Analyzer has over seventy commands. Some of them are available from the menu and have dialog boxes. The rest can be used from the command line or in procedures.
Command output is always sent to the Command Log. Most commands also let you send your output to the screen, to a graph, to a printer or save it to a file.
Most Analyzer commands operate on data in fields. A command dialog box typically lets you:
| | Choose data fields or files on which you will issue the command. |
| | Use expressions to manipulate the data in the selected fields or to create new computed fields. |
| | Apply filters to limit the number of records affected by the command. |
Some commands let you work with data from several fields at the same time.
Command dialog boxes can have two components:
| | The Main dialog from which to select fields, set basic parameters and create computed fields. The main dialog features all the items commonly needed to run the command |
| | The [More] button expands the main dialog to enable selection of command specific parameters, select ranges of records, filter records, suppress records and specify group fields. In addition, many commands will offer options of where to send the command output: to the screen, to a graph, to a printer or to a file (data or text). When the [More] button has been clicked and the dialog expands, the [More] button changes to a [Less] button which when clicked will contract the expanded command dialog. |
The most commonly used options for a given command are available in the Main portion of a command dialog box. This will vary with each command, but typically contains field selection, command types and output table names (for those commands that dont go to screen by default).
Clicking on the [More] button expands the command dialog. For most commands the [More] area contains options (If, First, Next and While) to restrict which records are processed and options to control output (Screen, Data or Graph). In addition, each command may have several command specific options including options to output additional fields, restrict reporting of results or errors, presort on additional fields and enable results to be grouped by key value. For more information on command specific behaviors, see the individual command descriptions in Commands.
To have command dialogs open in fully expanded mode at all times, see Auto-Suppress More Button Options.
When the [More] button is clicked, the command dialog expands and the [More] button changes to a [Less] button. The [Less] button contracts the expanded command dialog when clicked.
Options in the expanded command dialog will vary from one command to the next, particularly where options are command specific. In particular, output options (to screen, data or graph) will vary between commands.
There are three kinds of field lists from which you can select fields:
| | Drop-down lists |
| | List boxes |
| | List Views |
Dropdown lists let you select a field by its name only.
List boxes let you select one or more fields..
| | To select a single item in the list box simply click on it |
| | To select more than one item, hold the CTRL key down and then click on each item individually until all items are selected |
| | To select a group of contiguous items, hold the SHIFT key down, then click on the first item in the group and then click on the last item in the group. All items from first to last will now be highlighted. |
List views display all field properties to make it easier for you to identify a field in order to select it. List Views let you select fields by name, alternate field title, field type (ASCII, NUMERIC, DATE, COMPUTED) or by any other property of the field.
For more information about using List Views, see Using List Views.