The Analytics user interface includes a number of elements that display specific types of information, and allow you to work with data:

Understanding the organization and function of the various user interface elements helps you work effectively with Analytics.

The main Analytics user interface appears automatically when you open Analytics.

Number

Element

Description

1

Title Bar

Displays the name of the open Analytics project, and the ACL for Windows component name.

2

Main Menu

Provides access to most Analytics features, including menu commands for:

  • Working with Analytics projects
  • Performing data analysis
  • Configuring options and connection settings

3

Toolbar

Buttons in the toolbar are shortcuts to common actions. Analytics enables buttons that are relevant to your current activity.

To display or to hide the toolbar, select Window > Tool bar.

Note

You can customize the buttons contained in the toolbar. For more information, see Customize the Analytics toolbar.

4

Navigator

Displays information in three tabs about the open Analytics project:

  • Overview tab – displays all items that belong to the project

    You can right-click any project item to perform an action. To organize items in the Overview, right-click the project icon and select New > Folder. You can drag any project item into the folders that you create in the Overview.

  • Log tab – displays the Analytics command log

    All actions you take associated with the project are recorded and organized chronologically in the log. Double-click log entries to open them, and right-click log entries to perform an action.

  • Variables tab – displays the names, values, and data categories of any variables in the project

    The contents of the tab are dynamically updated as variables are created, deleted, or changed in value. Variable names are listed alphabetically.

Tip

To resize the Navigator, drag the divider between the Navigator and the display area. You can also double-click the divider to close or open the Navigator.

5

Command Line

Allows you to enter ACLScript commands.

To display or to hide the command line, select Window > Command Line.

6

Filter and Quick Search

A text box and drop-down list that allow you to perform two different tasks:

  • Apply a filter to the data in the View tab
  • Enter one or more search terms to perform a quick search of the data in the View tab

7

Index

Allows you to apply existing indexes to the table and to see if an index is currently applied

8

Display Area

Displays different types of information in the following tabs:

  • View tab (shown above) - displays the active Analytics table

    You can pin the View tab if you want to open more than one table. An additional View tab opens for each additional table you open. You can switch between tables using the individual View tabs.

    The record number column is at the far left of the View tab. The number of the currently selected record is highlighted in green.

    If multiple views exist for the same table, buttons at the bottom of the View tab let you switch between views.

  • Results tab - displays the results of an analytical operation when output to screen or graph, or displays selected command log entries

    You can pin the Results tab to keep the content visible and cause subsequent results to appear in an additional Results tab.

    For operations with text and graph output, buttons at the bottom of the tab let you switch back and forth between the two formats.

  • Script Editor tab - displays the contents of a new or existing script

    You can edit scripts manually, or use the tools available in Analytics, such as syntax capture and copying commands from the log, to edit a script.

  • Workspace Editor tab - displays the field definitions in a new or existing workspace

    Workspaces allow you to share field definitions among Analytics tables.

Tip

To resize the display area, drag the divider between the display area and the Navigator. You can also double-click the divider to close or open the Navigator.

9

Status Bar

Displays information such as:

  • The name of the active Analytics table
  • The record count
  • The details of any filters currently applied to the table
  • The name of any currently running script

When you select an Analytics command such as Summarize or Duplicates from the main menu, a command dialog box opens. These dialog boxes contain options that allow you to specify:

  • The input field or fields for the operation
  • Various options that affect the behavior of the operation
  • The format of the output results

Depending on the operation, the options are organized on two or three tabs in the dialog box:

  • Main tab
  • More tab, or Output tab, or both

The figures below show examples of the three tabs.

Note

The options in the dialog boxes vary somewhat depending on the operation you select. There are a number of standard options, explained below, that appear for most operations.

Options that are not standard are explained elsewhere in the Analytics Help.

The Main tab

Main tab option

Allows you to . . .

field list or lists

Specify the input field or fields for the operation

Subtotal Fields

Specify one or more numeric fields to optionally subtotal as part of the operation

Presort

Specify that the input field is automatically sorted before the operation is performed

If

Specify an IF statement that excludes records that do not meet the specified condition from the operation

To

(not shown)

Specify the name and location of the Analytics table that will contain the output results

Note

Appears on the Output tab (as Name) in command dialog boxes that have an Output tab

The More tab

More tab option

Allows you to . . .

Scope

All | First | Next | While

Specify how many records in a table are processed by an operation:

  • All – all records are processed
  • First – the specified number of records are processed, starting at the first record in the table
  • Next – the specified number of records are processed, starting at the currently selected record in the table
  • While – records are processed, starting at the first record in the table, as long as the WHILE statement evaluates to true

Use Output Table

Specify that an Analytics table containing output results opens automatically upon completion of the operation

Appears on either the Main tab or the More tab.

Append To Existing File

Specify that output results contained in an Analytics table or text file are added to the bottom of an existing Analytics table or text file

The Output tab

Output tab option

Allows you to . . .

To

Screen | Print | Graph | File

Specify the format of the output results:

  • Screen – displays the results in the Analytics display area
  • Print – sends the results to the default printer
  • Graph – creates a graph of the results and displays it in the Analytics display area
  • File – saves or appends the results to an Analytics table or a file

Some operations do not support all four output formats

File Type

Specify an Analytics table or a text file when you save output results to a file

Depending on the operation, you may be able to save to either a table or a text file, or to only one of these options

Name

Specify the name and location of the Analytics table or text file that will contain the output results

Appears on the Main tab (as To) in command dialog boxes that do not have an Output tab

Local

Specify whether to save an Analytics table with output results locally or to the server (only enabled when connected to a server table)

Appears on either the Main tab or the Output tab

Header

Specify a text header to accompany the output results

Not supported for all format types

Footer

Specify a text footer to accompany the output results

Not supported for all format types

Analytics also includes the following user interface elements, which are used to define and import data, work with tables, build expressions, insert custom dialog boxes into scripts, and work with analytics and analysis apps:

  • Data Definition Wizard - a page-based wizard that provides a standard way to access a variety of data sources, mostly file-based

    The Data Definition Wizard is automatically displayed when you create a new Analytics project, and when you add a new Analytics table to an existing project.

    For more information, see Defining and importing data.

  • Data Access window a visual interface that contains a number of data connectors you can use for accessing source data in either databases or files

    For more information, see Defining and importing data.

  • Table Layout dialog box – used to define or modify Analytics table layouts

    Table layouts specify how Analytics should identify records in the data source and read individual fields.

    For more information, see Table Layout dialog box.

  • Expression Builder dialog box – used to enter an expression in Analytics

    An expression is a statement that combines data fields, operators, functions, filters, and variables that Analytics evaluates and returns a value for.

    For more information, see Expression Builder overview.

  • Dialog Builder – used to create custom dialog boxes in Analytics scripts

    Custom dialog boxes provide user interaction or feedback when a script is running.

    For more information, see Creating custom dialog boxes.

  • The Analysis App window – used to run analysis apps and create data interpretations

    The Analysis App window is a freestanding component of Analytics that provides a simple user interface for running analytics, and bundled sets of analytics called analysis apps. It also provides advanced data interpretations and visualizations, giving users a number of options for reviewing the results of analysis.

    For more information, see Working with analysis apps.