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Data Object Container properties panel

Set object background and borders, create object titles using AI, manage the position and size of Astrato objects.

K
Written by Konrad Mattheis
Updated over 3 weeks ago

Introduction

The data object frame properties panel enables defining of general settings that are shared between all types of visualizations, such as:

Titles, Size, Position, Border, etc.

Container properties panel sections

  • Settings -

    In this section, there are two settings:

    • Name- The visualization name appears both in the layers and actions. A meaningful name will help apply actions to the visualization in the future.

    • Show object - when enabled, the visualization appears in preview mode; when disabled, the visualization is hidden in preview mode.
      This setting is useful when building a guidance analytics app.

    • Maximizable- Allow users to maximize the object.
      ​​

  • Titles

    this section is used for setting the visualization titles can be set up.
    This can be done manually or by clicking on the AI title generator.
    The AI title generator will offer titles based on the visualization data.
    Any click on the button will offer a different option.
    ​

  • Frame

    This section is used to set the visualization background and border visual display.
    ​

  • Padding

    This section sets the padding between the visualization object and the object titles.
    If titles are disabled, it will have the same effect as the margin.
    The units used in this setting are pixels.
    In the image below, the green area results from the padding settings.

    Notice that the titles remain near the object border.
    ​

  • Margin

    This section sets the margin between the visualization and titles to the object frame border.
    The units used in this setting are pixels.
    In the image below, the green area results from the margin settings.

    Notice that the titles now have a margin from the object border.


    ​

  • Position

    This section sets the position of the visualization using Horizontal (X) and Vertical (Y) input.

    The X and Y inputs are used to place the top left corner of the visualization.

    The anchor (0,0) point is the left top corner of the sheet.

    The units used in this setting are the percentage of the screen.

    Depending on the position, visualizations can drift from the right and bottom sides.
    For example, if a visualization position is set to (100,100), the visualization won't be shown on the screen.
    In the image below, the visualization's top left corner is placed on the top of the sheet and in the middle of the horizontal length of the sheet.

  • Size

    This section sets the size of the visualization using length and width input.

    The units used in this setting are the percentage of the sheet.

    Please note that setting the same number for the length and width most likely won't result in a square.
    ​

  • Description

    This section allows users to add a description to the visualization.
    An information icon will appear in the visualization's top right corner if a description is added.
    Hovering over the icon will display the description.

  • Export to Excel\CSV

    This section allows users to enable export Icon for Excel and CSV

    An icon for each file type will appear in the visualization's top right corner if enabled.
    A click on the icon will export the visualization's data to a file.

Actions

Frame properties can be updated using actions, see get & set properties in the objects section.

Variable Scopes

Scopes let the same variable name hold a different value in different parts of the workbook.

Every object sits inside a container. A container can have a scope. When a scope is set, variables inside that container don’t use the global value — they use the scoped one instead.

Think of each scope as its own little world. Same variable name, but it can mean something different depending on where it lives.

Why this matters

You can now reuse the same chart layout, same logic, and same variable names across different sections of a workbook — but have each section show different numbers, filters, or labels.

Useful for:

  • Comparing two metrics side-by-side using the same chart layout

  • Running “what if” tests without affecting other parts of the page

  • Adding local annotations or highlights controlled by variables

How it works

  1. Select a container (any panel, sheet section, or group).

  2. Open Container Settings.

  3. Scroll to Scope.

  4. Turn it On and give it a scope name.

All containers that share the same scope name share the same variable values.
Containers with no scope use the global variable values.

Quick Example

You have a chart template powered by a variable called selected_metric.

You duplicate the chart three times.
You set each chart's container to a different scope:

  • Scope A → selected_metric = Revenue

  • Scope B → selected_metric = Cost

  • Scope C → selected_metric = Profit

Same template. Same variable name. 3 different results. No messy variable renaming. No extra logic.

Scope Defaults

When a container has a scope, you can also give variables in that scope their own default values.

This means:

  • The global default stays how it is.

  • But inside this scope, the variable starts with a different value.

Example:
Global default for Today's Date = Today
Scope default for Today's Date = Last Month

So charts in this scope load with Last Month, while the rest of the workbook still uses Today.

How to set it

  1. Open the container settings.

  2. Turn on Enable scope variable.

  3. Choose which variable(s) get a default in this scope.

  4. Set the value.

Related Articles
🥳 Astrato Release Notes - What's New
Data Objects - Getting Started
Properties Panel
Bar Chart
Objects (Workbook)
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