{"id":81165,"date":"2020-06-23T14:42:42","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T21:42:42","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-06-24T11:20:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T18:20:35","slug":"whats-new-sanddance-3-microsoft-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opensource.microsoft.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/23\/whats-new-sanddance-3-microsoft-research\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s new in SandDance 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SandDance, the open source data visualization tool from Microsoft Research, is launching several new features in version 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SandDance\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Facets on all chart types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve added much more control to faceted data. All chart types now have the Facet By column feature. When a Facet By column contains quantitative data, you can specify the number of bins. Facets can be arranged in a wrapped layout or in an x-y layout using two columns with the new cross-facet feature:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"facets<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Sum aggregation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Density, Column, and Bar charts now have a Total By column that lets you choose between either a count or a sum operation. A count will size every data element the same. A sum will vary each element\u2019s size via the Size By column. Sums can be laid out as Treemaps or in our new Strip layout as either a count or a percentage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sum<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Scatterplot updates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is now an optional Size By column mapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Scatterplot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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In a 3D layout, data elements can either \u201cfloat\u201d in z space or be \u201cgrounded\u201d and use Z for their height:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"a<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D Lighting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The lighting source is now emanating from the camera, so there is no \u201cdark side\u201d effect as in the previous version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History stack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can now undo\/redo changes you\u2019ve made along your data exploration journey. Use control-z to undo and control-shift-z to redo. Or, you may jump to any point in the list on the History tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snapshots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A snapshot can have a note associated with it. You can annotate each step of your data story and page through with the snapshot arrow buttons in the top bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the web app, Snapshots can be imported and exported as a .json file, or converted to an HTML or markdown page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community additions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As an open source project, we are proud to have contributions from members of our community. We\u2019d like to thank these two developers with these great new integrations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n