Highcharts too slow when plotting 4000 bars (rCharts)

Question

We are trying to plot around 4000 data points from column a1 as bars using Highcharts. The colors of the a1 bars are based on the values of another column called a3. If a3 is negative on one row, the corresponding bar about a1 should be red, and positive a3 should give color green.

The problem is that the graph takes around 25 seconds to generate, and it takes 20 seconds just to print the graph. Could someone help us fix the code and make it faster? We tried to disable animations and shadows, but that did not help too much. Here is the code:

fun <- function(){

      ## Generate a random data set with roughly 4,000 lines
      df <- as.data.frame(cbind(x = seq(1:3900),
                                a1 = rnorm(3900, 1000000, 2000000),
                                a2 = abs(rnorm(3900, 1000000, 2000000)),
                                a3 = rnorm(3900, 20000, 30000),
                                a4 = rnorm(3900, 1000, 500),
                                a5 = rnorm(3900, 0.01, 0.02)))

      ## Modify the data set to assign colors to each bar based on the values
      ## of a3. Green bars signify positive a3's and red bars signify
      ## negative a3's
      df <- df %>% 
            mutate(a6 = cumsum(a3)) %>%
            mutate(color = ifelse(a3 > 0, 
                                  "rgba(50,205,50,0.6)", 
                                  "rgba(223,83,83,0.6)")) %>%
            mutate(y = a1,
                   a1 = comma_format()(round(a1, 0)),
                   a3 = comma_format()(round(a3, 0)),
                   a4 = comma_format()(round(a4, 4)),
                   a5 = comma_format()(round(a5, 0)),
                   a6 = comma_format()(round(a6, 0))
            )

      ## Store the data in a list so that it is readable by Highcharts
      input <- list()
      input <- lapply(unname(split(df, seq(nrow(df)))), as.list)

      ## Draw the graph with Highcharts
      a <- rCharts::Highcharts$new()
      a$series(data = input, 
               name = "a1 values", 
               type = "column")
      a$plotOptions(series = list(turboThreshold = 4000))
      a$chart(zoomType = "xy", animation = FALSE)
      a$addParams(width = 1000, height = 400, title = list(text = "The Slow Chart"))
      a$tooltip(formatter = "#! function() 
            {return 'Date:<b> ' + this.point.x + 
                        '</b> <br/>a1 values:<b> ' + this.point.a1 +
                '</b> <br/>a3 values:<b> ' + this.point.a2 +  
                '</b> <br/>a4 values:<b> ' + this.point.a3 + 
                '</b> <br/>a5 values:<b> ' + this.point.a5 + 
                '</b> <br/>a6 values:<b> ' + this.point.a6} !#")
      print(a)
}

Any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

First of all, please show what packages are you using in your code (dplyr, scales).

There's a boost module for highcharts. sadly rCharts dont include that module by default so you need to add manually.

By other hand. There is a new wrapper for highcharts called highcharter which have an implementation of this module. Using it dont take more than 1 second to chart the 3900 columns.

highchart2() %>% 
  hc_title(text = "Not so slow chart ;)") %>% 
  hc_subtitle(text = "Thanks boost module") %>% 
  hc_chart(zoomType = "x", animation = FALSE, type = "column") %>% 
  hc_plotOptions(series = list(turboThreshold = 4000)) %>% 
  hc_add_serie(data = input)

Check the speed/here:

http://rpubs.com/jbkunst/highcharts-too-slow-when-plotting-4000-bars-rcharts