---
title: Use Chronograf to visualize data
description: Chronograf is a data visualization and dashboarding tool designed to visualize data in InfluxDB 1.x. Learn how to use Chronograf with InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/process-data/visualize/chronograf/
estimated_tokens: 4219
product: InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated
version: cloud-dedicated
---

# Use Chronograf to visualize data

-   InfluxQL only

[Chronograf](/chronograf/v1/) is a data visualization and dashboarding tool designed to visualize data in InfluxDB 1.x using the **InfluxQL** query language. This page walks through how to use Chronograf with **InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated**.

## Prerequisites

-   [Download and install Chronograf](/chronograf/v1/introduction/installation/#download-and-install)
-   An InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster with:
    -   A [database](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/databases/) to query
    -   A [database token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/database/) with read permissions

## Enable InfluxDB 3 support

To connect Chronograf to InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated, start Chronograf with InfluxDB 3 support enabled using one of the following methods:

<!-- Tabbed content: Select one of the following options -->

**CLI flag:**

```sh
chronograf --influxdb-v3-support-enabled
```

**Environment variable:**

```sh
export INFLUXDB_V3_SUPPORT_ENABLED=true
chronograf
```

<!-- End tabbed content -->

## Create an InfluxDB connection

1. Open Chronograf and click **Configuration** (wrench icon) in the navigation menu.
    
2. Click **Add Connection**.
    
    ![Chronograf connections landing page](/img/chronograf/1-6-connection-landing-page.png)
3. In the **Server Type** dropdown, select **InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated**.
    
    ![Chronograf Server Type dropdown](/img/chronograf/v1-influxdb3/server-type-dropdown.png)
4. Enter your InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated connection credentials:
    
    -   **Connection URL:** InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster URL
        
        ```
        https://cluster-id.a.influxdb.io
        ```
        
    -   **Connection Name:** Name to uniquely identify this connection configuration
        
    -   **Database Token:** InfluxDB [database token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/database/) with read permissions on the database you want to query
        
    -   **Telegraf Database Name:** InfluxDB [database](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/databases/) Chronograf uses to populate parts of the application, including the Host List page (default is `telegraf`)
        
    
    To enable database management features, provide the following credentials:
    
    -   **Cluster ID:** Your InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated cluster ID (found in your `influxctl` configuration)
    -   **Account ID:** Your InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated account ID (found in your `influxctl` configuration)
    -   **Management Token:** A [management token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/management/) for administrative operations
    
    You can configure the following optional database access fields:
    
    -   **Default Database:** *(Optional)* Default [database](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/databases/) to use. When set, Chronograf limits queries to this database.
    -   **Tags CSV Directory Path:** *(Optional)* Path to a directory containing CSV files that predefine tags for the query builder (see [Tags CSV files](#tags-csv-files))
    -   **Unsafe SSL:** Enable to skip SSL certificate verification for self-signed certificates
    
    ![Chronograf InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated connection configuration](/img/chronograf/v1-influxdb3/cloud-dedicated-with-mgmt.png)
5. Click **Add Connection**.
    
6. Select the dashboards you would like to create, and then click **Next**.
    
7. To configure a Kapacitor connection, provide the necessary credentials, and then click **Continue**. Otherwise, click **Skip**.
    
8. Click **Finish**.
    

### Configure connection via CLI

You can configure the connection when starting Chronograf.

