There are a variety of ways to search
inside TIBCO Spotfire. Some are designed for the end users and some are
designed for the administrator. This tip will walk you through the
different types of search capabilities, and what can be done with them.
inside TIBCO Spotfire. Some are designed for the end users and some are
designed for the administrator. This tip will walk you through the
different types of search capabilities, and what can be done with them.
Global Filter
End
Users can search for a variety of things using the Find capability in TIBCO
Spotfire. The Find UI is available by pressing CTRL + F or going to Tools >
Find.
Users can search for a variety of things using the Find capability in TIBCO
Spotfire. The Find UI is available by pressing CTRL + F or going to Tools >
Find.
This
find dialog is very useful in not only finding and navigating to specific pages
and visualizations, but you can also use it as a shortcut for performing
actions in Spotfire. This is extremely useful for users who routinely create analysis files.
find dialog is very useful in not only finding and navigating to specific pages
and visualizations, but you can also use it as a shortcut for performing
actions in Spotfire. This is extremely useful for users who routinely create analysis files.
You
can use the Find dialog to quickly apply marked records to tags, you can
quickly perform actions available in the menubars, and you can search for
specific pages and visualizations. In
addition, you can search for the visualizations not just by their name, but
also by values on an axis, page title, visualization title, etc...
can use the Find dialog to quickly apply marked records to tags, you can
quickly perform actions available in the menubars, and you can search for
specific pages and visualizations. In
addition, you can search for the visualizations not just by their name, but
also by values on an axis, page title, visualization title, etc...
For example, 'age' will return all visualizations with Age
using in one of the axis or in the page title, whereas 'x:age' will return all
visualizations with Age on the x-axis, and 'color:age' will return all visualizations
with Age on the color-axis.
More
information about the specific commands, and actions available in the Find
dialog is available at:
information about the specific commands, and actions available in the Find
dialog is available at:
Searching via the Filter
Panel
The Filter Panel provides a search box to allow end users to quickly search for
filters. The most basic search is to
enter a string, and filters that contain the letters in the string will be
displayed, all others will be hidden.
This is useful when you have a large, multiple data table, analysis file
and need to quickly find a specific filter.
In
addition, you can also use some reserved search keywords like status, with a
value of 'modified', which will return all filters that have been modified.
You
can also use any built-in Column property.
Column properties are available via the
Edit > Column Properties dialog , in the Properties tab.
These
properties can then be searched for in the Filter Panel search box. The syntax
used is to specify the name of the property followed by a colon, and then the
value.
properties can then be searched for in the Filter Panel search box. The syntax
used is to specify the name of the property followed by a colon, and then the
value.
For
example,
example,
DistinctValueCount:4 will display all filters where the
DistinctValueCount property value is 4.
DistinctValueCount property value is 4.
In addition, you can create
Custom Properties and filter on those as well. Custom Properties are created
using the New button in the Column Properties dialog.
The
property must take the format companyName.property.
You will set a default value, and all columns in the data table will
have the default value applied. You then go into each individual column and
edit the property for that column.
property must take the format companyName.property.
You will set a default value, and all columns in the data table will
have the default value applied. You then go into each individual column and
edit the property for that column.
One
useful use case for this is to create Custom Properties to group Filters
together. Using the Filter Panel, you can group Filters, but you can only put a
Filter into one group. You can create a Custom Property for each
grouping of filters you wish to have. Then you can use the Filter Panel search
to return each grouping when you need to access those Filters.
useful use case for this is to create Custom Properties to group Filters
together. Using the Filter Panel, you can group Filters, but you can only put a
Filter into one group. You can create a Custom Property for each
grouping of filters you wish to have. Then you can use the Filter Panel search
to return each grouping when you need to access those Filters.
More information about the
syntax and use of the Filter Panel search is available at:
http://stn.spotfire.com/spotfire_client_help/filter/filter_searching_for_filters.htm
Searching in the Library
The Library provides a robust searching
mechanism, and is available in three user interfaces: the Open From Library
dialog, the Library Administration Tool, and the Information Designer.
mechanism, and is available in three user interfaces: the Open From Library
dialog, the Library Administration Tool, and the Information Designer.
In addition to the obvious benefits of
being able to search for analysis files and information links (using keywords,
descriptions, and other useful metadata), the search capability also provides
useful tools for administrators.
being able to search for analysis files and information links (using keywords,
descriptions, and other useful metadata), the search capability also provides
useful tools for administrators.
Using the search dialog, administrators can
search for library items created by certain users, modified by certain users.
You can also search for items that are dependent on or required by certain
library items. This can be useful if you plan on removing or updating items.
Before doing so, you can check all dependencies and required items, and then
make sure they will still function.
search for library items created by certain users, modified by certain users.
You can also search for items that are dependent on or required by certain
library items. This can be useful if you plan on removing or updating items.
Before doing so, you can check all dependencies and required items, and then
make sure they will still function.
You
can also search for items based off when they were created or modified, and you
can include logical operators to check, for example, files created or modified
before a certain time.
More
information about the library search capabilities is available at:
information about the library search capabilities is available at:
The
library search capability is available in TIBCO Spotfire version 3.0 and higher.
