IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference

Inquire

Category

Function

Returns information about an object.

Syntax


output = Inquire(input, inquiry, value);

Inputs

Name Type Default Description
input object none the subject of the inquiry
inquiry string "is null" a request for particular information
value string none additional qualifiers

Name	Type	Default	Description
`input`	object	none	the subject of the inquiry
`inquiry`	string	"is null"	a request for particular information
`value`	string	none	additional qualifiers

Outputs

Name Type Description
output integer or object Examples include 1 and 0 (for yes/no inquiries), arrays, fields, groups, and vectors.

Name	Type	Description
`output`	integer or object	Examples include 1 and 0 (for yes/no inquiries), arrays, fields, groups, and vectors.

Functional Details

input
specifies the subject of the module's inquiry.
inquiry
specifies the query (see Notes). Some queries require an additional parameter (see value).
value
specifies an item of information needed for identifying the appropriate subject of the query. For example, the "attribute" inquiry requires the name of the attribute.

Notes:

Table 3 through Table 6 list the "inquiries" that can be made, the type(s) of object appropriate to each, an explanatory version of each, and the answer or type of answer returned.
Inquiries that start with "is" are true/false queries, returning 1 (one) for "yes" and 0 (zero) for "no." Such queries can be reversed, however, by inserting "not" after the initial "is": An "is not" query also returns 1 (one) for "yes" and 0 (zero) for "no." For example, if the subject of the inquiry is a scalar field, "is scalar" returns 1 (one) and "is not scalar" returns 0 (zero).
Any "is" query about a group whose members contain different types of objects will return 0 (zero) unless all members have the characteristic specified in the query. For example, if a group is composed of two fields, one scalar and one vector, the answer to the question "is scalar" will be 0 (zero).
Any inquiry that returns a scalar integer value can be made to return a value that is "1" higher or lower than that value. For example, "is array + 1" will return 2 (instead of 1) or 1 (instead of 0).
Capitalization of an inquiry is optional and its words may be separated or run together.

