Chart typeSix marker shapes

Line chart

Trends and change over time.

Lines show how values move over time and how series compare in their trends. DataInk draws each series as a native path, straight or smooth, with markers on the data points if you want them.

Get it on Adobe ExchangeAll chart types
Line chart, DataInk for Adobe InDesign
Drawn as native InDesign objects: paths, rectangles and live text in your styles.

Plugin options

Options for this chart

  1. 1

    Markers

    None, circle, square, diamond, triangle or cross, with their size in points.

  2. 2

    Line width

    Stroke weight of the lines, from hairline to bold.

  3. 3

    Smooth curves

    Straight segments between points, or a smooth curve through them.

  4. 4

    Value labels

    The figure above or below each point.

  5. 5

    Axis and gridlines

    Gridline steps, tick marks, axis line, weights and a fixed scale range.

Also available for every chart

Colours and styles
DataInk object styles, one colour in tints or a swatch group of your document; your own paragraph styles for axis labels, values and legend.
Legend
Below or beside the chart, or as an InDesign table you style like any other.
Numbers
Number format of 14 locales, decimals, prefix and suffix (€, %, kg), compact numbers (12K).
Size
Width and height in your document's unit, or fit a frame you drew beforehand.
Data
Panel grid, large data editor, paste, Excel and CSV import, or a linked InDesign table.
Presets
Save the look, reuse it, and share it with your team as a file.

Editorial guide

When to use it

Typical use

Trends over time: visitors per month, prices over years, several series that move together or apart.

Better avoided

Categories without an order (countries, products): the line suggests a continuity that does not exist.

Layout tips

  • Keep to four or five lines; beyond, highlight one and grey the others.
  • Label the lines directly in the caption or at their end when the legend is far away.
  • Smooth curves look elegant but can suggest values between points that were never measured.

Data structure

Sample data

Periods in the first column, in order; one column per line.

Paste a table like this one, import it from Excel or CSV, or click in an InDesign table with the same layout.

Month20242025
Jan182204
Feb175211
Mar198236
Apr205248
May221262
Jun214270
Jul190251
Aug176233
Sep226281
Oct238296
Nov245305
Dec262322

Other chart types

Previous chart: 100% stacked chartNext chart: Area chart
Area chartVolume and its change over time.Combo chartColumns and lines together, with a second axis.Pie chartParts of one total.Doughnut chartA pie with room in the middle for a key figure.Radial bar chartConcentric rings for progress and scores.TreemapRectangles sized by value, filling the whole frame.

Make your next chart in InDesign

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