DataScope Help Contents

Introduction

Menu commands

Dialog boxes

Keyboard and mouse

Using special interface elements

Notes about the demo version


Introduction

In a unique way, DataScope displays the contents of databases by using new visualization methods. As a powerful decision support tool, it makes the interpretation of data and the search for strategic information an exciting game. With DataScope, you will be able to discover quicker than ever the hidden relationships between the data elements in your database.

When used for corporate databases, it can help you save costs or identify hidden challenges and opportunities. In research, it can help you distinguish meaningful relationships, leading to new scientific conclusions.


Special interface elements

Sortable list box

Spreadsheet


Spreadsheet

When you use DataScope, you meet the spreadsheet in many places. This topic discusses its use. Not all procedures described here can be used in all spreadsheets of DataScope.

1. To select the active cell:

Keyboard	Use the cursor keys to move cell by cell.

 	The [PGUP] and [PGDN] keys move up/down in larger steps.

The [CTRL+LEFT] and [CTRL+RIGHT] key combinations move left/right in larger steps.

The [CTRL+PGUP] and [CTRL+PGDN] keys move to the top/bottom of the sheet.  The [CTRL+HOME] and [CTRL+END] keys move to the left/right edge of the sheet.

The [HOME] and [END] keys move to the left/right edge of the visible part of the sheet.

Mouse	You can also select the active cell by scrolling it into view with the scroll bars and clicking inside it.

2. To change the value of the active cell:

Keyboard	Type the new value, or press [ENTER] and edit the old one. When you have finished editing, press [ENTER] again. (If the active cell is read-only, these procedures have no effect.)

3. To change the width of a column:

Mouse	Move the mouse cursor near the right edge of the heading of the column. If you move close enough, the mouse cursor will change to a two-headed arrow. (If this does not happen, you cannot resize the columns in this spreadsheet.) Then press the left mouse button and drag the vertical line that appears to the desired location.


Sortable list box

In a sortable list box, you can change the sequence of the elements.

Mouse	Select the element you wish to move, and drag it to its new location.

Keyboard	Select the element, press the [CTRL] key, and move the element to the new location with the cursor up/down keys.


Keyboard and mouse

This is a list of hot keys which can be used instead of menu commands:

Key combination	Menu command

[CTRL+O]	File/Open

[CTRL+S]	File/Save

[CTRL+C]	Edit/Copy

[CTRL+INS]	Edit/Copy

[F1]	Help/Index

[F2]	Data/View

[F3]	Data/Search

[CTRL+D]	Field/Direction

[F4]	Field/Change view

[F5]	Selection/Complement local

[SHIFT+F5]	Selection/Delete local

[CTRL+I]	Selection/Intersection

[CTRL+U]	Selection/Union

[F8]	Selection/Complement

[SHIFT+F8]	Selection/Delete

[F9]	Window/Open windows

[TAB]	Window/Next

[SHIFT+TAB]	Window/Previous

Other hot keys:

[F1]	When a dialog box is open, this provides help about using the dialog box.

[SHIFT+F1]	This changes the cursor to a combination of an arrow and a question mark. If you select an interface element or a menu command with this cursor, you will get information about the selected object.

Keys that can be used to move in the database, select records, etc:

To select a database record:

Keyboard	Use the cursor up/down, [PGUP], [PGDN], [HOME] and [END] keys.

In a relational window, these keys move by the sorting sequence of the first field. To move by the sorting sequence of the second field, use the keys with the [ALT] key held down.

Mouse	In an identifier window, use the scroll bars to scroll the record into view, and click on it.

In a window representing a numeric field, clicking on any point of the function will select the nearest record. Clicking with the right mouse button will show the identifier of the record as long as you keep the button pushed. You can also move one-by-one by using the small arrows under the horizontal axis.

In a relational diagram, clicking on any point will select the record represented by it. Clicking with the right mouse button will show the identifier of the selected record until you keep the button pushed. You can also move one-by-one by using the small arrow buttons near the axes.

