

Chrome Frame

Chrome Frame is an IE plugin developed by Google. Once installed, it replaces the standard IE rendering module with the more performant Chrome rendering module.

When first visiting a Jarmon page using <= IE8, you will be prompted with an advisory message, explaining the performance penalty of using the standard excanvas compatibility layer.

You will be asked whether you want to Install and use Chrome Frame. You will be presented with the following options:

Yes

After you choose this option the message will be hidden and you will be guided through the steps necessary to install Chrome Frame after which you can continue to use Jarmon normally.

Remind me later

After you choose this option, the message will be hidden and you can continue to use Jarmon.

Your preference will be saved in a cookie and the warning message will not re-appear for 1 month.

Never

After you choose this option, the message will be hidden and you can continue to use Jarmon.

Your preference will be saved in a cookie and the warning message will never re-appear (unless the preference cookie is deleted or expires).

API Documentation

Jarmon includes comprehensive API documentation

This API documentation is generated automatically by the release command, but you can also build it yourself by issuing the ./bin/build apidoc command from within a Jarmon source tree. The documentation will be saved in a build subfolder.

Release Process and Tools

Jarmon includes tools to automate source archive releases. First check out the source code, then issue the ./bin/build -V 10.8 release command from within the source tree.