Patent ID: 8294715

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for generating graphical displays, comprising: receiving, using one or more data processors, a plurality of XML data structures including a style XML data structure, a variables XML data structure, and an associative XML data structure, wherein each style XML data structure has one or more format attributes designating display characteristics, wherein each variables XML data structure has one or more variables, and wherein each associative XML data structure associates one or more format attributes with one or more variables; receiving, using the one or more data processors, a plurality of chart types, wherein chart types include a bar chart type, a pie chart type, a line chart type, an x-y graph chart type, or a map chart type; receiving, using the one or more data processors, a selection of a chart type; determining, using the one or more data processors, a subset of format attributes using the selected chart type and a style XML data structure; associating, using the one or more data processors, the subset of format attributes with a variable using an associative XML data structure and a variables XML data structure; generating, using the one or more data processors, a graph according to the chart type, wherein the graph has one or more corresponding features; displaying, using the one or more data processors, the variable on the graph, wherein the variable is displayed by applying the subset of format attributes associated with the variable to the one or more corresponding features; receiving, using the one or more data processors, a selection of a new chart type; determining, using the one or more data processors, a new subset of format attributes using the new chart type and a style XML data structure; associating, using the one or more data processors, the new subset of format attributes with the variable using the same associative XML data structure and the same variables XML data structure; generating, using the one or more data processors, a new graph according to the new chart type, wherein the new graph has one or more new corresponding features; and displaying, using the one or more data processors, the variable on the new graph, wherein the variable is displayed by applying the new subset of format attributes associated with the variable to the one or more new corresponding features.