In a discrete diagram, click in a category to select the first record belonging to it.

To locally select/deselect records:

Keyboard	To locally select one record, move to it by one of the methods described above and press the [INSERT] key. The procedure is similar to delete the local selection of a record, except that you have to use the [DELETE] key.

Mouse	In a distribution diagram, you can select intervals by holding down the [CTRL] key and the left mouse button, and framing the appropriate area. The local selection of an interval is deleted similarly, but you have to use the right mouse button.

In a discrete diagram, hold down the [CTRL] key and click with the left/right mouse button to select/deselect the category.

In an identifier window, hold down the [CTRL] key and click on the list element with the left/right mouse button.

To move through only the globally selected records:

This is done similarly to the normal movement, but with the [SHIFT] key held down.

To mark records:

Keyboard	Select the record by any of the above methods, and press one or two letter or numeric keys. This assigns a maximum 2-letter mark to the record. To delete the mark of the selected record, press [Backspace].

The keys that can be used in a spreadsheet and a sortable list box are described there.


Notes about the demo version

The demo version of DataScope can be distributed freely. The demo version contains the following limitations:

1.	The File/Preprocessing menu command does not work and you can open only the sample project files coming with DataScope.

2.	You cannot save projects.


Toolbar

The toolbar is located under the menu bar. With it, you can reach the most frequently used menu commands more easily.

Click on the buttons to learn more about them:

You can control the display of the toolbar with the Options/Show toolbar menu command.


File/Preprocessing


File/Open


File/Save


Edit/Copy


Data/View


Data/Search


Field/Direction


Field/Change view


Selection/Complement local


Selection/Delete local


Selection/Intersection


Selection/Union


Selection/Complement


Selection/Delete


If you click on this button, the mouse cursor changes to a combination of an arrow and a question mark. If you select an interface element or a menu command with this cursor, you will get information about the selected object.


Status bar

The status bar is located along the bottom of the DataScope window. Its display can be toggled with the Options/Show status bar menu command.

The left side of the status bar shows a short description of the selected menu command or toolbar button.

The right side contains information about the currently opened project.

R:	the number of records in the project;

N:	the number and percentage of the "n/a" records of the field represented by the active window;

L:	the number and percentage of the locally selected records of the field represented by the active window;

G:	the number and percentage of the globally selected records.

If the active window is of relational type, the information in the status bar concerns the first field of the relation.


Field window

A window representing one or two database fields. Its appearance depends on the type of the represented field(s) and the type given with the Window/Open windows menu command. See the manual for detailed information on the layout and use of the various field window types.

See also: Keyboard and mouse


Scroll bar

The scroll bar can be used to scroll a record into view in an identifier window.


Window title

The window title contains the name of the window.

To move a window or dialog box, drag its title bar.

Note:  Maximized windows cannot be moved.


Size

You can change the size of a window with this command.

If you selected this command from the system menu of the window, the cursor changed to a four-headed arrow. The do the following:

1.	Press a direction key to indicate which border you wish to move.

2.	Set the new size with the direction keys.

3.	Press [ENTER].

If you wish to resize a window with the mouse, move the mouse cursor to the border of the window (the cursor will change to a two-headed arrow), and drag the border to set the new size.

Note: Maximized windows cannot be resized.


Move

Changes the cursor to a four-headed arrow. Then you can move the window with the cursor keys. When you finished moving the window, press [ENTER].

Note:  Maximized windows cannot be moved.


Minimize

Use this command to reduce the active window to an icon.


Maximize

Enlarges the window to fill all the available space.


Close

Closes the active window.


Restore

Restores the original size of a maximized or minimized window.


Switch to

Opens a list of running applications. You can activate another application or close an application.


No information available about this part of the window.


No further information about this message.