#### With management features

Replace the following:

-   `ACCOUNT_ID`: [Account ID](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/get-started/setup/#account-id)
-   `CLUSTER_ID`: [Cluster ID](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/get-started/setup/#cluster-id)
-   `DATABASE_NAME`: [Database](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/databases/) name
-   `DATABASE_TOKEN`: [Database token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/database/) with read permissions
-   `MANAGEMENT_TOKEN`: [Management token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/#management-tokens)

```sh
chronograf --influxdb-v3-support-enabled \
  --influxdb-type=influx-v3-cloud-dedicated \
  --influxdb-url=https://cluster-id.a.influxdb.io \
  --influxdb-token=DATABASE_TOKEN \
  --influxdb-mgmt-token=MANAGEMENT_TOKEN \
  --influxdb-cluster-id=CLUSTER_ID \
  --influxdb-account-id=ACCOUNT_ID \
  --influxdb-default-db=DATABASE_NAME \
  --tags-csv-path=/path/to/tags
```

#### Without management features

Replace the following:

-   `DATABASE_NAME`: [Database](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/databases/) name
-   `DATABASE_TOKEN`: [Database token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/database/) with read permissions

```sh
chronograf --influxdb-v3-support-enabled \
  --influxdb-type=influx-v3-cloud-dedicated \
  --influxdb-url=https://cluster-id.a.influxdb.io \
  --influxdb-token=DATABASE_TOKEN \
  --influxdb-default-db=DATABASE_NAME
```

For a complete list of configuration options, see [InfluxDB 3 connection options](/chronograf/v1/administration/config-options/#influxdb-3-connection-options).

### Tags CSV files

For InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated, you can predefine tags for the query builder and control filters using CSV files.

**CSV file requirements:**

-   File names must match database names (for example, `mydb.csv` for a database named `mydb`)
-   Use semicolons (`;`) as field delimiters
-   Three fields per line: `measurement;tag-key;tag-value`

**Example CSV content:**

```
home;room;Living Room
home;room;cellar
home;room;attic
```

## Query data in the Data Explorer

1. In Chronograf, click **Explore** in the left navigation bar.
2. Build and submit InfluxQL queries.

#### Schema information in the Data Explorer

When using Tags CSV files, the query builder uses the predefined tags. When a Default Database is set, the `SHOW DATABASES` query result is limited to that database.

You can also use [fully qualified measurements](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/influxql/select/#fully-qualified-measurement) in the `FROM` clause. For example:

```sql
-- Fully qualified measurement
SELECT * FROM "db-name"."rp-name"."measurement-name"

-- Fully qualified measurement shorthand (use the default retention policy)
SELECT * FROM "db-name".."measurement-name"
```

For more information about available InfluxQL functionality, see [InfluxQL feature support](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/influxql/feature-support/).

#### DBRPs map to InfluxDB databases

In InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated, databases and retention policies (DBRPs) are no longer separate entities in the data model. Rather than having one or more retention policies, an InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated database has a retention period that defines the maximum age of data to retain.

InfluxQL queries still use the 1.x DBRP convention, but queries are routed to databases using the `database-name/retention-policy` naming pattern. For example, the following query routes to the InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated database named `mydb/autogen`:

```sql
SELECT * FROM mydb.autogen.measurement
```

## Important notes

-   [Database view is read-only](#database-view-is-read-only)
-   [No administrative functionality](#no-administrative-functionality)
-   [Annotations and variables](#annotations-and-variables)

### Database view is read-only

When connected to InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated, the database view in Chronograf is read-only.

### No administrative functionality

Chronograf cannot be used for administrative tasks in InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated. For example, you **cannot** do the following:

-   Define databases
-   Modify retention policies
-   Add users
-   Kill queries

When connected to an InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated database, functionality in the **InfluxDB Admin** section of Chronograf is disabled.

To complete [administrative tasks](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/), use the [influxctl CLI](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/).

### Annotations and variables

Annotations and dashboard variables work with InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated when a `chronograf` database exists and is accessible with the same database token.

When setting up variables with dynamic tag values, the backend query limits the scope of the record search with a time condition. By default, this is `time > now() - 7d`. Tags from records older than this limit are ignored. To change this setting, use the `--influxdb-v3-time-condition` flag or `INFLUXDB_V3_TIME_CONDITION` environment variable.

#### Related

-   [Chronograf documentation](/chronograf/v1/)
-   [Query data with InfluxQL](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/query-data/influxql/)