IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference

Scalar

Category

Function

Generates successive scalar values over a specified range.

Syntax

Available only through the user interface.

Inputs

Name Type Default Description
data object no default object from which interactor attributes can be derived
refresh flag 0 reset the interactor
min scalar minimum data value minimum output value
max scalar maximum data value maximum output value
delta scalar input dependent increment between successive scalar outputs
method string input dependent defines interpretation of delta input
decimals integer input dependent number of decimal places to be displayed in output values
label string "Scalar" global name applied to interactor stand-ins

Name	Type	Default	Description
`data`	object	no default	object from which interactor attributes can be derived
`refresh`	flag	0	reset the interactor
`min`	scalar	minimum data value	minimum output value
`max`	scalar	maximum data value	maximum output value
`delta`	scalar	input dependent	increment between successive scalar outputs
`method`	string	input dependent	defines interpretation of delta input
`decimals`	integer	input dependent	number of decimal places to be displayed in output values
`label`	string	"Scalar"	global name applied to interactor stand-ins

Outputs

Name Type Description
output scalar interactor output

Name	Type	Description
`output`	scalar	interactor output

Functional Details

This interactor allows the user to interactively change a scalar value. The range of values over which the module acts is governed by its attributes (e.g., minimum, maximum, and delta), which in turn are either (1) specified by the parameter values in its Set Attributes... dialog box or (2) determined from input to the module (e.g., a data field). In the second case, the interactor is said to be "data driven."

If the interactor is not data-driven, its attributes are taken from its Set Attributes... dialog box (accessed from the Edit pull-down menu in the Control Panel).

Because the module is interactive, the user can change the current controlling value directly in Scalar's control panel.

Note: The module's control panel is invoked by double-clicking on its icon in the VPE window. Its configuration dialog box is accessed from the Edit pull-down menu in the same window.

data
is the object (usually a data field) from which the interactor can derive any or all of the minimum, maximum, and delta attributes when their corresponding input tab is up.
refresh
resets the interactor so that the output is computed from the current input. If refresh = 0 (the default), the output is recomputed only if the current output does not lie within the range of the current data. The default for the output of the interactor is the midpoint of min and max.
min and max
specify the minimum and maximum values of the interactor's scalar output. If set, these values override those implied by data.
If neither min nor data is specified, the interactor uses the minimum set in the Set Attributes... dialog box.
If neither max nor data is specified, the interactor uses the maximum set in the Set Attributes... dialog box.
delta
specifies a scalar value as a factor for calculating the increment between successive outputs over the specified range. The actual value depends on the interpretation specified by method (see below).
method
specifies the interpretation of delta:

"rounded": the increment (max - min) × delta is rounded to a "nice" number. The spacing between successive values will approximate the interval specified by delta. (For example, the default value of 0.01 specifies an interval of 1/100 of the specified range.)
"relative": the interpretation is the same as for "rounded," but the increment is not rounded.
"absolute": delta is the absolute value of the interval. (If delta has not been specified, its default is 1.)
The default value for method depends on other input. The default is:

"rounded" if data is specified or if both min and max are specified.
"absolute" in all other cases.

decimals
specifies the number of decimal places displayed in the interactor. If neither data nor delta is specified, the interactor uses the value in its own Set Attributes... dialog box.
label
is the global label of all instances of the corresponding interactor stand-in. An interactor instance's local label (set from the Control Panel) overrides a global label. By default, the global label is set by the user interface.

Example Visual Programs

Many example visual programs use the Scalar interactor. DataDrivenInteractors.net uses a data-driven scalar interactor.

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`data`	is the object (usually a data field) from which the interactor can derive any or all of the minimum, maximum, and delta attributes when their corresponding input tab is up.
`refresh`	resets the interactor so that the output is computed from the current input. If `refresh` = 0 (the default), the output is recomputed only if the current output does not lie within the range of the current `data`. The default for the output of the interactor is the midpoint of `min` and `max`.
`min` and `max`	specify the minimum and maximum values of the interactor's scalar output. If set, these values override those implied by `data`. If neither `min` nor `data` is specified, the interactor uses the minimum set in the `Set Attributes...` dialog box. If neither `max` nor `data` is specified, the interactor uses the maximum set in the `Set Attributes...` dialog box.
`delta`	specifies a scalar value as a factor for calculating the increment between successive outputs over the specified range. The actual value depends on the interpretation specified by `method` (see below).
`method`	specifies the interpretation of `delta`: "rounded": the increment (`max` - `min`) × `delta` is rounded to a "nice" number. The spacing between successive values will approximate the interval specified by `delta`. (For example, the default value of 0.01 specifies an interval of 1/100 of the specified range.) "relative": the interpretation is the same as for "rounded," but the increment is not rounded. "absolute": `delta` is the absolute value of the interval. (If `delta` has not been specified, its default is 1.) The default value for `method` depends on other input. The default is: "rounded" if `data` is specified or if both `min` and `max` are specified. "absolute" in all other cases.
`decimals`	specifies the number of decimal places displayed in the interactor. If neither `data` nor `delta` is specified, the interactor uses the value in its own `Set Attributes...` dialog box.
`label`	is the global label of all instances of the corresponding interactor stand-in. An interactor instance's local label (set from the Control Panel) overrides a global label. By default, the global label is set by the user interface.