Menu commands

File menu

Preprocessing

Open

Close

Save

Save as

Search

Information

Recently used files

Exit

Edit menu

Copy

Data menu

View

Search

Names & measurements

Field remarks

Delete all record markers

New field from weighted sum

Field menu

Direction

Change view

Short names

Rearrangement

Delete

Selection menu

Complement local

Delete local

Delete all locals

Intersection

Union

Complement

Delete

New project from global

New field from global

Options menu

Colors

Show measurements

Show toolbar

Show status bar

Save as default

Window menu

Open windows

Arrange all

Maximize/Restore

Next

Previous

Help menu

Index

Using Help

About


File/Preprocessing menu command
File/Preprocessing

Use this command to convert your database to a DataScope project.

The conversion consists of the following steps:

1.	Specify the name of the data source that represents your database.

2.	Select the table within the data source.

3.	Specify the types of the database fields in the Preprocessing dialog box.

During the conversion process, the status bar shows a progress indicator. The conversion consists of three steps: database analysis, data reading and index creation.

New ODBC data sources can be added by starting Control Panel and selecting the ODBC icon.


File/Open menu command
File/Open

Use this command to open a saved DataScope project file. You can specify the name of the file in the dialog box that appears.

Note: You can also open a project file from the File Manager by dragging its name into the DataScope window or specifying the file name in the command line.


File/Close menu command
File/Close

This command closes the active project. If you have made changes, you will be asked if you want to save the project before closing.


File/Save menu command
File/Save

Use this command to save the active project. If the project has no name yet (e.g. after preprocessing), the effect of this command is the same as the effect of the File/Save as command.


File/Save as menu command
File/Save as

Use this command to save the active project with a new name. You can specify the new name in a  file selection dialog box.


File/Search menu command
 File/Search

Use this command to search your disk drives for project files, and open one of the files found. You can specify the search parameters in a dialog box.


File/Information menu command
File/Information

This command opens a dialog box where you can see information about the current project. You can also specify a title and a short description for the project. The title can be used to search for project files on your disk drives.


File/Exit menu command
File/Exit

This command exits DataScope. If you have made changes since the last save, you will be prompted to save your project.


Recently used files

This list contains names of the four recently used project files. Select a file name to open the project.


Edit/Copy menu command
 Edit/Copy

Use this command to copy the diagram of the active window to the Clipboard. You can paste the Clipboard contents into the documents of other applications.

If you use this command on an identifier window, a list of record identifiers will be copied to the Clipboard, along with their record markers and global selection states.


Data/View menu command
Data/View

Use this command to display the project's data in a dialog box.


Data/Search menu command
Data/Search

Use this command to find a record by the value of one of its fields. The data you wish to find and the field name can be specified in the dialog box that appears. DataScope will select the record whose field value is the nearest to the given data.


Data/Names & measurements menu command
 Data/Names & measurements

This command brings up a dialog box where you can modify the names and measurements of the project fields.

See also: Options/Show measurements menu command.


Data/Field remarks menu command
 Data/Field remarks

This command opens a dialog box, where you can see/modify the remarks attached to the project fields.

DataScope assigns a default remark to each field. This remark indicates how the field was created (with preprocessing, created from global selection, etc.).


Data/Delete all record markers menu command
Data/Delete all record markers

Use this command to delete the record marker texts for all records. (To learn how to add record markers, see Keyboard and mouse.)


Data/New field from weighted sum menu command
Data/New field from weighted sum

Use this command to create a new numeric field on the basis of the weighted sum of other fields.

To create the new field, do the following:

1.	Set the sorting direction of each field so that the higher percent value represents a record that is better for you. For example, a car's price is better when lower, so set the direction of the Price field to descending.

2.	Choose this menu command.

3.	In the dialog box that appears, assign weights to the fields.

4.	Since discrete fields has no percentage value, you need to specify the 'goodness' of the categories using numbers between 0 and 100.