Table 3. Inquiries about objects

Inquiry Input operated on Question Answer
"is array" Any object Is the input an array? 1 or 0
"is byte" Any object Is the data component unsigned byte? 1 or 0
"is camera" Any object Is the input a camera object? 1 or 0
"is clipped" Any object Is the input a clipped object? 1 or 0
"is composite field" Any object Is the input a composite field? 1 or 0
"is constant array" Any object Is the input a constant array? 1 or 0
"is double" Any object Is the data component double-precision floating point?
"is empty" Any object Is the input an empty field, an empty group, or an array with no items? 1 or 0
"is field" Any object Is the input a field? 1 or 0
"is float" Any object Is the data component floating point? 1 or 0
"is generic array" Any object Is the input a generic array? 1 or 0
"is generic group" Any object Is the input a generic group? 1 or 0
"is group" Any object Is the input a group of any kind? 1 or 0
"is image" Any object Is the object an image? 1 or 0
"is int" Any object Is the data component integral? 1 or 0
"is integer" Any object Is the data component integral? 1 or 0
"is irregular array" Any object Is the input an irregular array? 1 or 0
"is light" Any object Is the input a light object? 1 or 0
"is line" Any object Is the connections component 1-dimensional (i.e., a line)? 1 or 0
"is matrix" Any object Is the data component a matrix? 1 or 0
"is mesh array" Any object Is the input a mesh array? 1 or 0
"is multigrid" Any object Is the input a multigrid? 1 or 0
"is null" Any object Is the input null? 1 or 0
"is object" Any object Is the input an object? 1 or 0
"is path array" Any object Is the input a path array? 1 or 0
"is private" Any object Is the input a private object? 1 or 0
"is product array" Any object Is the input a product array? 1 or 0
"is regular array" Any object Is the input a regular array? 1 or 0
"is scalar" Any object Is the data component scalar? 1 or 0
"is screen" Any object Is the input a screen object? 1 or 0
"is series" Any object Is the input a series? 1 or 0
"is short" Any object Is the data component short integral? 1 or 0
"is string" Any object Is the input a string? 1 or 0
"is surface" Any object Are the connections 2-dimensional? 1 or 0
"is transform" Any object Is the input a transform object? 1 or 0
"is xform" Any object Is the input a generic array? 1 or 0
"is vector" Any object Is the data component vectorial? 1 or 0
"is volume" Any object Are the connections 3-dimensional? 1 or 0
"is 2vector" Any object Is the data component 2-vectorial? 1 or 0
"is 3vector" Any object Is the data component 3-vectorial? 1 or 0
"is 1D connections" Any object Does the object have 1-dimensional connections? 1 or 0
"is 2D connections" Any object Does the object have 2-dimensional connections? 1 or 0
"is 3D connections" Any object Does the object have 3-dimensional connections? 1 or 0
"is 1D positions" Any object Does the object have 1-dimensional positions? 1 or 0
"is 2D positions" Any object Does the object have 2-dimensional positions? 1 or 0
"is 3D positions" Any object Does the object have 3-dimensional positions? 1 or 0
"is 4D positions" Any object Does the object have 4-dimensional positions? 1 or 0
"is 1D grid connections" Any object Does the object have 1-dimensional regular connections? 1 or 0
"is 2D grid connections" Any object Does the object have 2-dimensional regular connections? 1 or 0
"is 3D grid connections" Any object Does the object have 3-dimensional regular connections? 1 or 0
"is 1D grid positions" Any object Does the object have 1-dimensional regular positions? 1 or 0
"is 2D grid positions" Any object Does the object have 2-dimensional regular positions? 1 or 0
"is 3D grid positions" Any object Does the object have 3-dimensional regular positions? 1 or 0
"is 4D grid positions" Any object Does the object have 4-dimensional regular positions? 1 or 0
"primitives" Any object How many of each type of primitive does the object contain? string list
"object tag" Any object Returns the unique object identifying tag integer

