javascript - d3 + vx react chart curve flat at each data point

Question

I am trying to build something along the lines of https://dribbble.com/shots/2673159-Funnel-UI-concept/attachments/538068

I've looked through all the curves provided by d3/vx and none of them seem to have the curve happen between each distinct step with the line flat at the data point. Is there a curve type i'm missing that would look similar to the above? If not and it needs a custom curve, is there somewhere with a more in-depth description of how to implement custom curves than the d3 docs?

Answer 1

There is no standard curve that does this; however, it may be possible if duplicating adding additional points to coerce a standard d3 curve to be flat where needed. For example, adding points before and after the stage change with the same y value.

However, a custom curve could work and avoid the need for data manipulation. A bezier curve should do the trick. With origin, destination, and control points something like:

Image from this codepen

To implement this idea we can replace the point function in a standard curve, such as d3.curveLinear with one that draws a bezier curve.

The point function of d3.curveLinear for comparison:

  function(x, y) {
    x = +x, y = +y;
    switch (this._point) {
      case 0: this._point = 1; this._line ? this._context.lineTo(x, y) : this._context.moveTo(x, y); break;
      case 1: this._point = 2; // proceed
      default: this._context.lineTo(x, y); break;
    }

And the new point function:

  function(x,y) {
    x = +x, y = +y;
    switch (this._point) {
      case 0: this._point = 1; 
        this._line ? this._context.lineTo(x, y) : this._context.moveTo(x, y);
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
      case 1: this._point = 2;
      default:  
        var x1 = this.x0 * 0.5 + x * 0.5;
        this._context.bezierCurveTo(x1,this.y0,x1,y,x,y); // bezierCurveTo(controlPoint1X,controlPoint1Y,controlPoint2X,controlPoint2Y,endPointX,endPointY)
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
    }
  }
  return custom;
}

I'm using the same x value for each control point, this might not be ideal as they may not be flat enough at the ends, but it is easily changed

We can create a custom curve by using d3.curveLinear and substituting in this new point function:

var curve = function(context) {
  var custom = d3.curveLinear(context);
  custom._context = context;
  custom.point = function(x,y) {
    x = +x, y = +y;
    switch (this._point) {
      case 0: this._point = 1; 
        this._line ? this._context.lineTo(x, y) : this._context.moveTo(x, y);
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
      case 1: this._point = 2;
      default: 
        var x1 = this.x0 * 0.5 + x * 0.5;
        this._context.bezierCurveTo(x1,this.y0,x1,y,x,y); 
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
    }
  }
  return custom;
}

This works easily enough:

var curve = function(context) {
  var custom = d3.curveLinear(context);
  custom._context = context;
  custom.point = function(x,y) {
    x = +x, y = +y;
    switch (this._point) {
      case 0: this._point = 1; 
        this._line ? this._context.lineTo(x, y) : this._context.moveTo(x, y);
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
      case 1: this._point = 2;
      default: 
        var x1 = this.x0 * 0.5 + x * 0.5;
        this._context.bezierCurveTo(x1,this.y0,x1,y,x,y);
        this.x0 = x; this.y0 = y;        
        break;
    }
  }
  return custom;
}

var data = [
 [10,10],
 [160,50],
 [310,100]
];

var line = d3.line()
  .curve(curve);
  
d3.select("svg")
  .append("path")
  .attr("d",line(data));
  
d3.select("svg")
  .selectAll("circle")
  .data(data)
  .enter()
  .append("circle")
  .attr("transform", function(d) {
    return "translate("+d+")";
  })
  .attr("r",3)

path {
  fill: none;
  stroke: black;
  stroke-width:1px;
}

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/d3/5.7.0/d3.min.js"></script>
<svg width="500" height="500"></svg>