5.	Specify a constant if you wish, type the name of the new field, then press the Create button.

DataScope will calculate the

w1*v1 + w2*v2 + ... + wn*vn + c

sum for each record, and writes the results to the new field. (In the above formula, wi-s represent the weights, vi-s represent the field values (the percentage value for a numeric field, and a category point value (specified by you) for a discrete field), and c is the constant value.)

The weights, directions and category points can be viewed with the Data/Field remarks menu command.


Field/Direction menu command
 Field/Direction

Use this command to reverse the sorting order of the field represented by the active window. If the active window is a relational window, representing two fields, then a dialog box will appear, where you can specify the direction for both fields.

Changing the sorting order of a field will cause changes in all windows representing the field.


Field/Change view menu command
Field/Change view

Use this command to change the view type of the discrete field represented by the active window. You can specify the new view type in a dialog box.


Field/Short names menu command
Field/Short names

This command opens a dialog box, where you can modify the short names of the discrete categories of the discrete field represented by the active window.

Discrete categories having the same short name and following each other in the sequence will be merged.


Field/Rearrangement menu command
Field/Rearrangement

Use this command to modify the sequence of the discrete categories of the discrete field represented by the active window. A dialog box will appear.

Discrete categories having the same short name and following each other in the sequence will be merged.


Field/Delete menu command
Field/Delete

Use this command to delete unnecessary fields from your project. A dialog box will appear, where you can select the fields you wish to delete.


Selection/Complement local menu command
Selection/Complement local

This command complements the local selection of the field represented by the active window. If the active window is of relational type, the local selection of both fields will be complemented.


Selection/Delete local menu command
Selection/Delete local

This command deletes the local selection of the field represented by the active window. If the active window is of relational type, the local selection of both fields will be deleted.


Selection/Delete all locals menu command
Selection/Delete all locals

Use this command to delete the local selections of all project fields.


Selection/Intersection menu command
Selection/Intersection

This command deletes the global selection and makes a new one which will contain the records that are locally selected by all fields.

Note: DataScope does not use fields with no open window representing them. It also does not use fields whose local selection is empty (this would always result in an empty global selection).


Selection/Union menu command
Selection/Union

This command deletes the global selection and makes a new one which will contain the records that are locally selected by at least one field.

Note: DataScope does not use fields with no open window representing them.


Selection/Complement menu command
Selection/Complement

This command complements the global selection.


Selection/Delete menu command
Selection/Delete

Use this command to delete the global selection.


Selection/New project form global menu command
Selection/New project from global

This command makes a new project which contains only the globally selected records. Before the operation starts, you will be prompted to save the original project.


Selection/New field from global menu command
Selection/New field from global

Use this command to add a new field to your project based on the current global selection. You can add two types of fields:

1.	A Yes/No (discrete) field: globally selected records will go to the 'Yes', whereas other records will go to the 'No' category.

2.	Conditional numeric field: It will be created based on another numeric field. If a record is globally selected, the base field value will be copied to the new field. For records that are not selected, the new field value will contain 'no data' (n/a).

A dialog box will appear where you can specify the name and type of the new field.


Options/Colors menu command
Options/Colors

You can specify the colors of the various diagram elements in a dialog box.


Options/Show measurements menu command
Options/Show measurements

Use this command to toggle the display of the measurements of numeric fields in windows representing them. The measurements can be specified with the Data/Names & measurements menu command.


Options/Show toolbar menu command
Options/Show toolbar

This command toggles the display of the toolbar.


Options/Show status bar menu command
Options/Show status bar

This command toggles the display of the status bar.


Options/Save as default menu command
Options/Save as default

This command saves the color settings and the state of the Show measurements toggle. New projects created with preprocessing will use the saved options by default.


Window/Open windows menu command
Window/Open windows

This command opens a dialog box where you can open/close field windows.


Window/Arrange all menu command
Window/Arrange all

Arranges the open windows side by side.

