IBM Visualization Data Explorer User's Reference

ScalarList

Category

Function

Generates a list of scalar values.

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
nitems integer 11 number of items in the initial list
label string "ScalarList" 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
`nitems`	integer	11	number of items in the initial list
`label`	string	"ScalarList"	global name applied to interactor stand-ins

Outputs

Name Type Description
output scalar list interactor output

Name	Type	Description
`output`	scalar list	interactor output

Functional Details

This interactor allows the user to interactively change a list of scalar values. The range 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 an 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 the 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 the corresponding input tabs are 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.
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 in the Set Attributes... dialog box. This value overrides the value implied by data.
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.
nitems
specifies the number of items in the interactor list. These are evenly spaced between the minimum and maximum values (see above). For example, if this parameter is given a value of 5, and the range is 0-100, the output list will be {0, 25, 50, 75, 100 }.
Note: If nitems changes, a new list is computed.
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. If not specified, the global label is set by the user interface.

Example Visual Program

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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 the corresponding input tabs are 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`.
`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 in the `Set Attributes...` dialog box. This value overrides the value implied by `data`.
`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.
`nitems`	specifies the number of items in the interactor list. These are evenly spaced between the minimum and maximum values (see above). For example, if this parameter is given a value of 5, and the range is 0-100, the output list will be {0, 25, 50, 75, 100 }. Note: If `nitems` changes, a new list is computed.
`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. If not specified, the global label is set by the user interface.