`Inquiry`	`Input operated on`	`Question`	`Answer`
"is array"	Any object	Is the input an array?	1 or 0
"is byte"	Any object	Is the data component unsigned byte?	1 or 0
"is camera"	Any object	Is the input a camera object?	1 or 0
"is clipped"	Any object	Is the input a clipped object?	1 or 0
"is composite field"	Any object	Is the input a composite field?	1 or 0
"is constant array"	Any object	Is the input a constant array?	1 or 0
"is double"	Any object	Is the data component double-precision floating point?
"is empty"	Any object	Is the input an empty field, an empty group, or an array with no items?	1 or 0
"is field"	Any object	Is the input a field?	1 or 0
"is float"	Any object	Is the data component floating point?	1 or 0
"is generic array"	Any object	Is the input a generic array?	1 or 0
"is generic group"	Any object	Is the input a generic group?	1 or 0
"is group"	Any object	Is the input a group of any kind?	1 or 0
"is image"	Any object	Is the object an image?	1 or 0
"is int"	Any object	Is the data component integral?	1 or 0
"is integer"	Any object	Is the data component integral?	1 or 0
"is irregular array"	Any object	Is the input an irregular array?	1 or 0
"is light"	Any object	Is the input a light object?	1 or 0
"is line"	Any object	Is the connections component 1-dimensional (i.e., a line)?	1 or 0
"is matrix"	Any object	Is the data component a matrix?	1 or 0
"is mesh array"	Any object	Is the input a mesh array?	1 or 0
"is multigrid"	Any object	Is the input a multigrid?	1 or 0
"is null"	Any object	Is the input null?	1 or 0
"is object"	Any object	Is the input an object?	1 or 0
"is path array"	Any object	Is the input a path array?	1 or 0
"is private"	Any object	Is the input a private object?	1 or 0
"is product array"	Any object	Is the input a product array?	1 or 0
"is regular array"	Any object	Is the input a regular array?	1 or 0
"is scalar"	Any object	Is the data component scalar?	1 or 0
"is screen"	Any object	Is the input a screen object?	1 or 0
"is series"	Any object	Is the input a series?	1 or 0
"is short"	Any object	Is the data component short integral?	1 or 0
"is string"	Any object	Is the input a string?	1 or 0
"is surface"	Any object	Are the connections 2-dimensional?	1 or 0
"is transform"	Any object	Is the input a transform object?	1 or 0
"is xform"	Any object	Is the input a generic array?	1 or 0
"is vector"	Any object	Is the data component vectorial?	1 or 0
"is volume"	Any object	Are the connections 3-dimensional?	1 or 0
"is 2vector"	Any object	Is the data component 2-vectorial?	1 or 0
"is 3vector"	Any object	Is the data component 3-vectorial?	1 or 0
"is 1D connections"	Any object	Does the object have 1-dimensional connections?	1 or 0
"is 2D connections"	Any object	Does the object have 2-dimensional connections?	1 or 0
"is 3D connections"	Any object	Does the object have 3-dimensional connections?	1 or 0
"is 1D positions"	Any object	Does the object have 1-dimensional positions?	1 or 0
"is 2D positions"	Any object	Does the object have 2-dimensional positions?	1 or 0
"is 3D positions"	Any object	Does the object have 3-dimensional positions?	1 or 0
"is 4D positions"	Any object	Does the object have 4-dimensional positions?	1 or 0
"is 1D grid connections"	Any object	Does the object have 1-dimensional regular connections?	1 or 0
"is 2D grid connections"	Any object	Does the object have 2-dimensional regular connections?	1 or 0
"is 3D grid connections"	Any object	Does the object have 3-dimensional regular connections?	1 or 0
"is 1D grid positions"	Any object	Does the object have 1-dimensional regular positions?	1 or 0
"is 2D grid positions"	Any object	Does the object have 2-dimensional regular positions?	1 or 0
"is 3D grid positions"	Any object	Does the object have 3-dimensional regular positions?	1 or 0
"is 4D grid positions"	Any object	Does the object have 4-dimensional regular positions?	1 or 0
"primitives"	Any object	How many of each type of primitive does the object contain?	string list
"object tag"	Any object	Returns the unique object identifying tag	integer

Table 4. Inquiries about particular types of objects

Inquiry Input operated on Question Answer
"category" Array or list What category does the input belong to? string (see 1)
"connection counts" array or list How many connections are there? integer
"connection type" Field What is the element type? string
"count" Array or list How many items does the input contain? integer
"data counts" Array or list How many data items are there? integer
"deltas" Array or list What are the deltas in each dimension? vector list
"grid counts" Array or list What are the counts in each dimension? integer
"is empty array" Array or list Is the input an array with no items? 1 or 0
"items" Array or list How many items does the input contain? integer
"origin" Array or list What is the origin of the input? vector
"position counts" Array or list How many positions are there? integer
"rank" Array or list What is the rank of the input? integer
"shape" Array or list What is the shape of the input? vector
"type" Array or list What is the type of the input? string (see 2)
"camera angle" Camera What is the camera angle? scalar
"camera aspect" Camera What is the aspect ratio of the input camera? scalar
"camera background" Camera What is the background color of the input camera? 3-vector
"camera fieldofview" Camera What is the field of view of the input camera? scalar
"camera from" Camera What is the "from" point of the input camera? vector
"camera matrix" Camera What is the matrix of the input camera? matrix
"camera perspective" Camera What is the value of the perspective option? 0 or 1
"camera resolution" Camera What is the resolution of the input camera? integer
"camera to" Camera What is the "to" point of the input camera? vector
"camera transform" Camera What is the matrix of the input camera? matrix
"camera up" Camera What is the up direction of the input camera? vector
"camera width" Camera What is the width of the input camera? scalar
"is camera orthographic" Camera Is the input camera orthographic? 1 or 0
"is camera perspective" Camera Is the input camera perspective? 1 or 0
"clipped object" Clipped What is the clipped object? object
"clipping object" Clipped What is the clipping object? object
"component count" Field How many components does the field contain? integer
"component names" Field What are the names of the field components? string list
"connection gridcounts" Field What are the connection counts in each dimension? integer vector
"is empty field" Field Is the input an empty field (i.e., with no components, "positions" component, or position items)? 1 or 0
"is regular" Field Does the field have regular positions and connections? 1 or 0
"is regular connections" Field Does the field have regular connections? 1 or 0
"is regular positions" Field Does the field have regular positions? 1 or 0
"is empty group " Group Is the input a group with no members? 1 or 0
"member count" Group How many members belong to the group? integer
"member names" Group What are the names of the group members? string list
"position gridcounts" Field What are the position counts in each dimension? integer vector
"product terms" Product Array What are the individual product terms? Group of Arrays
"mesh terms" Mesh Array What are the individual mesh terms? Group of Arrays
"screen depth" Screen What is the screen depth? integer
"screen object" Screen What is the screen object? object
"screen position" Screen What is the screen position? integer
"member positions" Series What are the series positions? scalar list
"series positions" Series What are the series positions? scalar list
"transform matrix" Transform What is the transform matrix? matrix
"transform object" Transform What is the object to be transformed? object
"valid count" Any object How many valid data items are there? integer
"invalid count" Any object How many invalid data items are there? integer
Notes:

