Migrating from WebDataRocks to Flexmonster

This guide will help you migrate from WebDataRocks to Flexmonster in your Angular project.

The migration process is simple: Flexmonster is embedded in an Angular application similarly to WebDataRocks, so the code you’ve created around the WebDataRocks component will require only minor changes.

Step 1. Install Flexmonster CLI

Flexmonster CLI is the most convenient way to work with Flexmonster Pivot. Install the CLI globally using npm:

npm install -g flexmonster-cli

As a result, a new flexmonster command will be available in the console. Learn more about Flexmonster CLI.

Step 2. Get Flexmonster Pivot

Get Flexmonster for Angular by running the following command inside your project:

flexmonster add ngx-flexmonster

This command downloads the ngx-flexmonster wrapper to node_modules/ and adds it as a dependency to package.json.

Note This wrapper is Ivy-compatible and works only with Angular 14 and later. If you want to use Flexmonster in Angular 5 through 15, install the ng-flexmonster wrapper.

Step 3. Replace WebdatarocksPivotModule

In the component where WebDataRocks is imported (e.g., src/app/app.component.ts), replace WebdatarocksPivotModule with FlexmonsterPivotModule:

import { Component } from "@angular/core";
import { WebdatarocksPivotModule } from "@webdatarocks/ngx-webdatarocks";

@Component({
  selector: "app-root",
  standalone: true,
  imports: [WebdatarocksPivotModule],
  templateUrl: "./app.component.html",
  styleUrl: "./app.component.css"
})
export class AppComponent {
  // ...
} 

import { Component } from "@angular/core";
import { FlexmonsterPivotModule } from "ngx-flexmonster";

@Component({
  selector: "app-root",
  standalone: true,
  imports: [FlexmonsterPivotModule],
  templateUrl: "./app.component.html",
  styleUrl: "./app.component.css"
})
export class AppComponent {
  // ...
}

If you are using NgModules instead of component imports, replace WebdatarocksPivotModule in the NgModule (e.g., src/app/app.module.ts):

import { WebdatarocksPivotModule } from "@webdatarocks/ngx-webdatarocks";
 
@NgModule({
  // ...
  imports: [
    WebdatarocksPivotModule,
    // Other imports
  ],
  // ...
})

import { FlexmonsterPivotModule } from "ngx-flexmonster";
 
@NgModule({
  // ...
  imports: [
    FlexmonsterPivotModule,
    // Other imports
  ],
  // ...
})

Step 4. Replace WebDataRocks styles

Open the CSS file with WebDataRocks styles (e.g., src/styles.css) and replace them with Flexmonster styles:

@import "@webdatarocks/webdatarocks/webdatarocks.min.css";

@import "flexmonster/flexmonster.min.css";

Note If you were using one of WebDataRocks’ predefined themes, replace it with a corresponding Flexmonster theme:

@import "@webdatarocks/webdatarocks/theme/green/webdatarocks.css";

@import "flexmonster/theme/green/flexmonster.min.css";

Step 5. Replace the <app-wbr-pivot> tag

In every HTML file containing the pivot table (e.g., src/app/app.component.html), replace the <app-wbr-pivot> tag with the <fm-pivot> tag, which creates the FlexmonsterPivot component instance:

<app-wbr-pivot
  [toolbar]="true">
</app-wbr-pivot>

<fm-pivot
  [toolbar]="true">
</fm-pivot>

Note You need to change only the tag. Its attributes may stay the same.

FlexmonsterPivot has more input properties than WebdatarocksComponent. Learn more about the FlexmonsterPivot component and its properties.

Step 6. Replace WebDataRocks API with Flexmonster API

WebDataRocks API is supported in Flexmonster, so you can continue using the methods and events you’ve used in your project. For every component with code for WebDataRocks (e.g., app.component.ts), follow the steps below to migrate to Flexmonster API.

Step 6.1. Replace WebdatarocksComponent with FlexmonsterPivot

Import FlexmonsterPivot instead of WebdatarocksComponent:

import { Component, ViewChild } from "@angular/core";
import { WebdatarocksPivotModule, WebdatarocksComponent } from "@webdatarocks/ngx-webdatarocks";

import { Component, ViewChild } from "@angular/core";
import { FlexmonsterPivotModule, FlexmonsterPivot } from "ngx-flexmonster";

Step 6.2. Update references injected using the @ViewChild decorator

The reference injected with @ViewChild is needed to use Flexmonster methods and events. 

