Queries & Subsets

Named Queries & Data Subsets

Creating Named Queries to define data subsets

Version 2.4:

By default, Omniscope works with 4 defined sets of data;  ALL data, filtered IN data, filtered OUT data and Selected data. Files open with ALL data in the filtered IN set, but via Side Bar filtering, or selection, moves & keeps, some records are transfered to the filtered OUT data subset as shown in the barometer. You can define aditional subsets of data which can be displayed alone or in conjunction with the defined data sets/subsets using Named Queries.

The Named Queries drop-down menu is immediately right of the Barometer, and provides all the commands required to define and manage Named Queries, combinations of filter settings or record selections which define selcted or filtered subsets of the file data expected to be used frequently in configuring the views in the file. In the example below, 3 Named Queries have been defined; 'Basket One', 'Errors for Correction' and 'Other Named Query'. At right, the example Venn View toolbar has been set to display the records contained in the Named Query 'Basket One'.

 

Each View Toolbar includes a Data Subset drop down where you specify which of your defined Named Queries (in brown) should be displayed in the view:

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Named Queries can be defined using either Create empty query or Create query from filters.

 

Create empty query- give the query you plan to populate a unique name for this file. The new query will appear at the top of the Named Queries drop-down list, and become a side menu option for commands such as such as Clear, Rename and Delete Query. The Show button for option places a button with the name of the selected Named Query/data subset on the Main Toolbar to the right of the Named Queries drop-down menu. These button(s) make it easier to manage adding or deleting selected/filtered IN records from multiple Named Queries. Once an empty query has been created, e.g. 'Basket One' or 'Errors for Correction' you can add filtered IN or Selected records to these queries at any time using Add or Remove selected/filtered data to query (if records are Selected, these records will be added/removed, if not, then the current contents of the Filtered IN subset will be added/removed to/from the Named Query you select from the sub-menu at right.

Create query from filters- this option lets you preserve the current pattern of filters set in the Side Bar as a Named Query. You can subsequently refine the data set defined using Add or Remove selected/filtered data to query.

Import/export XML query file- the definition of any query in the file can be saved in XML file format and exchanged with others using the same Omniscope file. This is useful for example, for highlighting anomalies and errors in the data requiring correction.

 

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Version 2.3 and previous:

When Omniscope filters records, where do the excluded records go? Don't worry...they are not deleted!  Based on your input, Omniscope classifies each record (row) in a given file as being in one or more Data Universes:

• Green 'IN' Universe- records still under consideration
• Red 'OUT' Universe- records moved out, excluded from further consideration
• Black 'ALL' Universe- all records in the file/data set, regardless of queries/filters set
• Gold 'BASKET' Universe- records saved to the basket during the session
• Blue 'SELECTION' Universe- records selected at any given time

All of these Universes can be viewed at any time in any of the 12 available views in Omniscope. Click on Add View on the Main Toolbar, then select the Show other data universes option at lower right.

 

Tick the box representing any combination of Views and Universes to see the records (rows) currently in each universe in each view.

If you save an Omniscope file, the contents of the IN and OUT Universes will be preserved, and the file will open with the barometer showing the same IN/OUT split as when the file was last closed. However, the contents of the BASKET and SELECTION Universes will be re-set. Always remember to do something with the contents of your  BASKET universe before you close the file, because this selection of records will not be there when you open the file again.

Let's explore the use of Data Universes in Omniscope, while re-visiting the filtering aspects of navigating .IOK files. Recall that there are 2 filtering approaches in Omniscope, which can be used interchangeably at any time, assuming at least one SideBar with instant filter/query devices is showing.:

1. Side Bar filter/query devices (known as instant query mode)
2. Select/Move/Keep sequences (known as power query mode)

In the Tutorial below, we will see in more detail the difference between single-step, 'instant' filtering using Side Bar filters/query devices, and multi-attribute, potentially multi-layered 'power' queries using Select/Move/Keep sequences. If you are viewing both the IN and the OUT universe, it is also possible to do dual-directional, multi-layer power queries...which are difficult, and sometimes even impossible to do programatically!

Using Data Universes

For this tutorial, please download another, especially-configured version of the Everton Football Universes file. This version of the Everton file has been configured to open with five Table Views, one for each Universe, and with only one Side Bar open:

 

The View icons on the far left of each View Toolbar are coloured to show which of the 5 Universes is being displayed in the view. In this demo, the upper left-hand Table View is showing the green IN Universe, all 23 players. The upper right-hand Table View is showing the red OUT Universe, currently empty because no players have been filtered out. The full-width black ALL Universe Table View in the middle will always show all players, regardless of filtering. The gold BASKET Universe Table View is showing 'Basket Empty', since no players have yet been placed in the Basket. Finally, the bottom blue SELECTION Table View is empty, indicating that no records are yet selected.

Using the Side Bar, type the letter 'B' into the top text query device labelled Surname. Notice how the right-hand green IN Table View changes to display only the 3 players whose surnames begin with B, and the left-hand red OUT Table View now displays the records for the 20 players whose surname does not begin with 'B'. A glance at the barometer confirms that the green IN Universe contains 3 players whose surnames begin with B, and the red OUT Universe contains 20 players whose surnames all begin with other letters. In the Side Bar, back-space over the letter 'B' to clear the Surname query device, which will Reset the file, since this was the only extant query/filter setting.

Notice that when using the Side Bar devices, the bottom Table View showing the SELECTION Universe did not show any records being selected, and that moving 20 players to the OUT Universe was instant.

Now let's try using Selection, which can be very useful for drilling-down and confirming details before deciding whether to execute a Move or Keep operation.

Go to the upper right green Table View showing the IN Universe, and click on the Position category Defender, which will display an animated highlight in blue. This means you have selected all the players who are Defenders, and their records will now appear in the bottom blue SELECTION Table View. A glance at the barometer will confirm that you have selected 9 Defenders out of the 23 on the team.

Let's say you want to take a closer look at the Defenders. On the main/top Omniscope Toolbar, click on the green check-marked icon labelled Keep. This will keep only Defenders in the green IN Universe and move all others to the red OUT Table View to the right. Notice that the SELECTION Table View has been cleared, pending you next selection.

Let's say you want to put all the English Defenders on the transfer market (don't ask...). In the Side Bar, using the 3rd device labelled Country, click on the category name England. Notice that all other nationalities are X-ed out and all non-English Defenders are moved to the red OUT universe, leaving only the 4 English Defenders remaining in the IN Universe. Now go to the green IN Table View Toolbar, and find the Add to Basket icon right-most on the toolbar. Click the Add to Basket icon, and notice that the gold Table View showing the BASKET Universe now shows the 4 English Defenders.

Click Reset on the Omniscope Main Toolbar. This will return all players to the IN Universe, and empty the OUT universe, but leaves the 4 English defenders in the Basket, as can be seen also on the top/main Omniscope Toolbar Basket icon to the right of the barometer.

Let's save the youngest English Defender for the future. In the gold Table View showing the 4 English Defenders currently in the BASKET Universe, click on the column header Date of Birth. This will set a primary sort (see the orange downward arrow appear in the column header) sorting the players in the basket from youngest to oldest. Double-click on the row header of the youngest player, Daniel Fox. This will display the details window pop-up for Daniel Fox. Now click Remove from Basket to remove Daniel's record from the basket.

To clear the BASKET Universe completely, click on the right-most Clear basket icon in the gold Table View Toolbar, or use the Omniscope Main Toolbar Basket > Clear basket command on the drop-down menu. More on Using the Basket...

 

Next section: Use Your Data

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