Possible categories: "real," "complex."
Possible types: "signed byte," "unsigned byte," "short," "unsigned short," "integer," "unsigned integer," "float," "double," and "string."

`Inquiry`	`Input operated on`	`Question`	`Answer`
"category"	Array or list	What category does the input belong to?	string (see 1)
"connection counts"	array or list	How many connections are there?	integer
"connection type"	Field	What is the element type?	string
"count"	Array or list	How many items does the input contain?	integer
"data counts"	Array or list	How many data items are there?	integer
"deltas"	Array or list	What are the deltas in each dimension?	vector list
"grid counts"	Array or list	What are the counts in each dimension?	integer
"is empty array"	Array or list	Is the input an array with no items?	1 or 0
"items"	Array or list	How many items does the input contain?	integer
"origin"	Array or list	What is the origin of the input?	vector
"position counts"	Array or list	How many positions are there?	integer
"rank"	Array or list	What is the rank of the input?	integer
"shape"	Array or list	What is the shape of the input?	vector
"type"	Array or list	What is the type of the input?	string (see 2)
"camera angle"	Camera	What is the camera angle?	scalar
"camera aspect"	Camera	What is the aspect ratio of the input camera?	scalar
"camera background"	Camera	What is the background color of the input camera?	3-vector
"camera fieldofview"	Camera	What is the field of view of the input camera?	scalar
"camera from"	Camera	What is the "from" point of the input camera?	vector
"camera matrix"	Camera	What is the matrix of the input camera?	matrix
"camera perspective"	Camera	What is the value of the perspective option?	0 or 1
"camera resolution"	Camera	What is the resolution of the input camera?	integer
"camera to"	Camera	What is the "to" point of the input camera?	vector
"camera transform"	Camera	What is the matrix of the input camera?	matrix
"camera up"	Camera	What is the up direction of the input camera?	vector
"camera width"	Camera	What is the width of the input camera?	scalar
"is camera orthographic"	Camera	Is the input camera orthographic?	1 or 0
"is camera perspective"	Camera	Is the input camera perspective?	1 or 0
"clipped object"	Clipped	What is the clipped object?	object
"clipping object"	Clipped	What is the clipping object?	object
"component count"	Field	How many components does the field contain?	integer
"component names"	Field	What are the names of the field components?	string list
"connection gridcounts"	Field	What are the connection counts in each dimension?	integer vector
"is empty field"	Field	Is the input an empty field (i.e., with no components, "positions" component, or position items)?	1 or 0
"is regular"	Field	Does the field have regular positions and connections?	1 or 0
"is regular connections"	Field	Does the field have regular connections?	1 or 0
"is regular positions"	Field	Does the field have regular positions?	1 or 0
"is empty group "	Group	Is the input a group with no members?	1 or 0
"member count"	Group	How many members belong to the group?	integer
"member names"	Group	What are the names of the group members?	string list
"position gridcounts"	Field	What are the position counts in each dimension?	integer vector
"product terms"	Product Array	What are the individual product terms?	Group of Arrays
"mesh terms"	Mesh Array	What are the individual mesh terms?	Group of Arrays
"screen depth"	Screen	What is the screen depth?	integer
"screen object"	Screen	What is the screen object?	object
"screen position"	Screen	What is the screen position?	integer
"member positions"	Series	What are the series positions?	scalar list
"series positions"	Series	What are the series positions?	scalar list
"transform matrix"	Transform	What is the transform matrix?	matrix
"transform object"	Transform	What is the object to be transformed?	object
"valid count"	Any object	How many valid data items are there?	integer
"invalid count"	Any object	How many invalid data items are there?	integer
Notes: Possible categories: "real," "complex." Possible types: "signed byte," "unsigned byte," "short," "unsigned short," "integer," "unsigned integer," "float," "double," and "string."