To update the reference, change WebdatarocksComponent to FlexmonsterPivot:

@ViewChild("pivot") pivot: WebdatarocksComponent;

@ViewChild("pivot") pivot: FlexmonsterPivot;

Step 6.3. Update methods

Flexmonster supports all WebDataRocks methods and provides additional ones. See the full list of Flexmonster methods.

To start using Flexmonster methods, you need to:

1. Change the WebDataRocks instance to the Flexmonster instance in method calls. For example:
   

   WebDataRocks

   this.pivot.webDataRocks.setReport(this.report);

   Flexmonster

   this.pivot.flexmonster.setReport(this.report);

2. Update methods themselves if needed.
   Since all WebDataRocks methods are available in Flexmonster, there is no need to update method names. However, some Flexmonster methods have slightly different signatures. Check them out in the API Reference.

Step 6.4. Update events

Flexmonster supports all WebDataRocks events and provides additional ones. See the full list of Flexmonster events.

Since all WebDataRocks events are available in Flexmonster, there is no need to update event names in your code. However, some Flexmonster events have slightly different signatures. Check them out in the API Reference.

Note If you subscribe to events through the on() and off() methods, ensure you have changed the WebDataRocks instance to the Flexmonster instance when calling these methods.

Step 6.5. Update objects

Objects are passed as parameters to methods and event handlers. All WebDataRocks objects are available in Flexmonster.

To replace WebDataRocks objects with Flexmonster objects, you need to:

1. Change their namespace from WebDataRocks to Flexmonster. For example:
   

   WebDataRocks

   customizeCellFunction(cell: WebDataRocks.CellBuilder,
     data: WebDataRocks.CellData) {
       // Function body
   }

   Flexmonster

   customizeCellFunction(cell: Flexmonster.CellBuilder,
     data: Flexmonster.CellData) {
       // Function body
   }

2. Update objects themselves if needed.
   Since all WebDataRocks objects are available in Flexmonster, there is no need to update object names. However, some Flexmonster objects have slightly different properties. Check them out in the API Reference.

Step 7. Replace the localization file

If your WebDataRocks component was translated into a different language, replace the WebDataRocks localization file with the corresponding Flexmonster file:

report: {
  // Other report configurations
  localization: "https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/loc/es.json"
}

report: {
  // Other report configurations
  localization: "https://cdn.flexmonster.com/loc/es.json"
}

Learn more about localizing Flexmonster.

Step 8. Replace the Connector for a charting library

If you integrated with a 3rd party charting library, replace WebDataRocks Connector with the corresponding Flexmonster Connector. You can find the needed Connector in the integration guide for your charting library. For example:

import "@webdatarocks/webdatarocks/webdatarocks.amcharts.js";

import "flexmonster/lib/flexmonster.amcharts.js";

If you are evaluating Flexmonster, you need a special trial license key to integrate with a 3rd party charting library. Contact our team to request the trial key.

Step 9. Update your reports

To use a WebDataRocks report in Flexmonster, you need to make one minor change. The rest of the report will be converted automatically upon loading it in Flexmonster.

To update your report, change "uniqueName": "Measures" to "uniqueName": "[Measures]" in the slice:

"slice": {
  "rows": [
    {
      // ...
    },
    {
      "uniqueName": "Measures"
    }
  ],
  // Other properties
}

"slice": {
  "rows": [
    {
      // ...
    },
    {
      "uniqueName": "[Measures]"
    }
  ],
  // Other properties
}

Step 10. Uninstall WebDataRocks

Uninstall WebDataRocks by running the following command inside your project:

npm uninstall @webdatarocks/ngx-webdatarocks

Step 11. Run the application

Run your application from the console:

ng serve --open

Go to the page with the pivot table, then click on the grid and press Ctrl + Alt + i (Option + Control + i on macOS). You should see Flexmonster's licensing pop-up window; this would mean that WebDataRocks is successfully replaced by Flexmonster.

The migration is complete.

Troubleshooting

If you run into any issues during the migration, visit our troubleshooting page.

What's next?

With Flexmonster, you can connect to JSON/CSV files, SQL and MongoDB databases, Elasticsearch, and Microsoft Analysis Services. See the full list of supported data sources.

Flexmonster also offers features that are not available in WebDataRocks:

• Built-in pivot charts
• More customization options
• Accessibility
• Report sharing