Note: If a window precedes another in the sequence, the size of the window is always larger than or equal in size of the other window. The sequence of the windows can be changed with the Window/Open windows menu command.


Window/Maximize/Restore menu command
Window/Maximize/Restore

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill all the available space, or restore the previous size of a maximized window.


Window/Next menu command
Window/Next

Activates the next field window.


Window/Previous menu command
Window/Previous

Activates the previous field window.


Help/Index menu command
Help/Index

Displays the Help contents.


Help/Using Help menu command
Help/Using Help

Displays information on how to use the Windows Help application, the application that displays this help for you.


Help/About menu command
Help/About

Displays program name, version number, and copyright information.


Dialog boxes

Change view

Colors

Delete fields

Field contents

Field remark

File selection

Information

Names & measurements

New field from weighted sum

New field

Open windows

Preprocessing

Rearrangement

Search for files

Search

Short names

Sort order

View data


File selection dialog box

This dialog box appears if a menu command needs a file name. These are the following:

File/Open

File/Save as

Click on dialog box elements for more information:

Note: If the file specification contains wildcards (*, ?), clicking on the OK button will refresh the file list to contain only the matching files.


File name

The name and path of the file. If it contains '*' or '?' characters, clicking on the OK button will refresh the file list to contain only the matching files.


File list

Double-clicking on a file will select that file and close the dialog box.


Current directory

The current directory path.


Directory tree

Use this tree to select the current directory.


Drive list

Use this list to select the disk drive of the file.


File type

Use this list to select the file type. The file list will contain only the files of the selected type.


OK

Closes the dialog box.


Cancel

Closes the dialog box and aborts the current operation.


Help

Displays this help topic.


Preprocessing dialog box

By using this dialog box, you can specify the types of the database fields during preprocessing.

Dialog box elements:

Database fields	Names of fields in the selected table.

Project fields	Fields to import from the table.

Identifier 	Use this button to import the selected field as an identifier.

Numeric 	Use this button to import the selected field as numeric.

Discrete 	Use this button to import the selected field as discrete.

Delete 	This moves the selected field of the right list back to the left list, so it will not be imported.

View contents 	This shows the contents of the selected field of the left list in a dialog box. It helps you to determine the field type.


Colors dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Options/Colors menu command. You can set the colors of various display elements here.

Click on dialog box elements for more information.


Elements

This list contains the names of the various display elements. Selecting an element will allow you to modify its color by using the other controls.


Presets

These buttons set the colors of all elements to predefined values.


Basic Colors

These are the basic colors of your graphics card. The number of colors depends on the type of the card.


Custom Colors

If you have selected a color and wish to use it frequently, you can add it to this list by clicking on the Add to Custom Colors button.


Define Custom Colors

Enlarges the dialog box. More controls will appear to help you to set an arbitrary color. (In DataScope, the dialog box appears already in its enlarged form, so this button is always disabled.)


Hue and saturation

You can set the hue and saturation of your color visually by clicking inside the rectangle.


Luminescence

Set the luminescence of your color by clicking inside the bar.


Hue, saturation and luminescence values

You can specify the three components with numbers here.


RGB values

You can specify your color by using the RGB color model here.


Color/Solid

The left side of this rectangle shows the selected color, and the right side shows the nearest solid color. Double-clicking on the right side will set the selected color to the solid color shown there.


Add to Custom Colors

This adds the selected color to the Custom Colors list.


Help

This button displays this help topic.


OK

This closes the dialog box and saves the changes you have made.


Cancel

This closes the dialog box without changing the color settings.


Delete fields dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Field/Delete command from the menu. Select the fields you wish to delete from the list, then click on OK.


Direction dialog box
Sort order dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Field/Direction command, and the active window is of relational type. You can specify the sorting sequence of the two fields represented by the window.


Search dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Data/Search menu command.

