Table options

Use the options in the Table tab to specify how Analytics processes tables.

Automatically Profile on Open

When the Automatically Profile on Open option is turned on, Analytics automatically executes the Profile command on all numeric fields when you open a project, change tables, or change global filters.

Analytics retains the information and uses it to provide minimum and maximum values for histograms and stratifications, as well as absolute values for monetary unit sampling.

Note

Tables with numeric fields will open more slowly with this option on.

Delete Data File with Table

If you turn this option on, Analytics automatically deletes the associated data file when you delete a table. You can use this option to quickly remove unwanted files from your hard disk, but it will prevent you from accessing the data in the future.

Caution

Be careful when turning this option on. It may be an original data file that is deleted along with the table.

Data files are deleted outright. They are not sent to the Windows Recycle Bin.

You can also use the SET DELETE_FILE command in a script or on the command line to turn this option on or off.

If you change the setting using the Delete Data File with Table checkbox, the change remains in effect until you specifically change it again. If you use the SET DELETE_FILE command to change the setting, the change remains in effect for the duration of the Analytics session only.

Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:

SET DELETE_FILE {ON|OFF}

Don’t Share Table Layouts

Note

To prevent accidental deletion of field definitions, the Don't Share Table Layouts checkbox is selected by default.

If you deselect this option, a single table layout can be shared by multiple data files or data sources with an identical record structure. The feature works with only those Analytics operations that can output results to an Analytics table with an identical record structure – extracting, sorting, sampling, and merging – and with copying table layouts.

When sharing of table layouts is permitted, multiple source data files (e.g., Analytics data files (.fil)) or data sources that have the same record structure share a single set of field definitions. When you add a physical or computed field to a shared table layout, add a column to an associated view, or add a view, the added field, column, or view is automatically added to all the Analytics tables that use the shared table layout. When you delete a field, column, or view, it is no longer available to any of the Analytics tables that use the shared table layout.

Generally, you should maintain a separate table layout for each data file. However, sharing a single table layout can save labor if multiple data files with the same record structure require an identical set of field definitions, and any updates to the table layout will apply to all the data files. For example, extracting records from an annual transactions table into twelve separate monthly tables produces a total of thirteen tables with the same record structure. If the Don’t Share Table Layouts checkbox is selected, each table has its own layout. If the Don’t Share Table Layouts checkbox is deselected, all the tables share the original table’s layout and the layout can be managed centrally.

Deleting a shared table layout from one of the tables that uses it does not perform a global deletion. The shared table layout is still available to the other tables that use it.

Sharing does not extend beyond individual Analytics projects. If you copy a table to another project, a new table layout is created, regardless of how Don’t Share Table Layouts is set.

Exact Character Comparisons

Use this option to control how Analytics compares character fields, expressions, or literal values.

Note

Blank spaces are treated like characters.

If the option is off

If the option is off, Analytics uses the shorter string when comparing two strings of unequal length. The comparison starts with the leftmost characters and moves to the right.

Exact Character Comparisons is off

True False
  • "AB" = "AB"
  • "AB" = "ABC"
  • "AB" = "ABLMNOP"
  • "AB " = "AB"
  • "AB" = "ZZAB"
  • "AB " = "ABC"
  • " AB" = "AB"

The examples with blank spaces

  • "AB " = "AB" is True because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is used for comparison, and the blank space in the third position is not considered.
  • "AB " = "ABC" is False because all three characters are compared and the blank space and the "C" in the third position are not equal.
  • " AB" = "AB" is False because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is used for comparison, and the blank space and the "A" in the first position are not equal.

If the option is on

If the option is on, comparison strings must be exactly identical to be a match. When comparing two strings of unequal length, Analytics pads the shorter string with trailing blank spaces to match the length of the longer string.

Exact Character Comparisons is on

True False
  • "AB" = "AB"
  • "AB " = "AB"
  • "AB" = "ABC"
  • "AB" = "ABLMNOP"
  • "AB" = "ZZAB"
  • "AB " = "ABC"
  • " AB" = "AB"
The examples with blank spaces
  • "AB " = "AB" is True because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is padded to match the length of the longer string ( "AB " ), and "AB " and "AB " match.
  • "AB " = "ABC" is False because all three characters are compared and the blank space and the "C" in the third position are not equal.
  • " AB" = "AB" is False because the shorter string ( "AB" ) is padded to match the length of the longer string ( " AB" ), and "AB " and " AB" do not match.

Getting rid of blank spaces

You can use the ALLTRIM( ) function to remove leading and trailing blank spaces and ensure that only text characters and internal spaces are compared.

For example: ALLTRIM(" AB") = ALLTRIM("AB") is True when the values are wrapped with ALLTRIM( ), but False otherwise.

Exact Character Comparisons and filters

The Exact Character Comparisons setting affects how filters work:

  • The option is off Address = "PO Box" returns all addresses that start with "PO Box"
  • The option is on Address = "PO Box" returns only those records that have the exact string "PO Box" and nothing else in the Address field

Applicability

Some Analytics operations and functions are affected by the Exact Character Comparisons option and some are not:

Affected Not affected
  • Locate If operation
  • MATCH( ) function
  • BETWEEN( ) function
  • Join operation
  • Relate operation
  • FIND( ) function
  • FINDMULTI( ) function

Log entry

Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:

SET EXACT {ON|OFF}

Display Format on Open

If you turn this option on, Analytics automatically displays the current table layout and computed field definitions when you open a new table. The results appear in the command log.

Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:

SET FORMAT {ON|OFF}

Define Flat Files Manually

With this option selected, certain screens of the Data Definition Wizard are skipped when you create a table from a flat file and you complete the data definition in the Table Layout dialog box.

Buffer Size

This option specifies the size of the data block read. The default is 33K (kilobytes), which is the recommended buffer size for most applications.

Acceptable values range from 5 to 255. Changing the buffer size may provide small performance improvements in certain environments. You should only change this setting if you are advised to do so by Support.

Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:

SET READAHEAD value

Sort Memory

This option specifies the maximum amount of system resources to be allocated for sorting and indexing processes. The sort memory can be any value from 0 to 2000MB (megabytes), in 20MB increments. To optimize Sort performance, set the sort memory according to the available physical memory in the system. This enables Analytics to use the necessary amount of memory to sort a table up to this maximum, if required.

If the sort memory is left as 0, Analytics uses the system resources currently available.

Sort Order

This option sets the sort sequence for character fields.

Choose the locale from the drop-down list. The default is “System Default” for the non-Unicode edition of Analytics and “Mix Languages (UCA)” for the Unicode edition. By default, Analytics sorts data in ascending order based on the byte order of each character in its character set. The Sort Order option affects sort order when sorting or indexing, or performing a quick sort, and when testing sequential order.

Changes to this setting are recorded in the log using the following syntax:

SET ORDER values