Table 5. Inquiries that take a value parameter

Inquiry Input operated on Value Question Answer
"attribute" Any object attribute name What is the value of the specified attribute? string
"counts" Field component name How many items does the specified component contain? integer
"grid counts" Field component name What are the counts in each dimension of the specified component? integer
vector
"has attribute" Any object attribute name Does the object have the specified attribute? 1 or 0
"has component" Field component name Is the specified component present? 1 or 0
"has member" Group member name Is the specified member present? 1 or 0
"is connection" Field element type Are the connections of the specified type? 1 or 0
"is data dependent" Any object component name Is the data dependent on the specified component? 0 or 1
"is regular" Field component name Is the specified component regular? 1 or 0
"items" Field component name How many items in the specified component? integer
"member attribute" Group attribute name What is the value of the specified attribute? string, list
"member attributes" Group attribute name What is the value of the specified attribute? string, list
"string match" String character string Does the output match the specified string? 1 or 0

`Inquiry`	`Input operated on`	`Value`	`Question`	`Answer`
"attribute"	Any object	attribute name	What is the value of the specified attribute?	string
"counts"	Field	component name	How many items does the specified component contain?	integer
"grid counts"	Field	component name	What are the counts in each dimension of the specified component?	integer vector
"has attribute"	Any object	attribute name	Does the object have the specified attribute?	1 or 0
"has component"	Field	component name	Is the specified component present?	1 or 0
"has member"	Group	member name	Is the specified member present?	1 or 0
"is connection"	Field	element type	Are the connections of the specified type?	1 or 0
"is data dependent"	Any object	component name	Is the data dependent on the specified component?	0 or 1
"is regular"	Field	component name	Is the specified component regular?	1 or 0
"items"	Field	component name	How many items in the specified component?	integer
"member attribute"	Group	attribute name	What is the value of the specified attribute?	string, list
"member attributes"	Group	attribute name	What is the value of the specified attribute?	string, list
"string match"	String	character string	Does the output match the specified string?	1 or 0

Table 6. Miscellaneous Inquiries

Inquiry Question Answer
"processors" How many processors is Data Explorer Using? integer

`Inquiry`	`Question`	`Answer`
"processors"	How many processors is Data Explorer Using?	integer

Example Visual Programs

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`input`	specifies the subject of the module's inquiry.
`inquiry`	specifies the query (see Notes). Some queries require an additional parameter (see value).
`value`	specifies an item of information needed for identifying the appropriate subject of the query. For example, the "attribute" inquiry requires the name of the attribute.