Dialog box elements:

Data to find	The identifier text, numeric field value or discrete category you wish to find.

By field	The field in which you wish to find the above data.

Notes:

1.	For an identifier field, it is enough to specify a part of the text from the start.

2.	For an identifier or a numeric field, if the specified data does not exist, DataScope will move to the nearest record.

3.	For a discrete field, you can search by the short or the full names of the discrete categories. You must specify the name exactly.


Change view dialog box

This window appears when you choose the Field/Change view menu command. You can specify the view type of a discrete field here.


Rearrangement dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Field/Rearrangement command. You can specify the display sequence of the discrete fields in a sortable list box.


Short names dialog box

This dialog box appears for the Field/Short names command. You can modify the short names of the discrete categories by using the spreadsheet.


New field dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Selection/New field from global menu command.

Dialog box elements:

Name	The name of the new field.

Type	The type of the field. If you choose Numeric, you can also choose a field on which the new field will be based.


Open windows dialog box

This dialog box opens if you choose the Window/Open windows menu command.

Dialog box elements:

Project fields	This list contains the names of the project's fields.

Windows to open	This is a sortable list of the windows to open. A window in a specific place of the list is always larger than or equal in size to windows after it.

Normal	This opens a normal window based on the field selected in the left list.

Relational	This opens a relational window based on the numeric field selected in the left list, and another numeric field which you must choose in a dialog box.

Delete	This deletes the selected window from the right list (the window will be closed).


Relational window dialog box

You can select the second field of a relational window here.


View data dialog box

This dialog box opens when you choose the Data/View menu command. You can view the project's data in an arbitrary sorting sequence. To view the data sorted by a specific field, select the name of the field in the list below the spreadsheet.


Information dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the File/Information command. The upper part of the dialog box shows information about the currently opened project file.

The lower part allows you to attach a title and a short description to your project. The title can also be used to search for projects on your disk drives.


Field remarks dialog box
Field remark dialog box

This dialog box opens when you choose the Data/Field remarks menu command. You can view/modify the remarks attached to the fields here.

To see/modify the remark of a field, select it from the list.


Names & measurements dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Data/Names & measurements menu command. You can modify the names and measurements of the fields in the spreadsheet that appears.


Search for files dialog box

This dialog box appears when you select the File/Search command from the menu. The elements of the dialog box are:

Search drives	This contains the list of your disk drives. Select the ones you wish to search on.

File specification	You can give a DOS file specification here. The default is *.DPR. If you know the file name more exactly than that, you can make the search faster.

Title contains	Specify an arbitrary text here. DataScope will list only the files whose titles contain the given text (see the File/Information command on how to specify a title).

Search	This starts the search. A list will appear, with the names and titles of the project files found. You can select one file from the list and open it. If no file matching the specified conditions exists, a message appears.


Select files to open dialog box
Select a project to open dialog box

This dialog box appears after you have pushed the Search button of the Search for files dialog box, and the search has been finished. You can see the names and titles of the project files found. Select one and click on Open to open it. If you choose Cancel, you will be returned to the previous dialog box, where you can specify new conditions and perform a new search.


Field contents dialog box

This list shows the contents of the selected field in the Preprocessing dialog box.


New field from weighted sum dialog box

This dialog box appears when you choose the Data/New field from weighted sum menu command. You can specify the weights of the fields and the point values of the discrete categories.

Dialog box elements:

Field name	The name of the new field.

Left spreadsheet:

Field name	This column of the spreadsheet contains the list of fields in the project.

Weight	You can see/modify the weights of the fields in this column.

Right spreadsheet: appears only when you select a discrete field in the left table

Category	The list of categories of the currently selected discrete field.

Point value	Here you can modify the point values of the discrete categories for the selected discrete field.

Constant	You can add a constant value to the formula.

Formula	You can see the formula that will be used to create the new field.

Create	Push this button to create the new field.

Close	This button does not create a field, but saves the weights and point values.